The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-05

about seventy thousand persons entitled to vote. I
and OF this number, on ordinary occasions,
about Fly thou and go to the polls and deposit
their ballots for the candidates presented to
them. Out of this immense numh,ss;r there are |
three thousand or four thousand small poll |
ticians belonging to both the old parties and |
ssme of the new ones, who make 1T their sole
business to control the primary elections, 1t
is needless to repeat the tales of riots, rows
and fights which always occur at these pri-
mary meetings in the several wards. They
have the effect to keep away all respectable
voters, and to give me grog-shop politicians
nil sway. Thu the whole system forms a
great mach. &c, which is controlled solely by the
lowest .abble and managed by the worst class
OF politicians.
Now, where can we find practical remedy
for these abuses? We do not see any other
plan Of reform than that which can be brought
about by total change in the manner of Sc
lecting candidates, and this must be effected by
the adoption of what are called stump candi-
dates" Respectable members Of society who
aspire to any of the Offices in the gift of the
and, by card in the public journals, announce
themselves as candidates for the posts for which
they are best fitted. This system has been
found useful in other cities. By these means
we shall be found able to dispense with the
machinery of primary elections and nominal
ing conventions, by which the grog-shop politi-
clans in various wards have already organized
and commenced passing about the several Offices
among themselves.
During the present year there will be favor
able opportunity to effect an entire change in
the nominating system. We shall have four or
five parties in the field: first, the hardshell
democrats; second, the softshells; third, the
temperance party; fourth, the wings; and fifth,
the fraction Of the wings who form what is
called the "Know Nothing" party. All these
factions and organizations will use the same
instruments that we have before referred to-
Their leaders will take the grog-shop politicians
by the hand and push them forward, in order to
secure the accomplishment of their own ends.
The best mode Of sweeping away all this corrup-
ton, is for respectable citizens to nominate
themselves for such offices as they can fill and
keep their cards in the daily papers for several
weeks or months previous to the day of cleo
tion They should then appoint committees to
attend to the distribution of votes at the polls.
By these means alone can we get respectable
candidates-their merits will be fully discussed
and upon their merits they must stand or
fall.
In this view of the case, Mr.. Genin should
come forward and take the responsibility of
putting his name before the public. He has al
ready been placed in nomination for the Office
of Mayor; but we would suggest that he should
nominate himself for that post, as he has al
ready given evidence of his fitness for any place.
and his energy and talent would be Of great SER
vice to the public, should he be elected to Gil it,
We want to make beginning in the good work
of reform by taking the control of city nominal
tions out of the hands of the corrupt crew who
have ruled US for the past few years.