The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-01-10
A PEEP AT THE MACHINERY--THE ALA
BAMA CONVENTION.


Alabama Mr.. Van Buren, was nominated as the
Presidential candidate by vote OF sixty seven
TO fifty; and the Convention appointed delegates
from each Congressional District of the State to
the Baltimore Convention, TO sustain their noml-
nation. Mr.. Calhoun was denied even the
compliment of vote as second choice OF the
Convention, his name being stricken out of a
resolution offered for that purpose, and the words
SIN ,st available candidate" inserted instead.
We learn from the Montgomery Advertiser
that out of nine counties wholly unrepresented
in the Convention, eight are known to be in ia
vor of Mr.. Calhoun; so that il the whole had
been represented according 10 the average Of
delegates present from each county, (ihree,)
the vote would have stood for Calhoun IA; Van
Buren, 70. Thus even packed State Conven-
tion barely and accidentally escaped having a
decided majority against the packers of it and
yet their delegates are to represent the opinions
of the State in the Baltimore Convention. This
is a sample OF what has been done openly, in
1he face of the public, even since the atten-
lion of the country has been reused to the
mode Of selecting the delegates to the Balti
more Convention, and we may lheref fore judge
Of what was done before.
We copy from the Montgomery Advertiser
the following comments on the proceedings of
The Convention
Neither do we find SO much fault with the Con-
vention because the majority undertook to nominate
two delegates for the State, to the Baltimore Con
vention, though, for the same reasons as those we
have given above, think it would have been wiser
if they had left that nomination for future day,
when public opinion would have become more de-
cded in this State, and full representation of every
county could be had When the vote of both wings
Of the party close when out Of nine counties
unrepresentsd in that Convention eight known to
be in favor of Mr. Calhoun, and when besides, it is
considered that since the last State census the east
earn and southeastern counties (and those Cal
houn counties) have increased much more in popula-
ton than any other part of the State and therefore,
according 10 the present legislative ratio, were not
proportonably represented, cannot but think such
nomination not only illiberal and ungenerous but
also unjust.
II, however, the majority in that Convention had
been content with carrying their victory thus far and
no far her, perhaps We would not have complained.
We might have felt dissatisfied, but we would have
submitted in silence. But no-they not
tent with exercising right which would have been
just, If based upon an actual positive, and bona fde
majority, but were determined, upon the strength Of
present majority, however doubtful il might be
throughout the State, to avail themselves Of an OPP
portunty which they thought probably might not
cur again, and that, too, five long months before
these delegates would be required 20 Baltimore
and to exercise right which, under no circum-
stances, unless expressly delegated to them, could
have belonged To them In fine, they undertook to
elect delegate TO the National Convention TO be
held at Baltimore in May next, for this District
Here il ID evident that tRse gentlemen forget every
principle Of Democracy. They undertook to elect
delegate for D.trct that was not preseni-for out
of nine counties of which this District is composed
three only were represented. But they even went
still far her, and elected delegate for District
the people Of which said in their primary meetings,
that they should do 80. Where, then, did
these gentlemen get the right 10 elect q delegate
for this District Did they receive il from any
meeting held in this District IL so, we should
like very much 10 learn where the meeting
held, who were present, and what resolutions were
passed at it, Did they receive II from the delegates
that went from this District No! for these dele
gates elected for a different purpose, and with
an expressed different nderstanding, and therefore
could not have invested them with a power which
they themselves never received. Where, then, did
they receive this right Not from the people Of this
District, it is evident. Where did they find their
thorty for the exercise of such right Not in the
principles Of Democracy, il is equally evident. Yet
these men very probably would feel hurt II any per-
son was to tell them that in thus assuming to them
selves power not only not delegated TO them, but
expressly forbidden, they bad violated the very frs,
principles Of Republicansm."
But the nominations made By this Conven-
ton do not prove its Van Burensm more clear
ly than some OF its other proceedings show what
the nature of Van Burenism is, and VIVA, sacrl-
fees the People of the South must be prepared
TO make, in order to secure the blessing of " a
Northern man with Southern principles" They
in nd fhotr N
principles, and adopt in lieu Of them the accom-
modaling opinion, of the Northern man or, al
least, to refrain from announcing their principles
in bold and manly language, lest they should
compromise the standing and prospects of theil
candidate in his own section of the country
All the concession, temporary or permanent
must be on their side, in the hope that, after tn,
election shall have been secured, the Northern
man will consent to reward their fidelity, b,
putting in practice the Southern principles
which he is neither willing to proclaim openl,
himself nor can afford to permit them to pro
claim.
For instance, this Convention, instead o
adopting resolutions expressing their own OPT
mons, IN their own language, respecting tb
great questions of national policy, take refuge i
the cautiously worded resolutions OF the BALI
more Convention of May, 1910, which the
quote and adopt, without any addition or mod
6ca,,op, under The title Of "rbe Democrat
Platform" The only one Of these resolution
which has any reference whatever to the polio
Of a Protective Tariff is the following in whic
it is merely limited at, without being plainI
mentioned:
Resolved, 'rbo, Justice and sound policy forbid III
Federal Government TO fcster one branch OF pdu
try to the dctrimen Of another. to cherish the il
terests OF one portion to the injury OF another porto
Of our common country that every citizen, and eve
nv section of the country has n right TO demand an