Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-04-15

our paper, a call for Free Democratic State
Convention, to nominate candidates for state
officers, to be voted for in November next.
If there is any one thing more than ano-
ther that will bear reforming, the principle
upon which candidates for office are got be-
fore the people, is that thing
If an individual hires a clerk or servant,
he does it with an eve single to the fitness of
the individual hired, for the specific duties to
be performed, and We cannot for the life of
us understand, why this rule, so manifestly
sensible one, should not be applied in hi
ring public servants
There is much difference in the duties of
different officers requiring of course cores
ponding difference of qualification; yet poll
teal caucuses put all candidates up on pre-
cisely the same basis. Whether it be to make
n law, serve process, or record deed, the
question, and the only question, is, how does
he stand on the prominent political questions
of the day. The consequence is, the domi-
nant party of the state or nation is full of
men protesting the most Jealous attachment
to the princi Piles of the majority, for no other
reason than to obtain Office, which, having no
intrinsic merit, they could not otherwise get /;
and the consequence of this is, while we are
zealously watching to see that slavery don't
get into New Mexico. or, some other place,
dishonest or incompetent officials are robbing
and expressing us at home.
What we desire then, is simply this: when
man is wanted for place in which the du-
ties involve mainly his political sentiments,
to have him selected mainly in virtue of his
political sentiments, but if the work be en-
tirely of different character, select him ac-
cordingly. ManifestIy the result of this would
be, that incompetent men would not fill our
offices, and politics would not be degraded
into mere means of plumber.
The moral of the above applied to the case
in hand, is this:
Our state functionaries have all we'll def
ned, specific duties to perform. We have a
good state and good state constitution, and
to enjoy all the blessings which good 60
yernment can confer, it is only necessary that
these functiouaries should perform their du
ties with ability and integrity. Then we say
to the convention, select your candidates with
reference to their ability and integrity. If
the best men are to be found among the free
democracy, then take such, not because they
are free democrats, but because they are the
best men; and if they are to be found else
where, then go elsewhere for them. If this
plan should be carried out with discretion,
we believe other parties would endorse the
effort; or if not that good men of all parties
would unite at the polls and elect such men,
or if this fail, we shall at least, have done our
duty, and shall have no cause for regret.
But says an oGjector, we must organize our
party and keep it organized; and moreover,
we never can have a party if we elect our en-
mics to office. In the first place, we hope
every man who knows enough to be a Free
Democrat, knows when his principles are at
stake, and willsustain them, which is all that
any organization can accomplish: in the Sc
cond place, we do not think there will be
Free Democrat less in the state, whoever gets
office: and in the third place. we value not
copper such friends as are made by love of
office.
And finally, We have never failed to con-
denim our ultra democratic brethren, for ma
king every matter within their action the
subject of a political caucus and what we con