The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-10-08
Far tho 31inerse oH
To the Democrats Voters az DnbUQpq
@s6#ss2 County. fS= ssEetf Y f4 s97


ION system should, IN my opinion, be abaiisheds
shall now procesd to give few of the fc0-
ons which led me t. that conclusion - ssss
First 1t is Anti Democratic, because il 10
opposed t. primary principle in all Democrs-
ic ard II publican .n>li ut MS, which is 70
cave with the people the fespons- b lIty Of
hoosing the executive, legislative, and Other
principal officers !, f lie Government, the -sys-
sn destroy s-tile salnsars Repubiscan princfpfes
q places the responsibility of ci,onsing those
oiicess,. IN small nsdY of the people, often
very s,tth--a self elected jln.a, entirely ire
spohsof1 - any body Tor the choice they make
ana ,he people Al large are left only the poor
pF,vAege 9, feeofa.ag with their votes the choice
s. ~ ,.-1sse.s e sst q secure o
the party the vital objects for which il wts
adopted, viz, harmony, unses, and the q rer,s-s
ing ,rtt IF The maturity. S"i.is believed that,
in a m iority Of cases, nomnatieee have been
made that have not met with the appsshation E
any thing like majority Of the party.
Third FIR, m the. smallness OF the Huasoet - -
persons who compose our county conventions
the facilities are increased, by which dish ness
and intriguing men can too often play with
success their game of deception. and sheres
defeating men of honest and coirfci pr -ncip"Ss
who wonld scorn TO resort to low cum ~
tricks to secure their nomination. and creas>
ing disgust aud disaffccnon IN The ranks 81 OUT
party
Fourth, and lastly. The people, in their
primary meetings c IN do all that a convention
can do on this subject, that is, they can desiy-
naie by their vote, who it is they wish TO oe
their servants, and thus sase the time Snd ex-
pense Of a convention, and maintain vital
Democratic principle
These, fellow Democrats, are a few OF the
many objections which might se raised against
our present system of nominating candidates.
but think they are more than sufficient TO
cause change. s4ss So
The mode of nominating at the primary
meetings can be very easily carried out, oy
holding on to our present system OF county anu
township committees. Let the township CONF
miitee supcrintend their township meeting, a0q
transmit a certified and sealed abstract Of all
the votes cast at their meeting, for each indisi-
dual, to the chairman of the county commisaees
| who will when all returns are in, proceed 70
i open and count the votes, which should be IN
the presence Of at least 4 majority Of the corr
miitee, and the person having the greatest mum
Der of votes, for the Office for which ne va
voted for, declared by the said committees %
the regularly nominated cansidaie, TOR tnes
Office; and, il any two, or more, have an eqoea
number of votes for the same Office, HaJ"nty
Of the county committee can decide which one
will be the candidate.
The above is rough sketch, WHICH may be
, easily enlarged and improved, and the details
perfected by others If the system should 0e
adopted. There is nothing in it new or novel
il is the mode, | belseses'wss@ss.e =. uasny
: othe- placea. a~ssi 10 tne ii certainly appears
. unrss, more Democratic, and far better calcu-
!. lated to secure to us harmony and unity, which
alone can give success TO our party, than tho
g convention system. II should be great object
E with all honest men living under free institays
d tons ike ours. to adopt that system which
Will secure the full aud free expression OF tho
public voice in the choice Of officers, and plsqp
e the most difficulties in the way Of practicilk
. deception and intrigue, by dishonest and sqn-s
4 principled men. This, think. win be efiected
more certainly by direct nomination. ffom ~
people than by that Of convention- Is.
