State journal & flag., 1846-12-25

lion, may be purified from the evils hereto
fore attendant npon them, and may thereby
be rendered efficient of much good. In
this belief, we are led to think faVora5ly OF
the proposition for Democratic Convention,
next winter.
1t is impossible to attain successfully, the
legitimate objects OF party organization, by
any other means than the Convention sys-
tenn. AS long as the great purpose OF par
ty Is to secure the advancement of general
measures, essential 10 principle, and not 10
further the interests of mere men, there must
be some method 10 procure concert and un>
ion of action. Il each individual pursue his
own pref, rences in the selection of candi
dates their diversiiies must necessarily re.
suit in defeat. A candidate. favored by not
more than 1.-THE of the people, and holding
views inimcal to vast majority, might thus
be elevated TO office. Compromise and
concert are necessary, among all the adhe
rents of similar principles for the purpose of
preventing these from being frilered away,
and yanqushed in the subdivisions and con
tests that concern individuals alone, and
which are never of any general interest or
vi All tilC ilcHoulcS WHICH
have been devised 10 secure this necessary
party unity and CO operation. Conventions
have been found The least Objectionable and
most effective. THIS would certainty. be
true if they were invariably organized and
conducted upon those principles of equity
and fair dealing, which should be regarded
as fundamental and yitalin all such associ.
atoms. The system must b, based upon
the strictest and most clearly defined grounds
of justice, equality, and reciprocity, or it is
a gross fraud, aud solemn iasce for the de-
fusion of the people. We think that Com
ventions can be thus fairly constituted, and
freed from the objections which in many in.
stances have rendered Them so odious and
unpopular. In reference then to the con.
templated State Convention, we propose to
point out few reasons and observances,
which we think will render it acceptable 10
the party. The Herald itself, we opine, will
concur in the proposition, if our suggestions
should be received and adopted.
There will be a necessity for such a Con
vention, from the multiplicity of candidates
spoken For Governor. The names of not
less than eight or ten prominent democrats
have been suggested by their Trends
These gentlemen reside IN different parts of
the State, and each has his earnest and de-
cided supporters. If they, or even more
than one of them should run, the result will
be the defeat of the democratic party. Tho
the democracy have an unwavering major.
Ity OF not less Than ten thousand, yet If lis
vote should be at all equally split, the "reins
of power would pass into the hands of the
wings, who are certain 10 unite by this very
system which it is now proposed to repudi-
ate. How can the conflicting claims OF our
several candidates be adjusted by any other
plan than Convention
But it will be necessary, we repeat, to free
the proposed Convention from the leading
objections to such assembages. One ofthe
chef OF these is suggested by the Herald.
Ii is that the delegates are commonly APP
pointed not by the body of the party in the
several counties, but by little cliques and
caucnses assembled in back rooms or pri-
vate Offices, at the respective seats of Justice.
This, we know. has too frequently been the
case; and it should be rectifed. No per-
son should be admitted as delegate into the
Convention, who had not been appointed at
general meeting OF the party in the county,
publicly announced. TO- length of time be.
forehand, sufficiently long to enable every
voter in the county to be apprised of the
time, place, and purpose of the meeting.
This should always be publicly held, and
fairly conducted. No Committees should
be appointed to go out, and prepale resolu-
tons expressive OF The sense of the meet.
ing," but each person present should have
equal and unabridged liberty to offer any
resolution or motion which he may desire
to have adopted. The delegates should be
invariably elected by ballot, and not by mo-
ton upon mere nomination. These COM
mittees, nominations, and "cut and dried"
resolutions, are the most common modes by
which the people are led like sheep. in the
primary meetings. The meeting likewise
should always bear some reasonable proper.
ton TO the number OF democratic voters in
the county. dozen or a score of men
should never be allowed to assume the privi-
leges of five hundred or thousand voters.
Another evil exists in the mode Of supplying
vacancies in the delegations. This should
never be entrusted to the delegates. The
power should be exercised by the people
themselves. in a regular meeting. or by an
executive committee specially elected for tina,
purpose. All the delegates should be re
CURED 10 present, before they can take .heir
seats, certificates showing that they have
thus been regularly elected by the people.
One of the most grievous objections to
our Conventions, has resulted from their too
frequent and close connection with the
Stale Legislature. Members Of the General
Assembly should never be elected delegates.
lfthey are, i, IS complained, tn, they have
opportunities and influences for electioneer.
J ing and log rolling, which interfere greatly
with the purity and freedom of the Conven.
tion. For this reason also the Convention
should not assemble during the session Of
the Legislature. Delegates sometimes
come, who are candidates for office in the
gift of the General Assembly, and they may
thus be influenced in their conventional &C
ton contrary 70 the wishes of those they
represent. There are great reciprocal in
huences between two such bodies,-which
should never be permitted TO operate, when
they can be prevented. We have as much
confidence perhaps as.any one in the integ-
riy OF both the delegates and members OIL
the Legislature,-but The objections we