El
VOL 4
THE GLEANER
E. S. PARKER
3 rahnnt, N. C,
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Quantinsertion.
'
--I* - i — —-»
New Millinery
• *
Store.
; •
Mrs. W. 8. Moore, of Qreensboro, has
opened a branch of ,ker extensive business,
1b this town, at the
Hunter Old Stand
-> ■ it*' *
ander tho tnanzement of Mrs. «. Hunter,
where she has just opened a complete as
sortment of,
BONNETS, HATS, RIBBONS,
FLOWERS, NATURAL HAIR
BRIADS AND CURLS, LADIES
COLLARS, AND CUFFS, linen
and lace CRAVATS, TOILET
SETS, NOTIOJVS, and everythibg for lae'les
«>f the very latest styles, ana If you do not
find in store what yon want leave yonr or
der one day and call the next and get yonr
goods.
•"Competition in styles and prices de
fled.
fiiiJTOii
TF. R. For bis §• Bro.
GREENSBORO, N. C.
•KkOaOgH'
branch house,
J. R.Pugh &co
GRAHAM, N. C.
keep on hand all kinds of ffcrniture, from
the cheapest to the very best.
Nothing in the* furniture line that they
do not keep.
J. R. i*ugh &co,
IN GRAHAM,
' eep on hand quite an assortment of each
arnlture as their trade mostly demands,
nd they also will on, application order' at
nee, anything wanted, without coet to the
> lstomer, who can select from a book of
ate. showing the different styles
8 mo. Mar. 5.1878.
' mm
I propose to famish the Graham and Com
\ny Bhops market with nice frrsh beef at
ices as reasonable as can be afforded.
Persons having good beef cattle to sell will do
ell tp let me know.
I will be at Cohfaxt Shops on
Monday and Friday
• enings of each week, and at ÜBAHAK on
TUESDAY AND SATURDAY
ornings of each week, certain,
A CAKO,
To the Public:
Since my election to the Senate of the
United States in 1872 Gov. Vance and
many ot his zc?i»loin friends havo w aired
on unjustifiable warfare upon me—some
times openly—sometimes covertly—
wholly unworthy of that gentleman and
unmerited by myself. Unwilling to
parade my wrongs before the public
when I could avoid doing so, anxious
for »lie harmony ottlie Democratic party,
the quiet ot the people and ttie promo
tion of the general welfare, I have silent
ly submitted lor more than five years to
gross detraction, mlerepreseulation and
insolent jeers and taunts, choosing to re
ly upon my clraracter and conduct, both
public and priva'e, for my sure vindica
tion. My silence has been misooiistrned
by mr adversaries. They have taken
advantage of it—in view of the approach
ing August election for members ot the
Legislature, and the election of my suc
cessor in the Senate in January next—
mi l have of late renewed their assaults up
on me with such violence as manifests the
wicked pui pose to destroy me, if possis
ble, in the esteem ot my fellow citizens.
Purbearanco ill this respect on my part,
long since ceased to bo a virtue.. I have
»übuiittod quietly long enough—perhaps
too long—to such calumnies. In defence,
of myself, iu justice to my friends and
tho people generally, I feel called upon
to take some notice of the false and un
founded imputations made agninst me.
I am averse to and deprecate such a con
troversy. but I vent tire to trust that, uns
der the circumstances, I shall be pardon
ed for engaging in it now only in defence
of myself.
During fhe time I have been in (ho
Senate, matters and questions of the
most complicated anil embarrassing char
acter, and many of them of grave ino»
mont to tho whole country and particu*.
'arly to tho SQUthorn States and people,
have come before that body for consid
eration and adtion. I have voted npon
all, and discussed, to a greater or less
extent, most 6t tho important onps. It
could hardly be expected thit 1 would
make no mistakes. I am, however grat«.
jfiedjo know that no sotious objection has
been taken to'my course of conduct as a
Senator. I have endeavored to serve
my Stato and people and the whole coun
try faithfully, and I challenge the closest
.scrutiny of my conduct and record. 1
think I can truthfully say, that I 'have
not neglected.the business interests of
any one, rish or poor, white or black,
and without regard to party affiliations, j
wiieu the same have been brought to my
»tUj|&on and I might be properly charg
ed with them. And while 1 have paid
duo regard to the highest interests of the
country and particularly thoso of the
people whose immediate servant I am, I
have been ever faithful to the Democrat*
ic flirty. In matters of substance there
seems to be no complaint or ground of
complaint against me.
