The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-07-29
ForestaIliug Public Op;nion.


ton too generally manifested to be
continually 'sfixing things up; )" in other
words combining a few men together
to forestall public opinion in relation to
for Office. Parties are made
up of constituent persons, each voter
or partisan is separate and independ-
ent element, endowed with a free aoiU,
and should be Influenced and guided
only by an honest, candid sense OF
right and judgment. But this, too
often, is not the case. Interested OF
men very often, by insidious
and cunning approaches and "wire-
working" influences, obtain the control
of the popular mind and will, and give
it direction unpalatable to the people,
and injurious or disastrous to the party.
Considering the manifold weaknesses
OF human nature, this is by no means
surprising, still it should be guarded
against with the greatest care and jeal-
ousy by all. The purity of a party
depends almost entirely upon the
masses, and when they allow them
selves to be over-reached or !" figured
into schemes or nominations in which
they have, upon reflection, no conf
dence, the moral and political sense OF
the people is stultifed and the efficiency
OF the party is destroyed.
In the present canvass there is a
feeling obtaining that altogether too
much of this harmful practice is being
employed. Scarcely an exchange
comes to our hands that does not have
something to say about it. There
seems to be a growing suspicion in the
minds of many honest men, that all is
not right in this respect. This is to be
deprecated by every true man, and
while we know or have seen nothing OF
our own knowledge to lead us to think
that such practice has or can obtain
extensively in the Republican party OF
the State, yet this simple feeling of un-
easiness and suspicion is calculated to
do immense harm. We know there
are individuals who have {" an itching
PALM" and cannot, if they would, re-
frain from such proceedings-indeed it
is too evident in our own midst, to deny
the proposition-but that the masses OF
the people and the party are free from
it, is our confident belief. "
The means of prevention, in this
state of things, are ample. 1t is true
saying "that an ounce of prevention is
worth a pound Of cure" There is nc
danger of any trouble from this cause
when the people take these things into
their own hands. The opportunities
are ample for the full, free, unbiased
expression of the public preference and
Judgment, if the people themselves will
but improve the opportunity. In the
present case, the selection of delegates
from the different counties to the State
and District conventions, the RESPONSE.
bility rests solely upon the people. II
they desire to be represented fairly and
ably they have but to act, to be present
at the primary meetings and conven-
tons, and their wishes will inevitably
become the law of the party, If they
are willing to allow these dissentient.
unsatisfed, growing, wire-working pol
iticians to have their way, they have
only to stay at home and take no inter
est in the matter and the work will be
done only too certainly and thoroughly.
While we despise the "figurers" and
their figuring; while we would see the
people at all times fairly represented,
and their wishes alone consulted, yet
the responsibility rests with them
with the mass-and no excuse or pre-
text can remove it. .
We hope and believe that the people
of this county are entirely free from any
faint of this political vice. But while
there is the least cause for fear or doubt,
care should always be taken that what
little personal interest does exist should
not be allowed to gain an ascendancy.
Our delegates and our nominations
should be men free from, and above all
these influences; men of tried Repub-
lican sympathies, of answering princi-
ple. of undoubted honesty and firmness.
men who enjoy the respect and conf
denceo all. While we are free from all
such charges and communicating infu-
ences, let us see to it that we are kept
free from them, and thus be enabled to
give our entire influence for the success
of our principles, and the triumph OF
the party in the coming campaign.
Our motto should be principles and
men''-and the seal of disapprobation
must be Enthusiastically stamped upon
anv and all who are willing to trade, or
decker or Illustrate the action of the
people, to accomplish any unworthy or
personal ends. 1t is an evil intolerable