Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-08-11
Rcz1ocraSi1 Espsa7uYs.

| In pursuance Of official announcement.
primary meetings were held by the Democra-
cy IN Districts Noa. o and 10, Of Cumber-
land, 90 Saturday evening last, TO appoint
dele gates to the Congressional and County
Conventions, to DO held in this city on tue
oath and 25ih dsys OF This month,
We attended tbs one held in the 18Th tii.-
trict We should like TO tell our readers oil
wo saw and heard there but even were it
possible, it would occupv more Of our avail
able space than we can consistently devote to
this subject.
The meeting was organized at the Council
Chamber. Josiah H. Gordon was elected
Presidents. Ii. Taylor and w. Eldridge
Weber, Secretaries. IT was soon found that
the contracted limits Of the Council Chamber
would not accommodate the crowd, aud the
meeting adjourned in body to Bclvidcre Hal,
place Of somewhat greater dimensions,
where every man had comfortable elbow
room, and TO spare.
As soon IS the meeting was called to or
der, on motion committee of five Was ap-
pointed to nominate twenty five delegates to
tho Congressional Convention. Their choice
was ratified Ivy the meeting, and the dele
Gates were instructc! tn vote for Thomas De-
yecmon. The meeting, 10y resolution, pledg-
ed itself to support 'rho evcr might lie nomi-
mated.
The next business was the selection Of del
egatcs to the County Convention 1t was
moved that a mass delegation be appointed,
instead Of consuming the time, and wearing
out the patience OF the democratic soycyrgns
with mischicvous wranglirg about suitable
individuals to represent that meeting in Con-
vention. AT this, one of the new converts,
WHO has been assduously manipulating the
wires for the nomination for State Attorney,
wrought himself into sublime aud indignant
gyrations- because the motion was opposed
to all democratic precedent--becaWsc the
country districts were exceedingly jealous Of
the oycrshalowing delegation usually sent
from Cumberland. to the County Convention,
whose moral influence was calculated to
thwa:t the rural seutiment---b because il would
force asprants for position to be hucEStering
about in the Convention for votes-aud be-
cause it would throw q fire-braud into tla
magazine Of combustibe Democratic mattel
as that would blow it iuto "onc ever
lasting smash" The author Of the resolu-
ton who had a little more reflection but not
quite so much CAB, took tie youthful prose-
lyte down about II feet" lie arose and
said substantially --Thero would he some,
thing of more importance before the ConVen-
ton than the selection of a candidate for
States Attofney-tbat was 4 secondary con.
sideration My object is not to throw fire.
brand into the democratic party but TO har-
monte everything by the appointment of a
mass delegation. We have u precedent for
this. hold in my hand paper giving tho
proceedings of the primary meetings OF the
Democracy in every district in Frederick
county, in which mass delegations were ap-
pointed.
ITO ,chdt Convention o. trumphantly en-
quircd the youthful proselyte.
40 the County Convention" replied the
old liner.
Whcrcup3u the new converts knowledge
of democratic ugaga Immediately dwindlcd
to t e diainutive dimensions Of q aaht's .esS
it VAS Whitfield down into comparative W.
dstnct.oiity in little less than three invol-
untary vibrations Of 4 lambs TIL. Don't
despair you have been III the party
while longer you'll learn how it transncts
business.
But the mass delegation PROJECT was defeat
ed, aud a motion prevailed to elect eleven
delegates. 1t was thought advisable ly
corpulcnt member TO understand, before pro-
cceding to ballot for delegates. whether the
majority OF plurality rule should obtain ; and
lie moved that o majority of the votes cast be
declared necessary to choice. This brought
the ncw-Iner to his feet again. He hoped
the meeting would Immediately vote down
such a motion--hc had never heard tell Of
such thing in q democratic meeting since
the day he was christcncd-and he was sure
that, under the operation OF such rule, il
would take till next Christmas, or perhaps
the Day of Judgment, for majority of the
harmonious to agree upon eleven individ-
uals suitable for delegates. Our friend, the
Doctor, thought such course Of proceeding
altogether unusual, and was, therefore. dead
mp against the majority rule. A rich Irish
brogue. from near the centre Of the building
informed tie Doctor that he had made a
similar motion in q democratic meeting two
wears ago. The Doctor could not remember
having made such motion, but, "bcjahors."
Paddy woald have ii his own way. Here
upon there was an uneSamplcd confusion OF
tongues--thc meeting was perfect bedlam.
Finding that hc had thrown an apple Of
discord into the meeting, the author OF the
motion. with a sacrifcial devotion to the in
terests of the party commensurate with the
pregnant cxigency Of the occasion, yielded
his own private convictions of right, with
d,ew his motion, and moved the adoption of
the plurality rule, which was carried. ltWa'
agreed that none but those who had been
competent democratic voters in the 18th dis
irict should be entitled to cast ballot.
Three judges of election were appointed to
see that the balot-box was not stuffed by the
Plug giles and other Uglies. But then a
mother knotty question presented itself
should the judges alone have the authority OF
challenging and determining the right of
each man to vote, or could any man in the
house challenge voters at his option. This