Bertie COUNTY NC Newspapers Democratic Convention 1859 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Marianne Nichols Ordway http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/bertie.htm Weekly Standard Newspaper Raleigh, North Carolina June 8, 1859 DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT CONVENTION The convention of the Democrats of the First Congressional District of North-Carolina, assembled at the Court House in Edenton, at noon, of Thurs-day, the 26th May, 1859. On motion of Jno. W. Moore, Esq., of Hertford, Wm. F. Martin, Esq., of Pasquotank, was appoint-ed President of the convention; John B. Jones, of Currituck; J.W. Scott, of Camden; L.D. Starke, of Pasquotank; Jos. F. Newby, of Perquimans; W.E. Bond, of Chowan; John Willey, of Gates; John W. Moore, of Hertford; A.L. Chesson, of Washington; R.S. Halsey, of Tyrrell; John R. Lanier, of Martin; Jno. J. Long, of Northampton; N.M. Long of Halifax; and W.A. Ferguson, of Bertie, were appointed Vice Presidents; and J.B. Godwin of Pasquotank; C.H. Foster, of Hertford, Wm. Brenan, Messrs. Foy and Williams, of Martin; and J.F. Simmons, of Halifax, Secretaries of the convention. Upon taking the chair, the President appropriate-ly expressed his acknowledgements of the honor done him by the convention in calling him to pre-side over its deliberations. On motion of C.H. Foster, all gentlemen present at the convention, connected with the press, were invited to take seats that they might, if desirable, report the proceedings of the convention. The following delegates were reported as being in attendance from the several counties of the district; Halifax -- N.M. Long, James S. Snow, John H. Ponton, J. F. Simmons, G.T. Simmons, J.H. Prince. Bertie -- Wm. H. Lee, Allen Pritchard, Wm. D. Mitchell, C. Pritchard, Abram Burden, John L. Burden, Wm. R. Powell, Wm. N. Mitchell, Wm. J. Bond, T.J. Heckstall, Jas, R. Duers, John R. Ferguson, L. Butler, John S. Sheppard, G.L. Mardre, Wm. B. Mardre, Henry Jernigan, Wm. A. Ferguson, Kenneth L. Butler, Duncan L. Cale, M. Johnson, Littlejohn Johnston, J. J. Speller, James Burden, Wm. L. bond, Wm. T. Coggin E.J. Mitchell, Isaac P. Freeman, James C. Freeman, R.P. Freeman, Lloyd White, A.J. Askew, Josiah White, John N. Williford, Nath'l Jarnigan, T. Ward, H, White, Thos. Bowen, Thos. Cobb, J.O. Hoder, J. Phelps, W. Mizell, Reuben Oder, John Newbern, Wm. A. Gaskins, J. T. Mebane. Tyrrell -- Thos. Knight, Dr. Lee, Dr. R.S. Halsey, Hertford -- J.J. Horton, L.Taylor, John W. Moore, C.H. Foster, A.W. Darden, Jesse Perry, T. G. Neal, G. H. Mitchell, A. Britt. Perquimans --- J.T. Granbery, J.C. Skinner, J. F. Newby, E. Brace, A. Bonner, J.W. White, J. W. Albertson, G.W.Simpson, L.J. Johnson, Jas, Woodard, W. M. Fleetwood, J. L. Blanchard. Martin -- A. S. Williams, Jos. H. Foy, J. R. La- nier, J. A. Worseley, Wm. Brenan, J. L. Ewelly. Currituck --- B. M. Baxter, J. B. Jones, J. W. Baxter, H. E. Baxter, A. O. Dey, Dr. W. H. Cowell, W. G. Granbery, T. C. Humphries, T. P. Frost, Dr. E. Morton, C. White, and W. McBride. Pasquotank -- W. F. Martin, L. D. Starke, J. B. Godwin, D. Richardson, J. H. Kenyon, A. L. Pen-delton, M. S. Dance, M.V.B. Gilbert, A. L. Jones, J.B. Dyer, S.D. Cartwright. Chowan--J.H>Leary, J.E. Leary, W.R. Skinner, R. Paxton, R. Dillard, R.H. Small, R. Walton, E. C. Hines, W. A. Moore, J. G. Small, Henderson Simpson, W.Badham, Sr., R. Mansfield, W. D. Lowther, R. D. Simpson, Martin Simpson, C. Sansbury, J.S. Jackson, Edmund Wright, D. McDonald, Wm. Fleetwood, J.C. Fleetwood, Dr. W. G. Hancock, R. Keough, J. N. Floyd, Dr. W.A.B. Norcom, J. J. Skinner, Jno. R. Simpson, T. L. Foxwell, W. J. Leary, W. W. Hail, Wm. Hill, W. J. Kennedy, J. McGuire, J. T. Waff, Wm. Bonner, Joseph J. Bynum, A. Cheshire, C.C. Rea, W.W. Rea, W.E. Bond, J.C. Badham, W. Badham, Jr., T. Gregory, Joseph