The Plymouth pilot. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1851-1852, 1851-07-23
DISORG ANIZERS- AND
CANDIDATES.

epltnetS, anu See ohiy dpdtns among very
many that are concerned, all seem to
have lost sight of the issues at stake
''Issues?" says one. "Issues?" I'd like
to know where are the issues of the par
ties of the present day. Show me any
thing but ringers and white mem
slavery and abolition "-both red-hot
with "venom and invective." Hold on,
my friend; we are going to talk to you,
rational, truthful, and may be strong;
and if you have got any reason, or can
dor. or pride about you, we want to
wake it up, and let it do what nothing
else appears able to dose. you think
ing OF. where you stand, and what you
stand on. You appear to have forgotten
the ballot-bor entirely; and you not only
say, 81 don't care who's elected:" but
some of you say, 81 shan't vote at ALL"
Wrong--all wrong. Every man should
go to the ballot box and put in his vote,
and nothing but sickness should prevent
it; for its the protector and defender of
our liberties, and the effect of one vote
may save or produce awful consequent
ces.
| We have some State and National Leg
islators to elect; high and responsible
servants; and one man may by his vote
send trusty, or an unworthy servant, to
care for the welfare of the government;
and we ought to inform ourselves who
and what we are sending to act for us,
before we trust such invaluable treasures
to his disposal for our use, as the laws
of this great nation.
Let US commence at the beginning.
then, and come down to the present po-
sition Of the parties, and see if we can
not look clearly at the beginning Of the
end" and see the results of such acts and
feelings as we see, and will mention.
Conventions, now so termed, are q
time honored institution, not only here,
but with nations of antiquity; and in a
government like ours, pure democratic
government is nonsense. We can have
it in effect, but so many people cannot
meet in mass to mske laws. Hence we
have to resort to presenta tives-a large
mass meets and confers power upon one
mamie meets others like empowered
from other sections, and they act in con-
cert, free from the confusion of numbers.
1t could not be done otherwise; and
herein rest another principal without
which we cannot exist, viz.-the rule of
the majority. They must rule for the
time, and if they get wrong. short time
will bring change. and all will be right
for its part of the spirit and genius
of our government. flowing from natural
principles, that such wrongs will be right
ed, and the briefness of our terms of Of
fee, effectually prevent any serious or
permanent injury from any overbearing
spirit of the majority for the time be-
ing.
| The people meet in convention, then.
Every man should be there in person or
by delegate of his own choosing, selected
by the majority 10 which he should ac-
quiesce-coolly and deliberately. they
select public servant, and the will of
the majority again should rule--candor
marks their action, and they are emphat-
ically the selection of the whole-all
should vote Tor him. If he is faithful,
public opinion rewards him-if not, he
is hopelessly condemned. and they all
meet again to select another servant.
This is all fair, honorable and reasonable
Every man should acquiesce, and harmo-
ny would result. But alas! When dan.
ger has passed and does not threaten i'm
minently, the zone man power" odious
as it is. is set up to rule the mass One
man, or half q dozen do not like the Sc
lection of the majority, and forsooth. un-
less their will is listened to, they will
go over to the enemy, and destroy their
own friends. Why, reverse the tables.
Suppose they happened to be in the ma
jority, and the man of their choice was
selected; with what kind of feelings, and
what liberali.y would they look at the
man or men who had gone into conven-
ton with them, voted in the minority,
and then "blowed out" because more men
thought differently from them than
thought with them? Look at both sides
of the picture, and if ever you ''do as you
would be done by" apply the rule in Sc !.
lecting your public servants.
But let us look back moment. When
the Union was formed, it was linked with
the bones of slaughtered patriots, and
welded in the fire that warmed the hearts