The single charge agaiust roe, that I
have beard of. is alleged iu*ubordiua>
tion to the Democratic caucus in the Leg
islature in 1872, on the occasion of my
election to the Senate of tho Uuited
States; and in (hat connection, collusion
with the Republican members in tho
Legislature to secure their votes' lor my
self for Senator.
_ This charge I flatly, deny. It is utterly
false in substance aud detail, and I chal
lenge auy one to produce aught in proof
of it.
It.has been said, and ofton repeated,
flint those Democratic gentlemon in the
Legislature who supported tne for Souas
tpr and myself "bolted*' the Democratic
caucus. This is not true, and those who
say so, either do not know the facts, or
they are unacqnauited with party usage
aud practice, or they wilfully pervert tbe
truth. In tact, 1 oxprcssly refused to
submit to or be bound by the action of
tbe caucus, and the gentlemeu referred
to refueed to go iuto oi bo bound by it,
or its action, because it bad been "pack*
ed" by Governor Vance.' Governor
Vance told me in plain terms, and did
not deny it afterwards, that he had a
majority of the eaucus pledged to vote
for his nomination for Senator before tbe
caucus assembled. He stated in terms,
that be bad for months '-electioneered as
bard as he could" to seenre such pledge.
I complained then that I bad been gross
ly misrepresented by himself and some
of bis friends in reference to the J»te
war, not only on that, but on former oc
casions a» well, and by such nndue
means I was prejudiced greatly. I ins
sisted then that be bad by stich pledging
destroyed-the freedom of the caucns as a
nominating body. And so he had. The
fundamental principle on which the cau
cus system rests is. that the members
first consider the public (rood, and, in
GRAHAM, N. O,
nosfl and claims of such persons as may
go before thcin to share in the disfribut
lion of such honors and boueflts as they
may have power to bestow., T|>e abso
hue fairness and freedom of the caucus
is the single quality that (fives it life'and
binding power—none may tamper with
ihein. Cuucuscs are perverted by active,
designing men, and this Ins been done
so often as to cause Mr. Calhoun and oth
er great polical writers iu this eouutty to
denounce them as the instruments or in
trigueing men to defeat the popular will.
The* are essential (o concerted party ac
tion, but unless true fairness prevails
they do not and ought not to bind any
body. A majority of the caucus having
been pledged in advanced of its meeting
to support Governor Vauce for Senator,
what a mockery for other gentlemen,
including myself, to go into the caucus
just to sec liis nomination recorded!
It had been procured, prearranged,
predetermined. Upon what considera
tions? Upon what representations? And
it was so dorto iu tlio absence of every
other gentlt-man who aspired* and withs
out such majority having beard or con
sidered any other person's tights or
claims, or anything that might be said in
favor of the public, the party, or any
other person. The majority being so
pledged, the minority were helpless—
ttiey bad to submit to the dictation of a
pledged majority, pledged for one cyii
sidoratien or anetber. fair or unfair, in
the absence of everybody save only the
r iuan pledged and the man who recei\ed
the pledge I If such practice can be toL
erated and upheld by a great party—it
one member of the parly can thus suc
cessfully prostitute the machinery of the
party, then the caucus system is a cheat
and a fraud. The man who can afford
to go arouud in advance of tho assem
bling of the caucus and intrigue with in
dividuals. make his own ex parte state
moms,arguments and misrepresentations,
with 110 one by to. correct them, will al
most invariably get a controlling advan
tage,which those who cannot and will not
do such things can never hayc. Such prac
tices are vicious,contravene every princi
ple of true and just party discipiline and
de stroy all fair and wise party action.
Such practice uiukos the caucus and the
i convention a mere trap, a snare for the
boiieflt/of those who employ intrigue And
cunning. In this case a friend of mine
nskod that I might be heard by tbe caucus
iii reference to certain method* of election
eei ii% against me and misrepresentations
ot w Inch I complained. Of course the
pledged majority rejected and mocked at
the respectful request—the nomination
had already beeii decided and before the
caucus met I I did not "bolt" tbe eaucus
—nor-did my friends—for the reasons
stated, we expressly refased to go Into
of be bound by it.
The result was, that altiiough a nam*
ber of gentlemen aspired to the nomiua
tion for Senator, Gov. Vance had a clear
field—no one cared to venture Inta a
caucus the majority ot which was p'edg
ed to oue man—and without opposition
in the caucus ao pledged, he received on
the first ballot, forty-nine votes, enly
half a vote more than enough to nomi
nate lii.n. Then, .as of course, .the noms
iuatiou was made unanimous as to those
who went into It.
