The weekly ledger., 1857-06-27
For The H1eeklv Ledger
To the Democracy.

Nm TgITTlVT- TTTTUTT
Conpentions- The .Aominations- The Duty Of
the old Guard Pin-Feather Democrats and
the Fyshg'-CHques.
MEssRs. EDrToRs:-Once more | ask a
hearing through your columns. DO the Old
Guard of the Democratic column sleep? |
trust that they do not; they are not wont to
slumber when the battle-ery of the party is
raised, yet ! fear that their recent victory
hath given them too much reliance in their
own strength. The should be fully awake,
for
"The gathering clouds like meeting armies
Come on apace.p
Would that could invoke the thunders of
Jove to alarm the Democratic household.
A few plain words, gentlemen, to the Old
Guard A new and important crisis is at
hand. The Primary Meetings are soon to be
held; upon their result, depends that OF the
County Convention; upon the result of the
latter. that of the State Convention; upon
the result of the whole, the maintenance of
our principles in their Jefiersonian purity
The Primary Meetings must be pure, or dis
ease will be carried into the councils of the
party. How shall they be kept pure? Why,
only by the vigilance of the Old Guard!-
The Know Nothings, who were our arch
enemies last fall, no longer exist as party,
and there is nothing in the Central Commit
tee call lin this county, to prevent them from
voting at the Primary Meetings. Suppose
they should determine to turn out to a man,
and attend the meetings? Fifty to one they
would control at least a balance of power in
the County Convention. Would this be Dem
ocratic? would it be common sense? On the
contrary it would be surrendering to an enc
my after conquering him. Therefore let the
brave Old Guard, who have stood their
ground in victory and in defeat, see to it that
none but Democrats take part in the Primary
Meetings; and let them see that none but
Democrats Of undoubted integrity-about
whom there is no smell of the finny species
are sent as Delegates to the County Conven-
ton.
Again in nominating candidates for office,
let the Old Guard take care that they are not
imposed npon by those who came in at the
eleventh hour. / would not urge severe pro-
scription; but at time like this-when we
are threatened with tremendous influx OF
the late opposition forces into our ranks,
/ whose influence might be so employed as TO
change important features in the Democratic
catechism--it behooves the party 10 nominate
none but those whose Democracy has stood
the test Of trial. 1t is only two years ago
that the Old Guard were denounced by the
triumphant Know Nothings as the essence oi
corruption. 1t is only two years ago that
"what remained of the Democratic parts
was pronounced festern. mass of iniquity
( Yet that Old Guard remained firm; they sui
1 fered defeat, but time proved that they were
/ the salt that saved the country, while Know
/ Nothing 'purity" turned out to be the basest
metal that ever entered into the composition
of political organization in the old world OF
the new! Shall that Old Guard be aot,
compelled to succumb TO those who SO de
nounced them in '55? God forbid i'll We
have them on the hip" as they had US; will
we he so untrue to ourselves as to thus earty
make them our leaders? 1t would be misera.
bic generalship; it would be suicide without
the benefit Of clergy. ! repeat that | would
not be too proscriptiye; but | must say that
those who would thus ask the Old Guard
Democracy to succomb to them, surely calcu-
late largely upon Democratic forbearance and
generosity They ask us to commit the in
justice of passing by faithful servants, to re-
ward unfaithful ones; or perhaps to reward
those whose Democratic pin-feathers have
scarcely more than sproutedl
just few words more. II is not the bu-
sincss of few in the various precincts, though
never so good Democrats, to make nomlna.
tions. Sometimes few leaders get it into
their heads that they are the whole party
4 This is wrong, and leads to the nomination OF
favorites who are almost invariably without
. e. +ho ho lan a hs
party, aud who when elected to Office are the
mere tools of their masters. No; let the
sound rank and file of the Democracy make
their own nominations, and all will be well
Cliques should always be discountenanced
To arms, then, and do your duty If Sc
be it, we shall have neither pin-feather nol
fishy Democrats to bear the standard of th,
party in the coming contest.
OH GUARD.
June 3d. 1851