The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-07-24
Brigys--No. 3.


According to promise last week, we publish
Mr.. Briggs third communication, thinking, tina
by letting him 90 on, he will soon wear hinsel
out.
We have no remarks to make, not wishing t
provoke controversy.
DIR. HoLr-Allow me to tender my acknowl
and should have been content to let the matte
rest in statu quo, had you not considered it ne
cessary to re asseverate the binding authority O
the Floyd Contention, in the nomination of Gen
Lewis. l consider this a monstrous doctrine
which you call on all good Democrats to sustain
i. e. that the doings Of that Convention arc
the legitimate and proper action Of the Demo
cratic Party. You have said yourself that the
Convention broke up wholesome rule of the
Party. How, then, can its action be s'legitimate
and proper:' | have said that no action of q
| convention can be binding, unless that action &C.
cords with the rules of the Party. Now, what
Democrat does not acknowledge the legitimacy
of rotation in office? and has not the convention
good Democrats creed? to say nothing of the
constitutional provision which you call nothing
No matter by what means convention is go1
up, it is vain to talk of cliques-we are bound
by the action of that conventon-nolens yolcns
Let us suppose case, which cannot be very
! far from analogous to this Floyd Convention
Suppose in the first place, there are in the city
of Dubuque 90 men who want office so bad that
they cant stand still, and that there are only 5
offices to be divided between them. Well, SUD-
pose i or 5 of the most influential of these men
get "a dozen or twenty of their friends together
and choose II delegates, who are pledged to
their purposes to go up to Floyds to make no.
limitations for the party. Well, when they get
there, in comes single delegate from an adj
joining county, suited to their purpose, and they
allow him to cast six votes;-1l and are IT,
Well, to give them little better show, they rope
in some fellow without credentials, from our
town and town or two more. WE'LL they no.
inmate Gen. Lewis for Senator, although he
tells them it will be great damage to him-they
gave somebody else Carte Blanch to the Day.
export Convention-and 60 on to the end of the
chapter.
Now, friend Holt, do you suppose that the
people are verdant enough to believe that this
KIND of maneuvering is the legitimate and prop
er action of the democratic party? If they do,
they are greener than take them to be.
Every honest thinking democrat must hang
his head and blush to see the sacred name of De
mocracy thus desecrated for selfish ends.
When went to school they told me that the
word Democracy was derived from two Greek
words signifying literally thing Of the people.
How many of the people think you had a hand
in the Floyd Convention?
Was the Floyd Convention a "hing of the
People" or thing Of half dozen individuals
in Dubuque?
With Gen. Lewiss qualifca tons | have no.
thing to do-he is gent eman that very much
respect, both as public officer and a private
citizen. But in this matter am opposed to him,
and believe am right in SO doing-and MANY
more think so too. Personally do not care a
fig as to the result; but feel determined that
the People shall vote with full understanding
of the matter-and if they indorse the nomina-
ton of Gen. Lewis as "right and proper, so be
it, OTIS BRIGGS.
Taylor Township, July 10, 1850.