Washington sentinel., 1856-03-29

nen- We call attention to the following very
able article, from the New Y ork Herald, upon
the abuses of the convention system, rebellion
against the power and authority of political
managers have become so common of late that
no party, however strong can disregard the
popular choice Of its members; and although
nomination at Cincinnati is regarded almost
as an election, political gamblers may so out
rage popular sentiment as to bring defeat and
disgrace upon the otherwise invincible demo
cracy:
The Political Convention system-what
Has it DoneI
1t has raised up power between the con-
stitution and the people utterly subversive Of
the spirit of the and the rights Of the other.
1t has substituted the decisions Of intriguing
politicians in the place of the unbiased judg-
ment Of the nation.
1t has paralyzed and discouraged all high
disinterested public sentiment, making petty
management its chief qualification for political
preferment, and closing The door against
patriotism, craftsmanship and personal inde-
pendence.
1t has offered the highest rewards Of the ma.
ton TO him who would most successfully con-
ceal his real opinions before the election, and
most shamelessy disregard them after.
1t has closed the executive Office against
true merit, and filled public places, at home
and abroad, with, incompetent men, who re-
ceive their appointments as reward Of parti
zan services.
1t has substantially transferred from the
President to Senators and members of Congress
the whole appointing power, ever dragging the
national judiciary into the vortex Of It's usur-
pations and subjecting it to the degraded stand
ard Of its morals.
1t has generated irresponsibility and reck.
lessness in the national legislature, increased
our expenditures, demoralized public agents,
squandered the puplic money, degraded the
government and weakened the bonds of the
federal Union.
1t has peDsioned the press and raised up,
through It's instrumentality, a venal public
sentiment destructive alike Of the integrity Of
the general administration and the harmony and
well being ofthe republic.
1t has given power to men without political
virtue or patriotism, who, failing to accomplish
their own ambitions ends, have become traitors
to their country, seeking its overthrow, as
punishment for their imaginary grievances.
For this purpose they have sown the seeds Of
sectional bitterness, arrayed the North against
the South, and filled the nation with wrang.
lings, contentious, and strifes.
Ii has yearly thrown off masses of political
debris from various party organizations, and
these have been collected and reformed into
clques and cabals, even so far that it is doubt.
ful if there is honsst public sentiment enough
TO save the Union from disruption and anarchy.
II has raised up everywhere in the nation
computations Of mercenary spectators and
sleight Of hand political gamblers, who have
quartered themselves on the public treasury
and fattened on the earnings Of the people.
1t has legalized robbery by boldly proclaim
ing that to the victors belong the spoils Of
the vanqnisbed"-a license which has been re-
ceived as warrant for every species Of pecu.
lation and knavery, as is shown BY the fright.
ful increase Of the public burdens without any
corresponding necessity
1t has annually augmented the expenditures
Of the treasury from twenty to sixty millions Of
dollars, without materially enlarging the army
or navy, leaving our seaboard deenceess our
harbors in ruins, or commerce neglected our
frontiers devastated by Indian wars, our postal
service insufficient and insecure, our interests
abroad paralyzed and our confidence in the
public Administration impaired, If not wholly
lost. II has discredited the Democratic prin-
cpes which lay at the foundation Of the re-
public, insomuch that large numbers seriously
deny the right Of the people to govern them
serves, and seek to establish the relation Of
sovereign and subject between the States and |
the lerrltorles-a legitimate fruit of the as /
sumption OF conventions to control and bind |
the masses in filling the public Offices.
IL has constructed platforms and compro.
misses, withdrawing attention from the Consiitu