The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-23


Some days ago one Of our city contemporaries
the T'4bune-took up the discussion of the mpor
tant question. can We have President elected
by the people, and after exhibiting. and very
properly denouncing, the corrupt materials and
eonupting influences which control our packed
party Presidential conventions, presented plan
whereby these rotten conventions may be set
aside. This plan involved, first, scrub race
among the prominent candidates for example,
of the republican party, under common cleo
toral ticket Of the party in each State and then
The concentration. under previous agreement,
Of the electoral vote Of every State carried by
the republicans upon the candidate who shall
have received the largest proportion OF the ag-
grcgate popular vote Of the party in all the
States. This plan, under The general invitation
Of discussion rendered by our contemporary, we
have already, 10 some extent debated. We have
indicated our objections 10 il upon constitutional
grounds and have submitted another plan. upon
which we, in turn, invite the opinions Of the
newspaper press of all parties.
Rejecting the complicated scrub race and cleo
toral ticket system Of the Tribune. we prefer the
simpler method Of the nomination Of Presidential
candidates, not by packed conventions OF Jug
Cling spoilsmen, but by popular movements in
the shape of clubs in behalf respectively, Of this
candidate. that candidate and the other, In every
county and town Of every available state in the
Union.
Let us suppose, for instance. that W. III.
Seward \. l.. Banks :. y. Chase. ]. G. Fremont.
and last though not beast, Winfield Scott. have
DESTROYS OF his election 10 the Presidency in
1850. Under the convention system, the very
weakest Of these men may be nominated 10 the
shelving of all the rest: but under the popular
club system, the relative strength Of every man
Of them would very soon indicate the popular
choice. Thus If tho organization Of these Scott,
Fremont, Banks, Chase and seward clubs were
commenced at once, the strongest man among
them would presently appear and by the year
1850 under the simple law Of superior popular
attraction he would displacc all his contestants,
aud stand before the country in the shape Of the
unanimous nomination Of bis party.
And why not trust TO the instructive sagacity
OF pubic Opl0iOD4 we niDk " can nc SHOWN
that Jcferson's election to the Presidency was
brought about more by the pressure of the
popular Jefferson clubs Of that day than by any
other agency. If We mistake not, that now de-
moranzcd democratic institution known as
Tammony Hall owes IL origin ~ one Of these
movements IN behalf q jefferson Next we find
the old Congressional caucus nominating system
displaced by tho popular clubs organized be
tween 1922 and ls2s N behalf - General Jack
con. Next, We find a. - cabin and hard
cider movements smonE people aniici-
pa,ing and debating a. > u ~ wing Con.
vention of 1870 Ncst rppalar combina-
tons in behalf Of old Rough and Ready" over
ruled party convention With which The first
choice was Henry Clay. And soin 1856 Seward
was superseded by Fremont. aud Pierce and
Douglas by Buchanan. Here we have list Of
cases In which these public nuisanccs, known ne
National Conventions. were anticipated AMI