The daily union., 1852-07-07

nominate the Executive of this nation have already be-
come real power IN the State and dangerous
control over the legislative body. have seen during this
session OF Conge the members OF great and trunph
ant party, holding majority OF nifty IN this House,
with the right to speak for their constituents all ques-
lions affecting their political welfare, succumb 10 these
organizations. and say, We do not choose to declare
the principles by which our own party shall be
governed, because il would be usuping the rights Of
the national convention" They have ignored their own
powers and abandoned their own duty. They false
10 high trust, and sanction usuTpaion whenever they
utter such sentiments They the constitutional rep
reseDtaves OF The people of ibis country aud il is their
right and their duty to declare for themselves the pnc
pies OF their political action DO you ask me why is this
The reason is obvious: They are sent here by and
through these conventions and by the peoples they
do not obey their masters. This system has never pro-
when public men sent to the councils OF the coun.
try by the people and because OF their virtue and ne-
gence and illness Tor public service they built up for
themselves honorable fame, and did the State ser.
vice They served the people and were sustained by the
people IN those days there were giants, but the
nearly extinct,
There is now machinery standing between The rep
resenlave and the people which pases him, which pre-
vents the free ulerance Of his opinions which com
pels him TO square himself by the declarations that acc
dent or caprice or interest may these conventions
to utter Tor his guidance Obedience to them is n6delty
to popular rights | allow such to stand between
me and the people who sent me here. to lay down
on me by the consultation. | will not disqualify my
self for lis faithful discharge have before observed
This system has produced Of those illuslrious
men who have become distinguished in their coun-
trys and in the worlds history none of those grea,
political lights which have shown brilliantly on
this western continent for nearly half century
Nearly all OF them have departed from us Who is
to lake the place OF the distinguished Caronian !.
He the handiwork Of God himself and Of the peo-
II % e wSo Mo0 d i he % o @ s
names OF other days who yet nger among us' When
worhiy flied il will not be by these nurseries of faction
They have no need Of such men, Their work requires
another description OF workmen and he is not wise, he
does not truly appreciate the best interests of his country
who does not put his foot upon them and forever
In 1896. these conventions had not much of public
favor. Many OF the States not represented in The
first conventions of either party My State had no
representatives IN any national convention until 1914
and it had representation in the conventions Of s4s
believe there were three sets OF delegates from that State
the recent conventlons NJ those who acquainted
with the circumstances of their appointment mus, be well
that all three together did represent any con-
siderable portion OF the people OF Georgia
Georgia. from The revelation down to 1885, had
two tickets for the presidency Some distinguished
publcao who had served his country long and faithful
~ and had built up chara for himself received the
vote oil the whole people. In 1895 il became important
to run man whom the people did not want, who had
not buIltup name that commended itself to the Amer-
can people-who had no hold upon their affections 1t
was therefore necessary 10 get party conformity by
means OF Baltimore machinery. lis very object
defeat the popular will That the first national parry
cessul, but the dearly purchased by the dem
ocratc party. The rerbuton in 1910 overwhelm
ing as i, was just In 1910 the repre- became
rather more general in Is44 and 1913 nearly universal
La 1852 the people oil many portions of this republic
disncned to trust these conventions They stood
out until the wire pulers produced seeming necessity
Tor their cooperation This seeming necessity was
based upon the known fact that when they had spok en-
there was not one in hundred who would dare
to stand Up and give free uerance 70 his own opinions
who would not say, 81 must conform 10 the party |
must elect as Chief Magistrate ot this Union who,
IN my judgment, is not qualified Tor that high trust
must support combinations which | believe to be inju
rious TO my country, or shall lose with my party"
would persuade such to-day that the path OF duty
the path OF safety that country will gain what party
loses by the unirammelled exercise of their own iuJg
menis, and by making the ballot box speak their own
and not anothers Will. have heard the same sent-
mens uttered upon this loor and gentlemen reproacDg
one another, when questions came up for their consde
ration and action, with having violated the platform oil
their party Better violate that than your judgment and
your conscience and your duty 10 the country. Rouse
yourselves from any such degrading seryitude Your
enemy is feeble, despsed, dsgraced in the eyes of the
people-you have only 10 resist him, and he viii flee
from you.
With this opinion of these organizations, with this
judgment OF their effects and tendencies, they
prescribe rule Of political action for me- They would
affect my conduct 10 some extent | would yield much
10 overthrow them | am ready to-day to unite with
the free people OF any portion OF the republic in their
efforts TO their rights from the hands OF those
who have usurped them, and 10 their ancient
privileges, and among them the high OF designating
Party success being the ife-blood OF these organiza
tons, they must and will, whenever il is necessary,
sacrifice both and principles 10 its attainment Their
history proves them true to this necessity, IL 10 nothing
else When the presidential election deyolves upon the
House OF Representatives the constitution restricts it's
choice 10 the three candidates having the highest
OF votes in the electoral college, and thus the popular
will still remains the controlling element in the election
These conventions being under such restraints, we
have seen them make candidate to suit themselves,
instead OF selecting from the number OF those desg
n peou dema nd
that all factions OF the coalition shall be pacihed the god
OF party harmony will accept bu, noble victims
thus great public services become barriers instead oil
passports TO public honors and to have done nothing
worthy of the presidency the surest OF obtaining
IT, The republic content itself with dispensing with
the services OF its most eminent and worthy citizens 10
this office, or with national conventions. Their action
is not less fatal TO principles than TO patriots.
moments examination into the discordant materials
which compose these conventions will demonstrate their
unhDess to maintain principles OF any sort They neither
develop new truths, correct old They usually
announce, with ponpous certainty, political axioms
which nobody denies, and mysy with cunaingly con-
tved phrases conirovericd points OF public policy Truth
is sacrIhcedto harmony These combinations are in no
Just sense OF that term parties. They do not combine TO
maintain any principles, neither carry out right policy
or to resist wrong policy They are, therefore, coal.
lions without principles and without policy, held TO-
geher by the cohesive properties Of the public plunde
Thus constituted, they can pull down but cannot build
up systems. They may acquire place, bu, cannot bold IT.
They can combine Tor mischief but not for good. They
get place, but not power Hence the people, from the
origin OF this system 10 this day, though they have sup
ported the successful candidate have almost uniformly
been opposed 10 the President This is curious and
instructive fact Van Buen was elected in 1896; was
- L.. l. ak-.Ar ~.