The Western Democrat

When the friends of Mr. Vance started him as a candidate for Governor, we should like to know if they supposed that he was to be allowed to run through without having a word said against him, or the manner in which he was brought forward censured? It seems that some of Mr. Vance's friends think that not a word should be spoken against him, while Mr. Johnston is being assailed week after week. It is a little curious (but not surprising to us) that some of Mr. Vance's sensitive friends did not speak out when Mr. Johnston was assailed long before Mr. Vance's name was mentioned. He was frequently attacked by the friends of Mr. Vance, but you could hear no word of condemnation from certain persons who now support Mr. Vance. Such hypocrisy is disgusting, but not at all surprising to those who understand the tricks of politicians. We quoted last week some articles from the Raleigh Standard of 1859, showing how that paper abused Mr. Vance then, but the Standard is now engaged in glorifying him and abusing those who oppose him. We have never abused Mr. Vance, but our opinion about him has undergone no change; we always looked upon him as a scheming politician, and we tell the people that he has been a politician and an office-seeker ever since he came to the years of manhood. If this is considered abuse, let his friends make the most of it. We have time and again urged the people to drop the regular, office-seeking politicians, and try good business men. All agreed that that was the right sort of talk, "that the country had been ruined by politicians;" but now, when they have an opportunity of showing their principles by their works, some of Mr. Vance's old political friends back out, and have determined to support him in preference to an able business man; and some, for the want of a better excuse, give as a reason for their inconsistency, that Mr. Vance has been abused and badly treated. The fact is, some of the supporters of Vance are still under the influence of old party prejudices. They don't like Mr. Johnston because he joined the Southern Rights party too early as they think; but not being bold enough to give that as a reason for their opposition, they complain that somebody has abused Mr. Vance or treated him badly. It is not true that he has been abused by any one since the Standard quit abusing him. It was some time ago arranged by a caucus of politicians in Raleigh that Mr. Vance was to be a candidate, because it was supposed that he could catch the votes of the soldiers. And we repeat, if exposing and denouncing political scheming and wire-working is considered abuse, his friends may make the most of it.

We are not opposed to Mr. Vance because he belonged to the Whig party, but because we are confident he is not as competent for the office of Governor as Mr. Johnston. Mr. Johnston was a Whig—we do not believe he ever voted a Democratic ticket in his life previous to the commencement of the war—but when the signs indicated unmistakably that there must be a division of the Union, he buried old party feeling and took his stand with the South, or, as some prefer to have it, with the Southern Rights party. Past and present occurrences show he did right.

Now, we contend that Mr. Johnston ought to have been acceptable to both the old parties—to the Whig party because he had always been a Whig: to the Democratic party because he divested himself of party feeling and acted as he thought the interests of his country demanded. And we claim that in supporting Mr. Johnston we show that we are not influenced by party prejudices, because he never belonged to the party with which we acted. If we were supporting an old democrat we might be accused of being influenced by party feeling with some show of propriety, but as we are not doing so, we ask our readers if the accusation does not appear, not only improbable, but without the least foundation in truth?

When Mr. Johnston's name was first mentioned, it was favorably received throughout the State. Every newspaper of both the old parties that alluded to the subject, except the Raleigh Standard, spoke of him in favorable terms. But the Standard determined to have a contest, objected to Mr. Johnston, gave as a reason for its opposition that he joined the "secessionists" too early—and the editor of that paper manœuvred about until it got Mr. Vance out as a candidate. And we regret to find that some of the members of the old Whig party are co-operating with the Standard, and following in the wake of a paper that in 1859 and at other times accused Mr. Vance of co-operating with the Black Republicans.

In view of all these things, we say that we nor none of Mr. Johnston's friends are to blame for the present contest, that we did everything that was fair to avoid it; and we further say that the charge that we are abusing Mr. Vance is without foundation. If our exposure of the schemes adopted by certain politicians, with Mr. Vance's consent, to divide the people of the State into two parties, is considered abuse, we say that we have done nothing but what is right, and we don't care who it offends. If those who are now so sensitive about abuse had defended Mr. Johnston, Gen. Branch and Gov. Clark when they were unjustly assailed, they might talk with some show of consistency, but as they did not do so, we respectfully suggest that their mutterings are out of place.

We earnestly desired to avoid a contest this summer, but certain disappointed politicians declared there should be a contest, and advised no compromise. On them rests the responsibility. We did not commence the discussion. Mr. Johnston, and the people of Mecklenburg who participated in a public meeting at this place, were first assailed, and it was nothing more than our duty to repel the attack and speak plainly of those who made it as well as of those who countenanced and probably prompted it, Mr. Vance among the number.

