The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-08-05
THE CONGRESSIONAL RLEcT1t 4,


THE CONGRESSIONAL RLECTI( ID,
The election of Representatives to tlsenext
Congress will soon be commenced. Pr Id,inary
movements have already been had lsvera,
States, with a view to the selection candi
dates. AS a general thing, there wi l=e it is
presumed, but two candidates, althou; IL this
rule there will doubtless be exception when
the candidates possess character and nets for
. tae place, it is desirable there shou b but
two, the representative men of the . cppo
sing partes-the Administration anC - ,ppo.
sstion. True, there are different shadt tf ,olit.
ical opinion in each of these grand di a-"N 8, as
there would be found to be, if clearly a,l:zed
between any two individuals of either % hese
distinctions cannot be fully carrisd ~, zach
party should make it point to sfje ,n..n of
integrity, capability, and worth, il ,r they
can repose implicit confidence. Ky : doing,
they will not only do justice to theirs gss, but
elevate the character of Congress, aid A,harge
their own obligations as citizens. ssu think.
il 6, rejecting men, of good judgtte honest
Intentions, and patriotic instincts, Al not al
ways the favorites of caucuses or con irfions
and it is no unusual thing for misc Ait ) II and
intriguing individuals to impress lhe AZ pima
ting body that such a candidate is las Szt,,able
than one of different character, wb1 an IT Sc
leeted, will make difficulty, Of his ri adj will
be dissatisfied. By yielding 10 such pJlicy,
great injustice is frequently done, n OILY to
individuals, but to their district, s. tie, and
county. There are many Rcpresea ties in
Congress who are discredit 10 thetS IT, lets,
and who would not be there, if the bs .att and
unbiased sentiments of their districts II party
prevailed. la this respect, CONVEX us are
often harmful, by being made inst 4eas to
defeat instead of carry out public ops 'r. AS
a general thing, this machinery n ,rty,
though deemed necessary, has a to- 4Cj to
exclude the solid, sterling men y the
public service, snd introduce in theT s;RS the
intriguing, superficial, and unprinciT it'll,
we know not that the evil is to be avg Men
are 6isinclined to offer themselvest :. ndi-
dstes-particularly the class OF mep.t , 5 ~or-
thy and most revered-for, though 2 y not
unwilling to engage in the public ser >, the
call Of their fellow citizens, they hays t,ring
modesty that forbids them from en- a, ap-
pearance of being intrusive. Unless, eJore,
thay have earnest and determined fri Y I ii the
party conventions, their reserve and 3 hence
will in all probability cause them to BE aoved
aside, by intrigue, effrontery, and COR 81 tons,
that are alike repulsive and abhort n to an
honorable and sensitive mind.
These local controversies, which ar { 5eten
used to promote personal aspiratio ir- the
absence of better arguments, intert i tenn
1selves, whereby the whole people of ~ diCtrict
are deprived of their ablest man, and OF ntry
of invaluable services. A man of iieC tai
ents, superior qualifications, and of 1T <pe.
rienee which, if rightly used, is as hsab as
either, is thus cut short in his car 7, to the
great 1etriment of the public interest, the pre-
text that another part of the district lonl be
permitted to furnish the member, the ID t1ere
may be no resident among them ofeql l;aci,
ty anq merit to him whom they displ q.
By these and other means, inferior, c.ften
unworthy, men are placed in the pa c5un-
cils--men OF narrow views and limit calaci-
ty, or, if possessed of talents and gel dssti.
tute of integrity, are the selected ITS, the
chosen representatives, of an honorabt ma itu-
ency.' A public wrong is thereby com 4 tel, of
grave and serious character, not or ~ ow-
ering- the representative standard, b | IN hat
demsFalization which begets general s;rutt in
the Government itself.
In the approaching elections, it is tt ,e hcoed
there may be unity of purpose and etioI on
the part of the opposition, who have eat rim
ciples TO nerve and animate them iixlhe aon-
test. They should not, and, it is to " hoped,
will not, make these principles subos az to
mere personal aspirations, or secondsrf = m DOR
aud comparatively unimportant consi ttatf,ns.
There are issues before the Country -,sdicslly
affecting the character of the Govern at and
its institutions. The sectional effof ofsthe
"Soqthern Rights party to make s, cry ma.
tionsl, to which the Administration hs ev, ted
its energies and its influence for yeart eefi-
ance OF the Constitution and the unif psac.
tice Of the Government during the - ssxty
years of its existence, are not recogni. as or.
rect or deserving support by the great A-ajority
of tho people.
Saving the power and patronage vhici1 il
wields, there is little to invite suppo Of ihis
Administration and the President, actes by
a minority, has notoriously lost friend and up
port,rs from the day he was inaugural !. N any
of his friends have become disaffect !, OF ers
indif srent, and almost all are diss poiBsed
This is not without cause. 1t is Inc .puts;ble
that ;he Administration is failure yet, %lis
bursng annually sixty.fve millions doh ,rs
and devoted to sectional interest, it 10 DO vel
In 1t off, and its ofice-holders corps Of d. sci