The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-06-14

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have no "cluims" to that distinction.
The important question OF selecting
candidates, in my opinion, rests on con.
sideratons infinitely higher than the
"claims" of any man. "Ciaims' to Of.
flee in Republic, and Sclaims" to the
crown in a Monarchy both rest on the
same baseless foundation. They are
both insults to the common sense Of
mankind and ought to be treated as
such. Under our institutions Offices
were created by the people for their
own benefit without the least regard as
TO who might be called on to fill them.
This being the case it behooves the mas
Ses--the producing classes--the Me-
chanicS--to make just nominations
as in their good pleasure will best Sc
cure their interests and their liberty.
And to secure these ends, which is the
object of all popular governments, the
masses should select men from their
own ranks--men identified with them
in business, in interests, and in every
thing else.
There is a class Of men in every
party who make politics a trade, and
who live or aim to live by official sta
ton. The interests of such men cam
not be identified with those of the mas
ses Of this or any other community
The reason is obvious. They have
direct interest in long Legislative ses-
sions. in extensive and oppressive
schemes OF ''internal improvements"
and in multiplicity Of executive, judi
cial and other official duties which give
them lucrative employment and require
high taxes. They have, then, direct
interest in high taxes. because the mo-
ney goes into their pockets. On the
other hand It IS the interest of the mas
ses to have less legislation, and fewer
official duties Of all kinds to be paid for
by taxation--it is their interest to have
the taxes as light as will barely answer
the purposes Of a plain, simple and Re-
publican government, cheaply and eco-
nomlcaIly administered.
The producing classes, the opera
tives or l4LorerS in every community
are either directly or indirectly the tax
payers, whilst the non-producers, who
consume the public revenue, in reality
pay M taxes at all. because the latter
class receive back in fees all that they
do pay, and all that is paid by the for
mer class to boot. That these adverse
interests exist IN society is clear and in
disputable. And it is equally clear that
the "monopoiies iesanderclusivcp privileges"
in favor of capital over iabor are
chargeabe to the fact that the interests
Of the fe,O instead Of the interest Of the
mqnyare represented in our Legislative
Halls Is it not passing strange, fel-
low citizens, that the masses in whose
hands is all political power should SUI
fer themselves to be SO duped by the
few as TO place them in all the posts of
trust to the almost entire exclusion of
men from their own ranks? Strange
as this may appear, it is no less true.
And the few exceptions to this policy
are only permitted by these politicians
for fear Of opening the eyes of the mas
ses to see that they are duped.
But | have often heard this remark
from the masses, name ,"that when Il
man from our ranks is selected he often
deceives us and deserts our cause."--
This may be too true. But if it is SO
the reason is obvious. 1t is because
the masses have not in fact, made those
selections themselves but have them
generously made by trading politicians,
whose servents men thus selected will
ever be. Until human nature is so far
changed that government itself will be
useless men will always act for those
to whom they owe their elevation.--
Under the present delegate 81 stem the
nomination Of a candidate SO far as the
party is concerned, is the election
How important, then, that the m asses
should in fact and no! in form select
their candidates instead of being the
mere registers, on election days, of the
edcts OF their party leaders.
ltls not my purpose to find fault with
the delegate system, but with its abu-
ses and want of efficiency in expires
sing the will Of the party. But | do say
that it ought to be reformed or exter-
by the masses if they intend in
reality to govern themselves. This sys.
lem, ,lfreformed so as to express the will
Of a majority of each party would be
the best possible way to arrive at the
public will, because the nominees of
each party would then represent the
Of each, and the successful
candidate at the election would then
the majority or at least the