The Yazoo Democrat., 1853-07-20
T H Z D d M OCRA T
PHILLIPS & PERKINS. EDIro RS.
From he Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Caucus SysteIn--POEiticaz Or
gamizaGiOm.

for some time past has attacked the organization
of the party, and which is avowedly hostile I
all political conventions called for the purpos
Of agreeing upon candidates to be presented 70
the popular suffrage. Ii denounces the who'll
system as corrupt and rotten, and goes in for in
dependent stump nominations in lis stead. W,
can see bur very little difference between making
war tlpon the principles of The part, and attack
ing the only way in which he triumph of those
principles can BE- secured Ii is obvious that a
party whose principles commanded the favor oi
a lar5e majority of the people could never sue
csed al an election if il had no way Of agreeing
upon the candidates il should support for the
various Offices, and that ii certainly would be
defeated b. shrewd minority that would unite
its strength upon one individual, and elect him
by plurality while the stronger party would
throw away It's votes uselessly upon number
of persons running for the same Office and all be
longing 10 the same organization.
A party is banded together to secure certain
objects or the attainment Of certain principles
o be effected BY eecIng men known 10 BE
friendly 70 them, and Tie only way in " hich his
can be done. is to select sons representative Of
he party who shall receive The sufraaes of he
viii le orgsniztion ia mess. moving togeth her
as Que mau. for The attainment Of The end which
ed to lis formation. Ans other course would
De supremely ridiculous, and would indicate
upon the part of he members of the orsaniza-
non lack OF that common sense and discretion
which men usually exercise in the ordinary af-
fairs Of life. A concentration of the votes Of a
party upon one individual being essential to
success, the question recurs how is ii to be ef-
fected? We know of no better way than the
convention or popular vote system, calling the
party together IN primary assemblies, to elect
delegates whose duty it shall be to select men
who, in their judgments. are most acceptable to
a majority OF the party for the various Offices
hat are to be chosen by the people.
IL is true taat The Convention system is liable
abuse tAa under is operation incompeten
"a corrupt nen sometimes gel nominations;
but the -6sae result woali attend any political
system tlat could be ie ised, and ii should not
e rejer.e that account The evils that II
Pc rens lar more than overbalance its occasion-
Al abuses, which greatly magnided by disar
? 5ne dem 5osues and designing knayes, who
tail to have their individual merits appreciated
therefore, rail bitterly against them simply
IN that account. The cry against nominating
generally comes from soured and
1roken down politicians, who are in desperate |
political circumstances, or from mercenary and |
eliish men, who have no distinctive principles |
,ther than being in favor of the spoils of office
who being repudiated by all respectable orgaui-
ations, are compelled to be Independents and
leutrals, and who generally array themselves
nder that banner for the time being that in their
Judgment has the best chance for success.
II is not among the masses of he voters of the
ountry, whose motto is principles before men,,
nd who regard it as Of little consequence who
Ills this tina official position if he is person
lis capable and honest and is attached to that
olitical creed which they believe is most CON
ueive to the prosperity Of the country, that we
nd the clamor raised against the nominating
system The great body of the peo
lie always vote Tor regularly nominated candi
ates, who are the representatives of some sys-
I'm Of government and iook with no favor upon
he nonaescript nentras and independents who
one times come before them for their sulfrages
nj the instances are very are, indeed, that their
ppeais are rewarded with success. Neutrals {
nd independents are often loud and boisterous I
a their claims that the people dissatisfied
rith the workings of the nominating system
hat they are ready to revolt against it-that Is {
odlous in their sight-but when the election {
ONES on the result most signally fasiGes their
redictons, The masses almost invariably pre-
erring an individual for off who is he choice 7
some large and respectable convention Of their {
.lIow citizens, to oanother person who enters the
ED entirely upon his own hook, and who is
oboiy's candidate buthis own.
The faci is. if we ma, JUICE from he manner I
J which illey have been sas stained in the past. )
eonv entions are exceedingly popular J
18th the people, and they have no wish or desire +
} see them broken up, and scrub race foi of j
ce substituted in their stead, when individuals S
OF rel ying upon the strength of their principles
I party organization for success, would be +
risen into the employment of bribery and /
among the voters to attain the same
IDS that had been previously gained by more Q
orthy means. Among the good results spring t
lg from the nominating system is the fact that 1
s il there is such a concentration of public j
5nion upon inaisidnaIs that the one upon RI
h8n toe popular choice finally falls usually 5
1taias bis election b ga majority Of ihe votes i
.sl. while under the independent or stump sys- 6
"a. Win iity candidates perhaps running for
Il same Office, he person elected would be the 5
sosea 81 cemi iaratively but small portion Of n
Is eanmunity-a system which would be. very a
81 =, hain5 Democratic or satisfactorv ~ 4he