For the reasons stated, I did not sub*'
mit myself to the caucus, although a
number of gentlemen who desired my
election did go into it and abided its ac-.
' tion. I here declare ray firm convict! on
that If there had been a free and lair vote
of the caucus—all the Democrats being
present—l would have been nominated,
and I know this was tbe opinion of many
other gentlemen. Eighteen Democrats
friendly to me—seme of them among the
leading and ablest men in the Legisla
ture. and all of them men of h]gh iuteg
, ritv and respectability, absolutely refas
ed to go into the eaucus unless Gov.
Vaneesnd I both should be withdrawn
from its consideration for nomination. 1
kbow that many othen went into it and
submitted to its actiou with great relucts
ance, and on the ground that a majority
«tf it was pledged, and it was not a free
caucus ou tbe subject of the Senaforship.
1 know that many gentlemen who were
in it desired my election. They told me
so, and some of tbe most cordial congrat
ulations I received alter my election
were from gentlemen who under order
of the caucus voted for Gov. Vauce.
I was nevertheless sincerely anxious
to preserve party harmony,and from the
beginning of the contest between Gov.
Vauce and myself to the end, my friends
and myself proposed to him and his
friends, that I would abandon it, if be
would do likewise, and let the caucus
nominate a third person. This they re
fused to do. It was then proposed by
my friends to hie that one free, unpledg
ed ballot should be taken in the Legisla
ture for Senator, leaving eve-y demo
crat to vote as lie pleased, aud allow the
TUESDAY JUNE 18 1878
person who might receive tfie highest
democratic vote, to bo the nominee of the
caucus. This too was rejected. He was
bent 011 realizing the benefit of the pledg
ed vote.^
At last, after many unsuccessful bal
lottingsm the Legislature for Senator,
Gov. Vance withdrew with a great
flourish from the contest, uiakii.g lond
professions of sacrifice on his part. lw
mediately, thcrenpon, I withdrew, as I
had nil along proposed to do. 1 withe
drew in nl! sincerity, and was entirely
content to do so. .
Tho caucus then reassembled, all the
democratic members of the Legislature
being present, and as I liuve learned
from many geutjemon of tho cattcus,with
tho distinct agreement, that neither my
name nor that of Gov. Vance should bo
brought beloro the caucus again tor nom
ination. Entire harmony then seemed
to prevail. \
' After my withdrawal,! gave myself
no more concern about the movements of
tho caucus, «nd only know of what was
done in if, and how I came to bo elected
Senator from others. 1 here give an ac
count of what happened afterwards from
the pen of Col. W. n. Avero, a democrat
who supported mo. lie is A gentleman
well known, of high respectability and
intelligence, and no one who knows ldifl
will fop owe moment question his veraci-,
ty. I havo always heard that the facta
were substantially as he states them. lie
says in a recent number ol his paper,
The Rocky Mount Mail , among other
things as folio vrs/ '* ' . ■ .1
"At tho Monday morning caucus both
the supporters of Judge Mcrrimon and
Gov. Vance were present J not having
sufficiont time before the convening of
the Legislature, to maka a nominal ieu
it was ngreed to vote that day compli
mentary to various triends guarding in
tho meanwhilo the ballot, ,6ceiug to it
that not enough support be given to any
oue to enable the Itcpiiblicans to elect
by concentrating their vote npou him.
vote of the Djmocaats before the
Legislature Monday was therefor* cast
for various personal friends, scattered
in ail parts of the Slate, and of course
resulted in no election; at 4 o'clock that
eftemoon the caueM again assembled to
nominate a candidate for Senator, when
on third ballot Gen. A. M. Scales dovel-
oped strength that indicated his nomina
tion'oil the next ballot.' Filibustering
set in, and the caucus adjourned in great
confusion. The object ot this adjourn*
mont just at the apparent point of the
nomination of Genl. Scales was cxplain»
ed in the next merniug's caucus wlien it
met,Hjy a motion made by Mr> Bryson.
3 ho had formerly supported judge Mer •
mou, that the name of Gov. Vance he
brought again before the caucus for nom*
iuation, which was called with tbe ex
pressed understanding that neither the
name of Gov. Vance or Judge Mcrrimon
should be brought beloro it; this pledge
having been made bv the friends olGov.
Vauce, who had invited the frionds ol
Mr. Merrimon to participate with them.
