Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-04-25
The Political Convention System
What has it Donei

II has raised up power between
the Constitution aud the epeopIe. utter
| ly subyersiye Of the spirit Of the one
and the rights of the other.
II has substituted the decisions Of
intrigueing politicians in place Of the
unbiased judgement Of the nation.
thas paralyzed and discouraged all
high disin.erested public sentiment,
making petty management It's chief
qualification for political preferment.
and closing the door against patriot
ism, statesrnanship and personal inde-
lpendence.
1t has offered the highest rewards
OF the nation to hin, who should most
successfully conceal his real opinions
before the election. and most shame
fully disregard them after.
thas closed the executive Office
against the true merit. and filed pub
| lie places, at home and abroad. with
incompetent men. who receive their
appointments as a reward OF partizan
services.
It has substantially transferred from
the President to Senators and men,
bers OF Congress the whole appoint
ment power, even dragging the ma
tional judiciary into the vortex Of its
usurpaiions. and subjecting it TO the
degraded standard of its morals.
1t has generated irresponsibility and
recklessness in the national legislature,
increased our expenditures. demor-
allied public agents, squandered the
public money. degraded the govern
ment, and weakenedths bonds of
the federal Union.
1t has pensioned the press, and rais-
ed up, through its instrumentality. a
venal public sentiment destructive
alike Of the integrity Of the general
administration and the harmony and
well being OF the republic.
1t has given power to men without
political patriotism or virtue, who, fail
ing to accomplish their own ambitious
ends, have become traitors to their
country, seeking its overthrow. as q
punishment for their imaginary griev-
ances. For this purpose they hav,,
sown the seeds Of sectional bitterness,
arrayed the North against the South,
and filed the nation with wranglings,
contentious and strifes.
1t has yearly thrown of masses of
political debris from the various party
organizations, and these have been
collected and formed into cliques and
cabals, even so far that it is doubtful
! n rnefe Is honest puUnc sentiment
enough 70 sxvc tiir Union nom disrup-
lion and anarchy. =.
II has raised up everywhere in the
nation combinations of mercenary
spectators and sleight Of hand polit-
ical' gamblers. who have quartered
themselves ON the public treasury and
fattened on the earnings Of The pco-
pie. - 5'r
II has legalized robbery by boldly
procla;ming that to the ''victors belong
the spoils Of the yanquished".-a IL
cense which has been received as a
warrant for every species Of specula.
ton and knavcry, as is shown by the
frlghtful increase OF the public burden
without ony corresponding necessity.
It has annually increased the expen-
ditures OF the treasury from twenty TO
sixty millions OF dollars, without ma
terially enlarging the army or navy,
leaving the scaboa-d dcfenceless, our
harbors in ruins. our commerce neg
Iected. our frontiers devastated by Iu-
dian wars. our postal service insult
cient aud insecure, our interests abroad
parnlYzcd, and our confidence IN the
public administration impaired. II not
wholly lost. 1t has discredited the
democratic principles which Iay at the
foundation OF the republic. insomuch
that large numbers deny the right OF
| the people 10 govern themselves. and
seek to establish tho relations Of sover-
eign aud subject between the States
and Territories legitimate fruit Of
the assumption Of conventions to con-
troll the masses milling the public off,