Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-07-06
Conventions Again.

Some wlseacre has discovered that the nrst
 national convention was that which nominated Van Buren for the Presidency and that conven.
 tions are of recent origin! We had thought that they were coeval with popular elections, neces- sarily growing out of them. In this connection
 we may remark that it being a question who it
 was that nominated General Washington as commander in chief of the American armies, it was found upon examination that he was nominated and selected in a convention, whoalso selected one of their number to nominate him
 in Congress. Before the convention his claims,
 with those of others, were freely and fully dis
 cussed. There never was republic in any
 age. where the parties did rot hold caucusses,
 conventions or meetings of consultation. It is
 the natural resus of an attempt to concentrate or to unite. Does any man suppose that the opposition do not meet, compare notes, weigh the chances aud select their candidates? Their meetings are secret, informal, and the rank and file are excluded. In our conventions all IS open-all members of the party are urged to attend and the will of the majority is sought to be carried out In the one case, certain leaders manage; in the other the whole party decides.
 In our former remarks about conventions we the inferences drawn thereirom, were plain and easy to be understood but, as some profess not to understand them, though we are mindful of the old adage that " to father an ass's head is
 ( ,rt1, +hat ventions are not only the natural result of the division of the people into parties; but. that they are, also, the fairest and most etfectual method of concentrating the strength and car rying out the principles of the party adopting them. Take for instance county where the majority is two to one. It is evident that if the stronger party has two candidates, while the opposition has but one, that the chances are equal. Let the majority divide their votes on three candidates and the minority, always uni ted will elect their man. It is sometimes the case that a minority candidate represents some monstrous political heresy, or he is a notorious ly bad man, supported by the vicious, and seek ing power to carry out some rascally designs, while the majority have the numerical and moral strength, vet are divided. The question then presents itself how shall the will of the majority be carried out? Each candidate, or his friends for him. avow that he is ihe lit and proper man and that all should centre on him Who shall be the chosen one? If they meet and draw strawS," or otherwise determine 6y lot who shall be the only candidate, 1t is making principle dependent upon chance and creates dissatisfaction. If the particular friends of each man agree to meet and decide 1t, that is cau- GUS, and has the disad vantage of not consulting the mass of the voters A preliminary clcc- ton is too expensive and cumbrouS. Then. it follows, that the only fair and satisfactory way is to appeal directly to the majority and ask, which of these men do you pgefer?" And though a great many may have no particular choice are content to vote for either, and there fore do not express a preference, it does not aI ter the case. They have an opportunity of naming their choice; negectins or refusing to do so, it follows that they are wiling that others should select for them.
 But there is another and higher argument in favor Of conventions. They carry out prn- cipes, making them first and their exponenIs second It matters little which man out oi q number of able and talented men is selected He is but the instrument, the agent the mouth piece, the means by which certain principles are set forth and maintained If the work ia well done and at the proper tme it matters little whether it is done by my friend Tom or your friend Harry.
 These men who oppose conventions are men, worshipcrs who would the party sink un- less their particular friend k elected, d,--or dema- gogues, who care nothing for principle or coun- try so they get place and power.
 The duty of every good democrat IS to sac. riff @, if necessary, his personal preferences tn the good of h;s parry and country-fo go first for the principles and next for the man who i> to present, support and defend thsm.