The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-06-25

WILLIAM JOSLlN, Ncrgenncs
For States .iiiorney,
JOHN w. STEWART Middltburv.
Shall we have a National Convention?
While we have been urging the Wings OF
this State to avoid premature discussion oil
the next nomination for the Presidency, that
and with n better grace, 10 the decision Of a
National Convention, it has not escaped our
notice that several papers are questioning
the propriety of holding such a convention
at all, and even arguing strcnuopsly against
il. In relation to this matter, we are emit.
tied to assume, IN advance, that all true
Wings prefer tho course most likely to Sc
cure efficient and harmonious action through.
out the Union-to call out most thoroughly
the entire strength Of the party, and 10 CON
linue our present asceadency. If n Nation
al Convention is best fitted to do this-i, in
fact, it is indispensable to such RESULT on
~ requires to be understood, to unite all
Wings in favor Of the measure. Ii the con-
trary lie true, we should, without regard to
precedent, abandon it at once.
We believe it is a fact that, previous to
1903 no Presidential nominations were reg
ularly made. The country was then com
paratively small There was little difficulty
in choosing from among the distinguished
statesmen prominent before the public, the
most suitable representatives Of the rcspec-
tive parties. The nomination, indeed, waY
in one sense made, but only tacitly and in.
formally. In 1908, a nomination was first
made by the members of Congress. From
that Time until 1889, during which period
the country had vastly increased in territory,
in population, and in all its resources, the
candidates of both parties were usually (if
not always) designated by their respective
representatives in Congress. But great
number Of conflicting claims now began to
be presented, and the several States were
unequally represented-some, at times, hay.
ing no Wing members at all. The altered
condition Of the country. required change
Of the system of nominating. In 1880, The
Wing members published card in the Ma
tional lntelligencer, calling a Convention at
Harrisburgb, to be composed of delegates
from each State, equal in number to the en-
tire CONGRESSIONAL dele CATION, for the purpose
Of recommending suitable persons as caud-
dates for President aud Vice President This
call was acted on, throughout the country,
and the result is we'll known. Or oppo-
nen's held a similar Convention at Bali.
more. From that day TO the present, both
parties have decided on their candidates after
this method.
Such, in brief, is the past history of Presi-
dental nominations. We had assumed that
tho practice, which during the las; twelve
years has certainly been unusually success
ful for the Wing parly-snce never before
in hcice that period have we succeeded in an
equal number OF eections--would be con,
tinued for the present, at least, wilhou, oppo-
si,ion Yet the question has been raised in
several quarters. and il is a subject open to
discussion.
We confess our inability TO discover any
sufficient reason for changing this time hon.
oTed practice, or any practicable substitute,
that would not he at al. times hazardous,
and particularly SO at this time. We have
no pariality for the caucus system, VIC adj
nit, in itself considered. There is TO our
mind, too, something at first repulsivo in
the fac, that National Conventions of the two
parties, not always constituted with the ut.
most care or fairness, and operated on by
influences not always visible to the people at
large, should, by their vote, settle beyond a
doubt that one Of two candidates shall be
President. This is the great objection. and
the only objection Of any force that we have
heard urged, viz that Prcsiden Thanking
thus becomes the work OF the politicians,
when it should be strictly that OF the people.
Now. as 10 this objection, it is obvious that
the people. in most cases, have direct voice
in selecting DELEGATES to these Conventions
They are appointed by popular meetings in
the different States, or should be so appoint
ed, in all cases. If the evil complained Of
really exists to the extent imagined. the rem.
edy is easy, without breaking up the system.
Let the people appoint Delegates on whom
they can rely, and who are known to rep.
resent their peculiar preferences, if such
they have, and the whole difficulty is obvi-