New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-13

Why should rot the People freely ctoo'e their
next PRESIDENT All who understand the matter
know that the real choice is now made D.; the rival
batds OF politicians, virtually seif-chosen to the
rival gatherings termed National Conventions, and
that the People are allowed Hobson's choice and
one more-that is, they may vote for tne nominee
of this Convention or of that. II they presume to
have smother choice than this-tO vote for any
person not the nominee Of one Of these two Con
ventions-thry simply throw their votes away
Yet these Conventions not merely extra-const
tutional and utterly unknown to toe laws-they
are practically in the main cabals of seIf-seekers
who are maueuvering apd contemplating for EN-
bassies, colectorships, consuships, laud-offices,
auditorships, &c. Sharply, by great etf"rt, and
at much cost Of mooey and wear and tear Of con-
science gets himself elected to the National Con-
yention Of his party, with An eye singe TO the
pushing OF bis own political fortunes. To this end,
it is essential that he should not merely help nom
mate a candidate, but help invent one. he must
make the President, fhe is to establish claim ON
the gratitude of that functonary-merely 10 de-
clare that A. or b. is the choice of the party,
would amount to little. The pomps'o or.
of Jackson, Clay Webster or Calhoun.
cannot expect to be very gratefully remembered
l. ~ noruinee, for they have simply done what
,to, ,ro can, % d. '"hat every one expected
them 10 do, but they who fish up a Pola u. 'e'eo
from the depths Of mediocrity and obscurity and
open 10 him the doors of the White House, may
reasonably calculate on reciprocaton of the
fsvor. They have set him up chief distributor of
offices and spoils and lie must be more or less than
man il he does not prove to the IN that their bounty
was wisely bestowed. The delegate who betrays
his constituents and goes over at the critical
moment TO the asprant whom the knowing ones
have backed to wip thereby entities himeelf TO a
double portion Of the swag. Hence the frequent
nomination of candidates for the highest ststious
who are Ike unfit and undeserying.
But egain: A Convention is necessarily shy Of
bold, decided, positive men. II must tax. up candi
dates who ali things to all men-whc are II
little OF this and little of that-who neither
hot nor cold-who have never offended nor alieuated
any, because they never said nor did any thing Of
contequence-and whose opinions and utterances
sre fair compromise between something and
nothing. The politicians strike sort Of general
average between those members of their pirty
" no mean something and those who mean little or
nothing, ard the man who comes neare.t to this
golden mean" is apt to be their fayorIte.
Why not revolt against all this machinery aud
,mash itl What ueed is there Of d National Con.
venticn None in the word-or rather, the only
n. ed Of it is that felt by the political a-prants
whose only charce of promotion depends on skill-
ful working of the wires. If it Were felony by
statute to hold or attend National Nominating
Convention or any other contrivance for coninng
or restricting the Peoples choice OF President to
one or two persons. We should have far better
Presidents than We have averaged for the last half
century.
Blu: the Constitution must be altered if the
People are to vote directly for President" i. is
said. That is all entire mistake. The Consti-
;,., r,.. now. The Electoral machinery,
80 far from being in the way Of Is il,-.-, TO-
the free and fair working of the &" Popular Soyef
"eiguty" principle. Abolish it, and National Con-
yentions With exclusive party candidates becom.
inevitable. With Electors, they are utterly
suprfuous.
The true mode Of choosing President is tbs:
Lei he RpnNien ard The Democratic eNsrs Of ,aA
STATE noatnlG erd snpror Eisscroi Ticket