North Carolina Newspapers

El VOL 4 THE GLEANER E. S. PARKER 3 rahnnt, N. C, * Xatfi oj Buhtci-XphaH. I'oßinyt Paid : . One Year ®. 2?' fix Months ' ][6 Throe Months ......v.BO . Every person send tag its a club of ten sub scribers with tlie each, entitles himself to one ropy free, for tlie length of time for which the e'.jb Is made np. Papers sent to different offices Nq Departure from the Cash System Bsili •fldTOrtltfSl Transient adrerttsenfents payable In advance: yearly advertisement* quarterly in advance. i # Im.lSm.Bm. I 0 m. 1 12 m.' 1 quare 7*2 Oo!$3 00 64 OO.f 0 OflUltfOO 2 '! 8 001 450 6 00 1 lp OOi 15 00 ' Transient advertisements It per sqiiare •r he first, and fllty cents for each subset 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