Tbis motion was carried, notwilhstand'*
ing the protests made by Judge Merii
mou's friends. (Tbe writei among the
number.) It is but candid, however, lo
state there were two persons tint had
supported him, and did afterwards sup
port him on the last ballot before the
Legislature, when he was elected, who
did in speeches before this caucns, favor
the introduction of the name of
Governor Vance again before the can*
cits. This action was taken and
tho caucus adjourned about fifty minutes
before the electiou before tho Legislat uro
' was to bo gone into. The friends of Mr.
Merrimon felt that they ought not to
abide this actiou and leave' their friend
to be ruined iu the house of his former
supporters, they covering their heads
from their violence of the political storm
then raging aud tney again pnt his name
in nomination before the Legislature.
This action was ttkon without the knowl
edge or consent of Merrimon, as
doubtless was tho case with Gov. Vauce,
in regard to the action of his triends.
"In this way, and under these circum
rtances both Gov. Vance and Judge
Merrimon were for tbe second time
brought into this memorable and unfor
tunate contest before the Legislature,
and a vote was taken: At the end of
the roll-call it was found that 17 of the
original Democratic supporters of Merri
mon had voted fl|r him with 18 Repub
licans, and while tho tellers were costing
up the vote the Republicans who had
voted, for Mr. Pool, upon roll-call, began
to change thier votes to Merrimon,
stating emphatically that they did it as a
choiH' between what they considered
two of the most objectionable Democrats
to th4m to be found in tfee State; and
that no overtures, promises or pledges
of an j kind had been made them by
Judge'Merrimon, or from his fiends for
him. In this way, and under these cirv
enmsUncea, he was elected to United
States Seuate.
"We beg our readers to remember die
following material points:
"Int. The integrity of the caucus be
ing destroyed, the . friends ~of Mor
rimou did not join ill its delibera
tion*,
"2nd, That they, at nil times express
ed a willingness to withdraw the name
of Merriroon u the friends of Gov.
Vance withdrew his name.
"3rd. riioy proposed that a vote be
fore tlia Legislature might decide the
cont«jtit; which was declined.
"4tli. When Vance withdrawn
they withdrew Merrimon.
4, 5 th. Thef met in joint caucus to
aid in nominating the third man in good
faith.
"6th. That they .did not put the
name of Merrimon in nomination before
the Legislature the second time until
after (he friends of Gov. Vance had
voted in caucus to renominate him; after
they had called a caucus in whioh the
friendn of Merrimon were invited to
participate, with assurance that neither
Vance or Merrimon were te be brought
before it,
"7tb. That the charge that coallticn,
bargain, tr achery of any kind was prac
ticed, or that personal honor was coui>
promised with the Republicans, is abso
lutely false, and is a foul slander upon
the Judge trad\is friends. 1 '
1 knew nothing of what was done in
the caucus just before the Legislature
met to elect the Senator, except that I
heard that Gov. Vance had been re-nom
inatetf." I wont to the Circuit Court of
the United States then sitting in Metro*
politan Hall whero my business oalled
me, feeling indignant aud supposing that
Gov. Vance would be elected, I was
entirely ignorant of my ejection at the
time, it took place and had nothing to do
with it in any way. A friend hastened
to the Coart chamber where I wan,
beckoned me frem the immediate pres
ence of the Court and informed me of it.
No one could hare been more surprised
at it than myself. I could not at firat
credit the statement, thinking my friend
might be jesting until he assured me
-that lie waa in earnest. As I turned to
walk back to my seat, I met one of the
first, purest and greatest men in North
Carolina, a man whose name and judge
ment always oouimanded the respect of
the [>eople—a Democrat whose sincerity
could not be questioned, and informed
him of my election—he congratulated
me very cordially and expressed his grat
ification at the result. He waa familiar
with the contest that had preceded the
election. So anxious was Ito do what
I ought, I asked the gentleman just
referred to and ten or fifteen other
Democratic gentlemen-—Borne of them
members of the Legislature and some
not—several of them gentlemen of much
prominence and influence in the Demo
cratic party, to meat together on the
aecond evening after the election to con
consider what I ought to do in that re
spect. Upon that consideration, they
all, without exception, agreed
that I ought to accept the election
and that by doing so I would
not compromise myself or the
Democratic party. It was then mention
ed that such contests had been frequent
in the history of parties in the past.
It will be sten that I was cautious as
to my action. It was my purpose to do
right, and I insist that I did nothing
wrong in a party or any other sense in
accepting the election of Senator under
the circumstances. My conscience and
my judgment approve my ac'ion as just
ani proper.
