Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-07-07

to make them feel, whenever they enter the caucus
and the Convention, that they must not outrage the
higher sentiments Of toe best OF their parties
Now, sir, adopt the plurality rule in all your elec-
lions, and you make the caucus aud the Convention
omnipoent; you give uIl sway to the political chiefs
who are controlled By interest and ambition. The
whole tendency of the system is 10 debauch the pub
lie sentiment OF the country, and 10 enlhrone the
omnipoenI power of the caucus and the Convention.
Politicians 40 into the the Convention,
prompted by ambition and Interest," adopt their
schemes of policy, and when the day OF election
com,es, and the men who governed by the higher
and better sentiments assemble around the baot-box
they are told that they must take the 'choice OF evils
that they must for candidate they know TO be
ueworthy-whose nomination not fl 10 be made
or his and their political opponent will be elected.
They know that the contest must be then and there
decided. They feel the pressure. They pause,
hesitate YIELD vote Tor candidate they know to be
unworthy, and go home degraded in their own eyes,
and ready to yield again 10 the demands oil the
caucus and tue Convention. The whole machinery
Of caucuses and Conventions in this country, is
Of the worst features of democratic institutions.
The majority system gives the people the power TO
checknlate their infu nee; The plurality system lets
them have free course and be glori6ed. Sir, have
had during the past Is years, some little knowledge
of caucuses and Conventions, and the more have
seen of the managers oil caucuses and CONVENTIONS,
| the less think Of them. The more of eau
cuses and conventions 81 the sirlles of political life,
the more Iuru to the unbiased will of the people
with hope and confidence. | party man; hul
the more see OF mere politicians, the more ready
am to concur with the man who said, that the more
he saw Of others, the better he thought Of himself
| Laughter
We have lived here in this State from the found.
Of the government, under the majority system.
thas It's evils, and those evils have been pointed
out. There have been recent occurrences which
have changed whole battalonS Of men with regard
thar osininns an This Nv iriand from,
/ birmingham talks about his disappointment at see
ing gentlemen oppose this plurahty system. Sir,
does he not know that he stands upon this floor with
gentlemen who have all their lives opposed the pIu.
| rality rule? The gentleman from Pilts6ed, lGov.
Briggs mpored TO let the little petty lnier.
ests vi Earty, govern us in our decision. What, but
The liltlepeuy interests of party, has wrought this
sudden and miraculous conversion which has
changed that gentleman and his political associates
| from opponents to advocates of this system?
| Have not recent occurrences effected this change?
| Are not these occurrences Of a political nature?
commend the advice Of the gentleman from Piitsfeld
to The confederation Of his political friends. | hope
the majority principle, TO which Massachusetts has
adhered, IRON the foundation of her government Up
10 this hour, is not 10 be abandoned now, to meet
the demands of the ''liuIe petty interests of party
under the pressure of present temporary inconve.
nience.
Ny friend from Haverhill, mir. Hall, ] told US
yesterday, that the Committee, of which he is
member, had hesitated about reporting ia favor
Of eecting officers by the people, until this ques-
ton is settled Pray, sir, why should that Com.
mittee be governed in their action by the decision
oithis question | the gentleman from
| Haverhill, and the gentlemen with whom he is
associated on the Committee, that | am in favor
of the election of every civil officer by the peo-
/ pie where it is practicable. | would destroy ali
! the patronage oithe executive Of the State and
nation, if could do so. never wish to see any
man walking Up the steps of this capitol TO ask
for office at the hands Of the executive. The
whole system OF executive patronage is degrading
and corrupng, and it should be restricted and
limited Look at The changes that have taken
place in the politics the country during the
last sixteen W ars, in consequence OF dsappoint.
ments growing out Of the patronage Of the
government Administrations have been wrecked
by It, great party has just come into power,
and wild rush made for place and patronage
| should not. be surprised to see that administra-
ton weakened and oyertbrown by the action of
disappointed applicants for executive patronage
Governmental patronage in the state and nation
has a tendency TO corrupt and weaken any party
which has IDEAS and principles it wishes to carry
out. 1t is the duty oil this Convention to give to
the people the election Of officers where it is prac-
ticable TO do SO, aud hope The gentleman from
| Haverhill and his associates will SO report.
Gentlemen have spoken Of the repeated trials
for members Of Congress. We have provision
Dow-whichn no one proposes to change-that on
the second trial plurality snail elect If gente-
man who advocate the plurality rule, will consent
to have the governor, lieutenant governor the
secretary Of State treasurer, auditor, and attorney
general, if we shall decide, as hope we shall, 10
elect them-and the Senate and House by the
majority system, / am willing to agree that all
vacancies oocasioned by failures TO elect senators
or representatives the annual election shall be
filled at second trial by plurality Of votes, and
that county and municipal officers shall be elected
by the plurality rule. This will do away with the
trouble and Inconvenience complained Of, and at
the same time give the people an opportunity TO
express at the polls their own convictions Of duty
Mr.. President would, il | had the power, re-
stole the majority principle in all the States ofihe
Union Protected by that democratic principle,
every man may well say, in the words of Edmund
Burke, to the electors Of Bristol that "hs unbas-
sed opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened
conscience, he ought not TO sacrifice to any man.
or to any set of men living" Then, when 'sbis
unbiased opinion, his mature Judgment his en-
llghtenea conscience" cannot sanction the policy
OF his political associates, he will not heed that
delusive cry of ''the choke of evils'' now SO DO
tential, for he knows that the majority system
will allow him to rebuke the folly of his political
"iO"ue' "itnout eieVdtlug 10 power MS political
! opponents | fully believe that the restoration of
the plajority principle would lessen the power of
the Caucus and the convention, chasien ambi
ton and interest, and give Greer scope to the NOR
al sentiments Of the people. Yes sir, its restora.
ton would give The people, IN their primary as.
semblies, FAR greater power and control over pub
Iic affairs, and ever public men, and that power
and control would be for the advancement Of
popular rights, democratic IDEAS and sentiments.
gain Convention. yesterday afternoon, on
motion of Gov. Boutwell,, this morning was spe.
cially assigned for the consideration onlhe basis