C. Jackson, Jno. S. Leary, Jno. Higgins, I. M. Gilbert. Camden -- H. W. Scott. Northampton -- Jno. J. Long, J. G. Lockhart, T. G. Tucker, W. W. Peebles, E. A. Martin, J. J. Bell. Washington -- J. Blount, E. Blount, S. T. Whitaker, W. Chesson, J. Balory, M. Bowen, J. G. Suffer, H. Rodson, G. Moore, W. A. Littlejohn, J. S. Norman, J. S. Swift, A.L. Chesson, H. H. Starr, J. R. Rea, T. Chesson, H. J. Swain, R. Ward. Gates -- Jno. Willey, R. B. Parker, W. J. Manning, W. H. Harrell, W. M. Daughtrey, James Costen, J. C. Trotman, Dr. S. J. Lowther, R. H. Ballard, Helsey Willey, Riddick Gatlings, Jr. On motion, voted that all Democrats present who have been authorized by the action of their respec-tive county meetings to act as delegates to this con-vention, and whose names have not been called, be requested to report their names to the secretaries for record. On motion of W.A. Moore, of Edenton, voted that a committee be appointed by the chairman to draft and report resolutions expressive of the sense of the convention. The following gentlemen were appointed to constitute the committee: W.A. Moore, Chowan, John Bell, Northampton; J.H. Prince, Halifax; T.W. Knight, Tyrrell; J. W. Albertson, Perquimans; M. Bowen, Washington; W.A. Ferguson, Bertie; J.R. Lanier, Martin; W. H. Manning, Gates; H.W. Scott, Camden; Col. J.B. Jones, Currituck; D. Richardson, Pasquotank; John W. Moore, Hertford. Pending the absence of the committee, remarks were made by several gentlemen. The following resolutions were reported by the committee, prefaced by remarks from W.A. Moore, Esq., of Chowan, and unanimously adopted: Resolved, That we, the Democracy of the First Congressional District of North-Carolina, do declare and reiterate our unshaken devotion to the time-honored principles of the Democratic party, and proudly point to our national progress under Dem-ocratic government as the noblest vindication of our ancient faith. Resolved, That we are now, as heretofore, bitterly opposed to isms in general, but especially to federal-ism, whigism, know nothingism, black republican-ism, and their mongrel offspring - -oppositionism. Resolved, That we are in favor of a strict con-struction of the constitution as the only safe chart by which to navigate the ship of State. Resolved, That we are in favor of the present sub treasury system as a fiscal agent, and opposed to a national bank. Resolved, That we are in favor of the application of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands to paying the debts and defraying the ordinary expenses of the general government, and opposed to the distribution of the lands themselves or the proceeds thereof among the several States. Resolved, That we are in favor of a tariff for revenue on the ad valorem principle, and opposed to a tariff for protection and specific duties. Resolved, That we are in favor of the honorable acquisition of the island of Cuba -- the gem of the Antilles. The following resolution of the Halifax Democracy, was then read by J. F. Simmons: Resolved, That we cordially and heartily approve of the course of our late Representative in congress, the Hon. H. M. Shaw, and enthusiastically accord to him the meed of "well done, good and faithful servant." John W. Moore, Esq., of Hertford, then offered the following resolution, which he advocated in a speech of much force and pertinency. Resolved, That in the main, we endorse the administrative policy of our distinguished chief mag-istrate, James Buchanan, and especially his course upon the slavery question -- the vital issue of the day. On motion, the convention adjourned to half past three. +++++++++++++++ 3 1/2 O’clock, P.M. This file was transcribed and submitted for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Marianne Nichols Ordway