The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-06-19
The Springfield Convention.

mas" VI s''E t~"' ii'hSH - our present DEM
ocratc administration arr placed in this
state by the an '9rtrrafe a-tior # the late
Springfield conventC., il Nominating 6
second democratic state ticket, there is
no man in the state who is 1901 competent,
and FROM his .sading position as one of the
tired friends ct The present administration,
more entitled t" gre advice, than our friend
FARLEY, Of the Jolie. Sigsal Endorsing his
view as the essence OF good sense, we are
willing to follow Mr.. z. as our file leader
7 following is his article:
u pceedings of the National Demo
cra,;dee Convention, held at Springfield
on the 9th inst, are published in to-day's
paper.
1t will be seen that the organization Of the
Convention was nearly the same as at the
meeting Of April 21st. Ia fact the same
individuals controlled both meetings, w
maintaining that this meeting was but an
adjourned one.
This we think was wrong We contend
that the call and every thing connected
with the convention of the oh, makes it
clear that new organization should have
been affected. Indeed, there is nothing said
in the call about lis being an adjourned con-
We ton, yet 1t appeared to suit the purpo
ses Of certain persons 10 have it so.
We think their decision was unjust, as the
convention OF the 9th inst. comprised three
times as many doiegates as that Of the Slst
Of April. Thus |, thirds of the convention
was DISTINGUISHED q. far as the organization
Of that bod was concerned. They are ef-
fectuaily deprived of a voice in the matter,
and were only admitted as lockers on and
not as participators.
But we could have overlooked this viola
ton Of what We consider right and just in
the organization Of the convention, had there
been a willingness manifested to harmonic
tho party AID if possible to prevent the
success OF Black Republcanism at the cleo.
ton next fall. We regret to say, However,
that nothing Of this harmonizing spirit was
manifested Dv the wire-workers who hal
matters IN their own hands. They were for
war TO the knife, and Indignantly rejected
every proposition calculated to bring about
4 settlement Of the difficulties in tI,e party
in the State. Tn: convention throughout
was very similar to the convention known as
the Douglas convention, held last ApIi'.--
Its proceedings bodied anything but good 10
the party, and were characterized by what
we considered most vndictivc, proscript-
i've and personal spirit from its CONNER &C.
men. to its close. The speeches were de
nu7ciatory-and severa! Of them such as
compared well in point Of malignity and
abuse with those delivered by Under, II yes
and company, at the Douglas con ention.
The resolutions would have been all right
had not the committee loaded them down
with personalities. The principles set forth
are The true Democratic doctrine and exactly
correspond with the resolutions adopted by
our county contention. We heartily en-
dorse the principles enunciated in the reso.
lutions, and believe that they will be recog-
n;Zcd as the true doctrine and creed of the
party by the united d ,mocracy of the State
But the eighth resolution we regard as not
only in bad taste, bu, as direct personal
assault, such as is calculated to make the
contest one of personalities instead of an
honorable fight on principles. In the name
Of Democracy-in the name OF the time hon.
orcd organization Of our party, we protest
against this prostitution of our noble cause
to selfish ambition and personal hates.
The Leaders of the Douglas convention, as
it is styled, were the first aggressors in this
respect bat there is no apology for the
friends Of the Administration. They should
be actuated by higher motives Ihan the
mere personal success or defeat of men.
5 nee the adoption of the English Confer
ence bill, we cannot see what there is to
prevent a upion OF the Democracy. And we
believe that large majority Of the Democ-
, racy Of Illinois are opposed to the extrcm-
isis. and in favor of harmonizirg the party
on an honorable basis. The convention of
last Wednesday, in our opinion, could have
adopted measures, honorable to all concern
ed, for uniting the party, bat wc regret to
say that the effort was not made.
We have not the least doubt that the poll
cy of President buchanan has more warm
supporters in viii county than in any 9TH
+, er county in the State, yet they are not in
favor Of destroying the party for the sake
of putting down Senator Douglas. And
this seemed to be the only object of the
prime movers Of the convention at Spring
field. Therefore, while we re-atfirm our
convictions in the Justice and wisdom Of the
policy OF the National Administration, we,
at the same time, enter our dissent 10 the
movements Of certain gentlemen who con-
tro,lcd our convention.
There appeared to be fixed purpose or
the part some half dozen individuals in
our late State Convention TO mOnopolizc all
the honors. Some Of these gentlemen hailed
from Cook county-and one OF the most
conspicuous amongst them was heared to
declare that the new converts to the Admin
istration could not expec, to come in and
share the honors with the first advocates
Hence, the convention was SO managed as
&c exclude from the organization all who had
not been fortunate enough to be present at
the meeting on the 2lst of April.
When it is remembered that the gentle
men who were so tenacious about the "hon-
ors." are recent converts themselves, their
position is not exactly as consistent as it
might be. If our memory is correct, the
gentleman who made the remarks alluded
10 above, was himself an ant-Lccompton
man at the commencement o! the discussion
Of that question. In our opinion, if there
had been less strife in the convention about
who should be honored as leaders, and a
greater disposition to harmonisc the party
on platform upon which every true Ma
tional Democrat in the State could stand, it
would have been more in accordance with
the wishes Of the National Administration
and better for the success Of the great Ma
iional party upon which depends the duty
and honor Of preserving and perpetuating