. To continue the convention system - heso-
b tofore practiced, Is to continue the game ~
, /" fast and loose; and he who can play the
game best, is sure to bear off the prize 90 that
; none need enter the, slist with any prospeet ct
q success unless he is also an accomphce IN no
: art, the effect of which will oe eventnsly 70
drive all honest and capable men from the ppbn
lie service, and 6ll our offices with a ciass Of
= men WIN Will brin. into the public service, mob
C much TO the credit of the Cover lnlent, nor adj
vantage to the State, and keep on the increase
ofdissasfaction until isgivcs place 10 dlsaf ecnon
: and Reorganization, the consequence OF which
/ will be the defeat and entire overthrow OF The
y Democratic party in the State of lows. .s-s
e. To prevent this sad catastrophe, Is the duty
. OF every genuine Democrat, of every true lover
! of his country for, so sure day succeeds
d night, the safety Of our beloved UsloS depends
it upon the ascendency of the great Democratic
y party of the United States, and this ascenda0ey
cannot be secured, unless be united anoz
: triumphant III our party organization throngn-
out the different States. Ills true, Iowa has here
i, tofore done nobly She stands now pres miHent-
. ly conspicuous among her Democratic sisters.
. for consistency in sound Democratic principle
= nd thpYp in rpa
in the coming contest, she viii again carry the
l. Democratic flag triumphantly through al the
- combination of opponents; but We must also
bear in mind the maxim, that" eternal vigilsnee
: is the price of liberty" How, then, are We =
q continue and perpetuate our present hanofaoae
"A fellow Democrats to consider there - ample
time to discuss the subject between now and
= the time of making the nominations tor the
. general election year, yet there IL no time tQ
j. spare, if it should be thought advisable to change
:. our present system Of nominating candidates
should be up and working, that the enemy
"a may not catch us sleeping; for this purpose iee
t. each Democrat discuss with his brother Demo
IN crat, freely and honestly, the best mode which
!, will secure free and full expression OF the
voice of the party the selection of candidates.
= of knotrn Democratic principles. and men, TOO,
a. ,eko are honest, and capab,e to giue effect to
to these principles. This, after all, is the great
6 desideratum to be attained; any system OF mo-
nnation which will secure us this great bless
OF ing should be perfectly satisfactory, and With
a. cut il party hope long to be an the ascen-
&c dant
l.. e,.,ct1srol, permit me to say that, in this an-
madversion on county conventions for nominal
n ing candidates, i am not to be understood q
We condemning all conventions. Far from 1t.
be know that conventions for certain purposes are
necessary and proper, where the people canuoe
with convenience, act in their primary capacity
er Nor am to be understood charging al VIZ
n partake in them as dishonest and unpnnciPleo.
m / have never said, nor insinuated, any such
thing; but we all know that dishonest and I'm
principled men do partake in the Proceedmgs
ee of conventions, who, by low trick and cunaan9
he device, often succeed in decevng gooo anu Wen
or disposed men, and thereby forward, not the pun
lie GOOD but their own selfish purposes To pre-
" vent this as far as human means can, ana y
b. cause more general, free, and full expression
Id of the public voice in nominating candidates. y
=. '''s ---'ssss o'sss' . OLD DEMOCRAT. ]
rs BIp ton RAILROAD PATRoSAGE.-Ihc
tv following resolution recently passed BY the
n Common Council of Ga,cna.
n. sResoired, By Mayor and Common Council,
That the Mavor be instructed to address COM
munication to the proper parties or agents OF tne
fe Central Railroad Company, requesting them g
C confer with the proper City Authorities before
OF locating their depot, as propositions VIII
be submitted to their consideration s
"a We wish they might have depot there, - :,
would save them the trouble Of hauling, o.
boating their freight to the Mississippi q thus
noint. It is some what uncertain We sup
pose, should they donate the land. whrshef II
= Central Company would build the dePot, bua
out of charity to our friends in this fsssssasss
!. iittic to,cn, We trust it may Our city Posesses
b. so many decided advantages over our feeble
neighbor, that no rivalry can exist, which shculd
deprive US of being magnani nous towards bel
b. deludcd citizens.
le .., anrprss or Hon. SrEpurr