But let it be supposed that I erred,
' then I ask am I for one error, and a
venial one, tabs sacrificed and rejected
by my party? Do I thereby forfeit
coufidence and favor? I cannot believe
that disinterested men will think so.
So harsh a rule as that has never pre
vailed in thepast in any party, in cases
much-more open to criticism than urine,
Thero are many cases recorded in the
history of the Democratic party, all
parties, when gentlemen were olected to
the Senate and other high stations I
was, and they were not therefore rejected
by their parties—on the contrary, their 1
parties continued to honor them. Some '
of the greatest men this country has
produced were elected, reme of them i
more than once, under like circumr* 1
stances. The Hon. Mr. Hunter, of Vii* 11
ginia, was twice so elected, so also wag : '
Mr. Masoq, of the same State, so was '
NO,IO
Hon. Jolm Bell, of Tennessee, over 4 Sir.
Polk, the regular nomioec of the party;
so was the late IVesident Johuson—
tliero were two otlior like cases in Ten
•"-» was the late Mr. Fejry, of
Connecticut; theie are three or four
Senators in. the Senate now—some of
them among the ablest there—who wwo
so I might cite a score of cases.
The parties of these gentlemen did not
therefore repudiate them; many of them
wore repeatedly and continuously honor'
ed Uy their parties, and they
continued to stand as high in party
esteem as anybody else Great political
parties cannot afford to allow their action
and the success of great principles to be
controlled by ho personal rivalries and
conflicts of their members, nor can they
wisely embrace the cause of one member
against another. If they should do so,
the inevitable rcsi)ll would be, that /tiiey
would at once degenerate into personal
factions, and would cease to exist, Or to
serve any useful public, purpose.
' There have been repeated instances in
North Carolina in the Democratic party,
where members of it, for cause, refused
to submit to and abide the action of Jthe
caucus. In 1852, 1 think it
late Mr. Dobbin was nominated for
United States Senator by the Democrat
ic caucus. The late Judge Saunders
refused to go into canOas or abide its
uctiou—he and one other gentleman so i
refused, and they defeated the election 4
entirely. Judge S.aunders was not
therefore repudiated by his party; on the J
contrary, they continued honor him
while he lived as one of their great £
lights.
I am sensible of the importance of
party organization. It ought to be
observed and preserved— it l| essential to
success i but the simplest mind must d
understand that such organisation cwjjjl
only be preserved by absolute fairness
and freedom in all party transactions.
The "packing" and pledging of pri maris*
caucuses and conventions, is the bane— I
the ruin of party organization; and the |
man who engages in it should merit lh§
reprobation of every party. Those who : M
sustain and encourage intriguers and '*
those who seek to oiremnvent the popu
lar will, are not entitled to public confh |
dence, and will not enjoy it for a long
period of time.
The imputation that I colluded with
the Republicans in the Legislature or |
bargained for their votes is utterly fait* *
and scandalous,and the reckless mendacJH
ity of those who persist in making it ha« '■/
scarcely a parallel in the vilest type OK9
political warfare. I denounced
gestion of it in a published card in JanH
uaryj 1873, as utterly false—my wholqfl
course of conduct ever since proves ttjflHH
it was falser- th% democrats in the Legw|
lature who votea for roe hare denounce*®®
it as false—the Republican
likewise; and so have many
Republicans from time to time,
lost to every sense of truth, deceoqnß
honor must be the calumniator who ifl
persist in making such imputatHflß
advance the political fortunes olfl
favorite!
It may be that there are these tJH
measuring myself by their own mnrcei&S
and corrupt natures, expected me I
prove false to principle and
my • political associates. I do
doubt that there were in my own. |ifl
those who would have rejoiced, if l|9H
done so, and are unbapy that twk
not. Such persons are capable of J|
so themselves under like
They merit and have my cotattbsfljH
Those, who thus assail me,
oblivious of aw; : possible shortpgjfl
on the part of GOV. Vance in
the Senatorial election in
former occasions. They
reasonably complain if, in
refer to so mo of them.
After what has been said, can fjM
man say that he was not
what happened in 1872? itrstto
the course oi a fair, true ifl
Those who understand the
character and p.irposes cf a
party discipline cannot say H
But if in the opinoin ot
am subject to cenFure, ought
to be free trom like
did to produce the strife in 18* m
been made manifest.
(Continued on /ouH^H