Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-07-05
The Democratic Convention.

didatcs for the Legislature, and also for The
local offices of the Parish. A very respecta-
bic asscnblagc convened, and it induced usto
believe that quite an outpouring Of sentiments
and opinions upon the various topics and
schemes best calculated to ensure the greatest
harmony and sures, mode of success to the
party, would take place. But, contrary to our
anticipations, only one or two gentlemen had
anything to suggest, but which really seemed
TO he in accordance with the minds OF those
present. as the motions they made unanimous
" prevailed, with one exception, that OF taking
the vote of the meeting upon the motion that
the Convention be composed OF delegates from
the various wards of the Parish, and they alone
have a voice in the nomination of candidates,
which was c%arried--three ayes to two noes
Bear in mind, we are giving an unSarnis''ed
statement from memory, and if we err there is
no cause for c%cnsure, as, personally and through
our paper we offered the free use Of our col
umns-as this is the only journal in the Pa
rish-for the purpose of circulating their OFF,
ciaI proceedings; but this courtesy, as we un-
derstand, having been construed into a politi-
cal trick o the protfer was Indignantly repell-
ed; and the Baton Rouge Advocate, instead,
(Which has, perhaps, a circulation of a dozen
papers in the parish) has the honor Of inform
ing officially the Democracy of lberville what
occurred at their Convention last Saturday.
Therefore, we are not culpable if we inadver-
tently misstate anything recorded through the
aid of memory alone. In justice to ourself
we deem it right that we should make the above
statement, that our Democratic subscribers in
this town, Crosse Tete, Bayou Goula, New
River, 1berville, &c, (of whom we entertain
the highest opinion as gentlemen and good cit
izens) may not conceive us to be SO narrow
minded, prejudiced and selfish, as TO make no
free offer to publish the official proceedings of
their Convention, because f~orsooth we happen
to differ with them in our political feelings.
The meeting was opened by Mr.. J. N.
Brown being called to the Chair, and Mr.. F.
MAR1oNNEAUx appointed Secretary.
After it was DECIDED that the Convention
shonld be composed of delegates from the diff
ferent wards, the nominations commenced but
this nominating by delegates "a very proper
method we thought) was a mode of procedure
which did not seem to satisfy many of the CID
and respectable gentlemen of the Jackson
school, although E. w. ROBERTSON, Esq, did
his best to elucidate the correctness and pro-
priety Of such a system; and from various re-
marks and intimations, we opine that the De-
mocracy generally of the Parish will not relish
entirely the proceedings growing out Of this
reform, as put into operation last Saturday.
Col. JAS. E. ROBERTSON and JOSEPH WEIGH,
Esq, (the former by ARMAsT HEBERr, we be-
lieye, and the latter by E. w. ~RoBERrsoN,)
were then nominated as candidates for the
House of Representatives by reclamation,
there being no opposition.
At this stage of the game, E. w. ROBERT
SON, Esq, again arose, and animadverted very
strongly upon the propriety of nominating all
the local candidates: he was opposed to fol-
lowing the Wings in anything, and as they
had not done so, he was for making all the Pa
IRISH Offices political; the Wings had done this
at the last electien--and he was for doing what
the Wings did then, because they declined doing
so now. This was Democratic doctrine, We
suppose, and logic, too, for aught we know
for his motion was carried. We believe it was
at this point that the speaker expatiated very
lengthy and eloquently OF the vast superiority
Of Democratic over Wing principles-that the
Democracy were in favor Of an elective judi
ciary, for instance and as a proof that the
Wings were opposed to it, (when it is univer-
sally known that they are the most strenuous
supporters Of such a SYSTEM he cited the case
of Mr.. DEcLoUEr, when the truth is, that him
self and friends took every occasion during
the last canvass for Governor, to express them
selves as plainly as tongues could speak, their
warm advocacy of an elective Judiciary, as the
only. true and pure Republican system. The
gentleman rebuked, too, the idea of another
State observation-disclosures, we presume, it
was created through a large Democratic majo-
rity, and he was opposed to every thing aecep-
table to the Whigs-when it is known that the
present Constitution is universally reprobated
for its errors and imperfections.
We must, however, here acknowledge, that
if there were many such thorough-going, in
trepid and eloquent men, and sage reasoners in
the Democratic ranks as Mr.. E. w. ROBERT
SON, we might have good cause for fear that
our ticket would not be successful at the ap-
preaching election; but, as he appears to stand
and as it were alone, in strong exer-
lions, we have reason to hope he may break
1o,on long before the %evcntful day arrives. We
must say, candidly, that we did think it a little