The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-02-23
CONVENTIONS.

The Knoxville Wing entirely mistakes
the tone and spirit of our article in re-
lation TO a candidate for GOvernor when il
says the Post "demsnds Convention. -
We had not the vanity to suppose that any
thing we could do or say on the subject
would bring about Convention when the
leading whg Journals at Nashville and Knox
vile had taken strong grounds against it, Our
object in the article alluded to, was simply to
prevent a misrepresentation in regard 10 pub
lie feeling in our section on the subject Of
Mr.. Gentry's strength and availability. Our
remarks in relation TO Convention we're de
signed to be merely suggestive-that palties
could not maintain their identity and or
ganzation ifall party usages were discarded.
Since the country was first divided into t,1o
great parties, both have found it necessary to
assemble in Convention, to select-standard
bearers, to adjust conflicting claims, to am
body and concentrate their strength, and give
unity, efficiency, and certainty to their opera
tons. The Convention system has its evils,
and so has every other. The first great object
of all party organizations is succcss-with-
out success they may as well never have ex-
isted, for they are poweress to engraft their
principles upon the country and carry out
whatever of good they may design. But if
one party maintains lis Organizations great
centre, with its members and branches ex-
tending into every county and dlstriet-and
the other abandons and cuts loose from all
party usages, and all system of organization,
it requires no gift of prophecy to foresee on
which side success must fall. Certainly, our
neighbor of the Wing does not intend to do
away with the Convention system entirely
assuredy he does not mean that he will never
again support the nominee of a Convention!
Even the Know NOthings, "thc Children of
the Mist, have taken TO holding Conventions
What are we to do in the next Presidential
canvass? Should the Hon. inc. Bell be Eomi-
mated by National Convention for the Chief
Magistracy of the Union, are we to refuse to
support him because he is presented to US
by such body! Admitting, for the moment,
a Convention may be dispensed with now
very different condition of things may, and
will exist year or two hence. What we de-
sired to,do was to impress upon our brethren
not to so stultify themselves on the present
occasion as to render poweress all future eff
forts for success We know city editors are
little sensitive about suggestions from the
"country press" but it will do them no harm
to heed their warnings occasionally, las the last
are much more likely to reflect public senti-
ment correctly than any other class of jour-
nails, and their editors are less liable to be
imposed upon by interested parties than those
who dwell amid the noise and confusion, tur-
MOL and excitement, incident TO great and
growing cities, and who necessarily see but
little, and know less, of the real people of
the country, the true sovereigns of the land
AS to the candidate for Governor, we sup
pose. all argument and question is at an end
Col. Gentry has announced himself MS Il can
ddate for that high office, and in all proba-
bity the contest will be between him and
the present incumbent, unless the Temper
ance Convention now in session at Nashville,
should bring out man, which they will hard
ly do. We are commanded, "of two evils
choose We the least" The people will no
doubt take the matter under consideration
and determine it as to them may seem best
In the meantime it can do no harm to say
that both very much need, and we hope will
receive, the prayers of the faithful.