The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-11-26
The eighth of January Convention -
Shall It be POSponed2

~
Shall 1t be Postponed?
A short time before the meeting Of the |
eighth OF January Convention in 1855,
the Enquirer took ground in favor of the
postponment of tue nomination to a Ia
ter season. twas urged that it was in
expedient ard injudicions to make nomi
nations for important State offices so long
in advance of the election, because such
was the ever varying course of events that
selections which might be highly proper
in January, might become undesirable in
June or July. 1t would be better to
wait and see what kind Of shape the cam
paign would assume, before the Democratic
line of battle was formed.
BY giving time for the selection, tie
Democratic masses could more certainly
indicate their choice of standard bearers
than by nominating preciuitately before
public opinion had developed itself in re-
gard to the candidates. A nomination
early i'll January is altogether too soon af-
/ ter the excitement of the October and No
vember elections for proper canvass in
the ranks of the Democracy of the men
whom they would place upon their State
Ticket. The smoke of one battle has
hardly rolled away before they are sum-
moned to prepare for another. Mere time
for the relaxation and for the selection Of
the candidates is required, than has been
usual to give in Ohio.
: Long influenced by these considerations
and Others that might be named, we were
glad to notice that our able AMI inhuen-
tial contemporary at Cleveland Plain
Oed!er-whose editor is member of the
c Democratic State Central Committee, has
!, come out in Il forcible article in favor of
p the postponement of the Democratic nonl-
- nations, usually made on the eighth of
January, to a later season. This year
the reasons for postponement of the
Il nominations are much stronger even than
they were two years ago, as the Plan
r Dealer very properly notices as follows:
,, "On the 4th of March James Buchanan
. will be inaugurated, and the Federal pol
II icy of tht.new Administration will be un-
n yelled Ohio may not be invited to take
r part in the administrative duties of the
+ Government but may wish to have some
thing to say.
t "The closing up of the present Con-
gress til dying groans and farewell
shrieks of fusion House--may bring new
- issues into the field which, more or less,
may effect the popular impulse at our State
Ii election.
/ "Again. there is an adjourned session
j. of our present Fusion Legislature and
IS which will be devoted to the manufac-
-, ture of buncombe for political purposes
:, generally ,and which our Eighth of Janua.
ry CONVENTION could take no political ad
J. vantage of. Besides, it is too long to have
o our candidates in the field, the target OF
e the euemy"
=, Tue above suggestions-and they are
} by no means all that could be urged
l. would seem to be conclusive as to the
s propriety of later nominations than u,
II Eighth of otJanuary conventions. The De.
mocracy of Ohio did eXceilently well this
year; and there is every probability that
if they go into the campaign of 1857 un.
e der good auspices-with wise selections
i for Governor and other State otfices--the
an election is held.
~ We are aware that the associations con-
e nected with the glorious Eighth have
= made the democracy reluctant to forego the
= opportunity of a meeting, in consultation
and reunion at the State Capitol on that
day; but it is by no means essential that
nominations should then he made Indeed
y the jov, mirth and festivity which general
,r ly characterize it are unfavorable to the
!. transaction of such grave business as the
nomination of State candidates. The
~ Democracy might have a celebration as
/ usual, at Columbus, Oh the 9Th, and the
J. programme of the next campaign might
N be discussed with advantage, without any
9 definite action being taken in the prems.
es. We joiu with the Plain Dealer in the
~ hope that our Democratic country cotem.
s. poraries will speak out on this subject -
Cincinnati Enquirer.
,r For several years past there has been
), growing disposition among our demo
cratic friends to postpone our nomina-
ting State Conventions to IA later day than
q the Slh of January. That feeling, it ap.
y pears from the above article, including
,e the opinions of both the editors of the En-
r guirer and Plain Dealer is gaining strength
and from the opinions of those with whom
le we have conversed, it would seem also
'e that similar views are very general in The
" ranks of our party
* Let the press speak out upon the sub
iept and by il we NAV gather Dub.ic ODiu
- ion sufficiently decisive to decide upor
T. the matter. If four or five months is long
r enough to havo Presidential nominees be-
g fore the public, we may well dispense witt
ot nine months nominations for State officers
for Ohio Statesman
10 w- The New York Sunday is becom
ut ing more like that of Paris than that o
49, an American city. The Express says tina
50 on Sunday last the MINER part of the cit