Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-07-30
The ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND, VA.
"wednesday Morning, July 70, ls47.

The seyercst rcbuke Of the "no-paily, ann
conventions men in The Whis ranks that We have
seen any where, is that Of 'Orange" IN Inc h'ch-
mond Wing. He handles them without gloves
We give few extracts, as specimen .. Wv.
whole. and 10 show how these "loVinS WINGS
sneak of one another Though he avows his de-
termination 10 attend The Wing National Conven'
ton as delegate, Che confidently "counls his
chickens before they are hatchery and vote lot
General Taylor as Wig, The writer's views are
in direct conflict with The language oil me Sishai
le,,er and some of his blows really reach the old
hero himself, who has solemnly vowed that ne
will moi run as candidate Of the Wing, or any
other party, but as "no-pariy" representative:
aAnd if General Taylor should adopt The idea
that any man now lives, or ever did live, who can
unite five millions of votes, differing from each
other en- every SOFT OF question, and e1cned
against each other by long succession oil heice
and vigorous contests, then does any other man
in The United States concur in that opinion!
Such an opinion would imply great disIrust OF
both the honesty and intelligence Of The whole
people. Young officers and soldiers, who relnrn
from camp with all The military enthusiasm which
men and boys may feel Tor victorious chiellain
who has led them 10 victory, may and will talk OF
voting for General Taylor without any sort OF re-
gard TO his political opinions, and they will do II;
but the whole OF them put together could not con-
troll The vote oil one State out OF thirty. And this
sort O! enthusiasm is not going 10 have any ma
terial effect on The millions OF thinking and re.
flccling voters ol the Republic.
Ills The whole business OF political controversy
and party contest mere drama, conIrved by ma
nagers Tor The public amusrmenI2 Is our expert
aaert in Government a mere humbug, that all lis
great issues-Peace or War, Currency and FL
nance, Commerce and improvement, &c, &C.
are 10 be sunk and forgotten in SORT OF national
Salurnaia-a rabble hurrah for a Military Chief?
"Gen. Taylor is the last man in the country 10
expect or TO desire such slate Of things. Yet il
he refuse 10 avow himself politician at all, he
would be deliberately, and OF choice, placing him.
sell on The sole and single ground OF being me,c
Military Caicftaln say, therefore, that he must
and will make such ayowais Of his opinions as
will identify him with one or the other party or
he will be no candidate al all
"There is great deal said just now in opposi-
lion TO Conventions for the selection CT candidates
have observed little OF this matter and so far
as have seen, il may be affirmed, as a rule with
out an exception, that when you see man vio-
leniy opposed TO all Conventions, you see one
who has been disappointed in controlling some
Convention, for his own or his friends benefit
In my own part OF the State there is not promi-
nenl opponent of Conventions, who has not been
known as conspicuous advocate OF The system,
until himself disappointed. speak OF men only
who have for some reasonable time been con-
necled with public proceedings and party move
menis Every sensible man knows that these
Conventions are not only convenient, but indis-
pensabe, for the purpose OF preserving the har-
nony and efficiency OF political parties. They
are very inconvenient things for factious and in
subordinate aspirants, who insist on being lead
ers AGAINST the will OF their own party gentle
men who see in themselves qualifications which
The public have not perceived and cannot I've made
10 perceive But for the great body OF a party,
whose object is always 10 select The best and most
available men, they are not only convenient, but
they are the only means which rational men can
or will adopt. | say this in reference TO ALL
ELECTIONS, where The constituent body cannot
nee, en- masse, and make theil selection Of cam
didates-or where majority OF the whole is not
required 10 make an election.
aWhelher true or not, however, 10 The tnll e1-
tent OF my proposition, there certainly cannot be
Two opinions as 10 The eSpediency of general
convention, for The selection oil candidate for The
Presidency. To talk about the election OF Pre-
sident 1ctt0rl a nomination, is 10 talk downright
and unmixed nonsense. II is legal impossible
ly. The General Ticket system, now adopted
BY the States, makes one OF two things unavoid-
able-a general meeting Of all the voters If each
State, in person or by their representatives, for
The making out an Electoral Ticket, 10 be voted
upon.
"These gentlemen, whose horror ofoonvenions
is so great, propose what? To substitute for one
thirty? Or do they propose TO return
10 the old plan OF congressional caucusesl or To
repeal the whole Of the present system Tin ad-
vance OF the approaching election too) and adopt
the old South Carolina plan, which relieves The
people of all trouble in The process1
"lf they do not mean 10 adopt one or The other
OF these plans, then they must have something
entirely new and untricd. tell you, sirs, in
plain English that when hear men, protesting
10 be Wings, object 10 the conventions OF their
own party, | look ont for somerscis. Such
calculation accords with all my observation,
which you know has been neither brief nor care
less"
As pendant TO the above, we quote The follow
ing from the New York Mirror, one OF The first
papers which raised The flag Of General Taylor:
"He will recognise no Wing or Democratic
conventions or clubs as his friends. He will con-
sent 10 be candidate for the Presidency solely
on the ground of being the candidate OF The people
and not of party, and since he has plainly de-
clared his determination, ills an insult 10 him for
either Wigs or Democrats 10 claim hin, as their
candidate, or 10 put np his name subjcet 10 The de-
c,sion of a National Convention. He will sub.
mil 10 nothing of the kind"