The North-Carolina standard., 1846-08-19
cAucUsEs AND CONVENTIONS.


light isfrpm darkness, A Caucus is a midnight
1unto of eight or ten men, intent upon carving
forward their own ambitious designs without re-
gard to the will or welfare Of the people: Con-
ventIon is meeting of the Delegates of the peo-
pie, held in broad daylight for the purpose Of
ascertaining and embodying the popular will, so
that that will may have its progress and its wav
in the Legislation of the country This is the diff.
ference, and the only difference federalism and
disappointed aspirants to the contrary notwith-
standing. ---1 = % qsTa..
Inc Convention system, recognized and adopt
ed by both parties, has fixed itself permanently in
the habits and notions ofthe country The wings
no less than the Democrats, resort to Conventions
Their Candidates for President, for Governor, 70.
Members of the Legislature in all the Counties
where they have the majorities, are uniformly put
forward by Conventions; and yet, in the late con-
test in this County, with their Candidate for Gov.
ernor running as the nominee of Convention,
and with gentleman up for the Senate, who, two
years ago, was Convention Candidate for the
Commons-we say with all these facts fresh in
their recollection and staring them in their faces,
they had the political honesty to put John Hayes,
who was neither fish. flesh, fowl, nor good red
herring, upon their ticket, and to run that ticket
at all the precincts in the County as the Anti
Caucus Ticket II And our friend Mr. Bat
tie, who rumor says, has repeatedly tried his speed
in1going to Conventions and who was not the nom-
lnee OF the little Caucus of nine that assembled some
time in July last at Mr.. Loring' She was heard
going it hand over hand" on every stump in the
County, denouncing Conventions and Caucuses :;
while Mr.. Utley, who also not SO fortunate as
to be designated as Candidate by the aforesaid
Caucus of nine, had awful forebodngs upon the
subject and fatty told the people that if Conven-
tlons were allowed to go on "ere long we should
witness in this country rotlin' revolution !"
The truth is, Conventions have been adopted by
both parties and it is always left for disappointed
aspirants and for a whig minority to denounce
them. nJohn Hayes had been the nominee ofthe
last Democ ratio Convention held in this County,
every body knows he would have run upon the
ticket and contributed all he could to its success
and fthe whig party had been in majority in
the County they would have held their ;Conven-
tion and would have put forward their strongest
men and instead of hearing Conventions denoun-
ced by whig Candidates, we should have had, if
necessary, sound and able arguments in support
Of the system. e--.- ~ ...a,
We have been and expect to be the advocate of
Conventions by the Democratic party. We advo-
cate them because we would obtain a full aud fair
expression of the party wishes and the party will
in regard to the men to be run for Office because
it is always important TO select the strongest men,
aud we all know that Delegates from every portion
ofthe County, assembled in Convention, can make
better selection with this object in view than anv
one man or dozen men; because, without Con.
VenIions, we should expose ourselves to endless
md aggravated divisions, and finally to utter dis
'uption and defeat But we oppose all Caucuses,
ind we are in favor of fair and full Conventions.
Every Convention ought to be as full as possible:
hat is, every District in the County ought. III
to be represented; and when the nomi
ations are made they constitute raIIying point
Or all true Democrats. Let our Republican friends
ear in mind the old motto: United, zoe stand
icided, zee fall" So .st.