We are acting on the defensive.

The following remarks from the Statesville Express (a paper which formerly co-operated with Mr. Vance and his party, but which now refuses to go with the factionists) are so appropriate and correct that we copy them at the risk of making this article longer than we intended:

"The last Greensboro Patriot reads the friends of Mr. Johnston a homily for that which they have never done, and the Patriot has been led into error. The supporters of Mr. Johnston have never assailed Col. Vance, the Patriot's candidate nor anybody else, but they have all the time desired that the people might be allowed to go to the polls and vote for the man of their choice, without dictation, caucussing, party meetings or anything of the kind. But this fair and honorable course did not suit the Raleigh Standard, par excellence, who has assumed to take the whole matter of the Governor's election in charge, and dictate a candidate to the people of North Carolina, whom they should support and no one else. Mr. Johnston's name was put forth first, to our knowledge, by old line Whigs and Democrats, who were Union men down to the date of Lincoln's proclamation, and they selected Mr. Johnston for his superior business knowledge and administrative abilities and his fitness to make such a Governor as the State requires at this particular time. He had filled a number of high trusts, and never been found wanting in the discharge of any duty. He is thoroughly identified with interests of the State and people, and a patriot in every sense of the word.

But what followed? No sooner was the name of Mr. Johnston suggested in connection with the Governorship than the Raleigh Standard assailed him, without any known cause, and without reasons assigned, except the malignant spirit of that journal to vilify the greatest and best men in the land, whom the Editor may not happen to fancy. Why the Standard did this, we do not know, but believe it was done because Mr. Johnston did not vote for the Standard as printer to the Convention. No one can believe that the Standard was influenced by any other motive, unless it was because Mr. Johnston had ever been an old line Whig, voted for John Bell, and used his efforts to preserve the Union, while the Standard had labored for secession. The reader is left to form his own opinion about the matter. But Mr. Johnston was assailed, abused, vilified and falsehood resorted to in order to make him unpopular with the people. If the Patriot has been a regular reader of the Standard, he knows all this to be true.

It was expected by the friends of Mr. Johnston that other candidates for the high and honorable office would be in the field in due time, and they hoped that party spirit, for once, would be ignored and nothing like a canvass attempted, and that the newspapers would do nothing more than to express their preferences for their respective favorites. On the contrary, the Raleigh Standard urged a canvass and stumping over the State by the candidates, and urged "no compromise." The Standard, likewise, insisted upon a party issue—declared Mr. Johnston the candidate of the "secessionists," and called upon the "old Union men" to rally as one man and defeat him upon that ground, if upon no other. And the same course the Standard has urged repeatedly to this day.

This the Standard did, although he knew that Mr. Johnston never was a "secessionist," and the Editor of the Standard was. This was a trick of the Standard's like crying "stop thief!" in order to screen the Editor's own guilty carcass for aiding to bring on the war.

The Standard was determined to bring out some one to oppose Mr. Johnston, and, like the old woman, who went out in the old field one night to pray for a husband, and hearing the hoot of an owl, which she mistook for a spirit voice inquiring who she would prefer, exclaimed—"Any body Lord!" So was it with the Standard. Gov. Graham was first approached—he refused: Mr. Holden could not nominate himself, and nobody else would do it for him, and after coaxing Morehead, Gilmer, and others, in vain, he finally prevailed upon Col. Vance to become his candidate, to defeat Mr. Johnston. Had another consented to run for Mr. Holden, Col. Vance, as everybody knows, and the Patriot knows it also, would not have been nominated. Then, why did not the Patriot nominate Col. Vance, and not wait to be led by the Standard?

The Patriot and other journals object to taking the name of Holdenites. Why so? Does not the originator of a sect always impart to it his name? Mr. Holden is engaged in organizing a new party, or sect, out of the old Union men, and it is but proper and right that the party which he is constructing shall bear his name. Let those who dislike the name withdraw and have nothing to do with the Society, whose originator is a prophet of Baal!

The Standard is the leader of all who will support Col. Vance in this election, for they have waited for the Standard to put forth a candidate. Whether Col. Vance rides upon Holden's back, or Holden clings to Col. Vance's military coat-tail—(the latter will be the true state of the case)—the effect will be the same—Col. Vance must suffer contamination. He is Holden's candidate, and will be supported by the "Holden party," by whatever name they shall call themselves—for Holden has made of it a party issue."