Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-03-19
The Democratic District Convention.

With every disposition to be courteous to the
Democracy, we presume We shall not violate the
rules Of fairness when we say that the Democratic
District Convention, which was advertised to be
held here on Thursday last, was fiat failure
In respect Of members it was, most unqucstona-
bly, failure. In respect Of results 1t was fa'l
ure. Many precinct meeting, in county has
been more largely attended The few who were
here virtually admitted it to be failure, by pass
ing resolution postponing tho Convention to the
2Sth of April.
But. cui bonof Two successive attempts to have
a Convention to nominate for the Board of Public
Works. have been made within six weeks Of each
other. and both Of them have failed. The first
was advertised tor the 10th Of February, we think
but as the counties were rather slow in appoint
ing delegates the time was extended to the seven
teenth Of March. Having failed to get Conyen.
ton on the 10th Of February it was natural to
suppose that if the people really felt any inter
est in the matter, they would take care to he rep
resented in the Convention Of the 18th Of March
But we see what the result has been. Only ff
teen counties, out Of the fftyhrec in the District
were represented at all-and some of the fifteen
1t seems to us this ought to satisfy the Democ-
racy of this District that the people do not want
and will not have party candidate for the Board
of Public Works. Past experience ought to have
satisfied them Of this. The defeat Of Mr.. Daniel,
six years ago, though the nominee Of a larg' and
respectable Convention, and the representative of
party having decisive majority of the voters of
the District, was significant of popular sentiment
in this respect. The people will ,.ot permit party
to be introduced into matter having no more con-
nee ton with party politics than the building of II
Bridge across James River, the exact height of
one of the Peaks Of Otter
What is the use then, of calling another Con
vention for the 2Sth of April? In view Of two
failures already, is there any probability that the
next Convention will be largely attendcdY Even
supposing that it is, does not the past warn tho
Democracy that the endorsation Of n Convention
BY no means secures the election of the nominee !?
And, besides, the time between the nomination
and the day of election, will be too short to permit
the merits of the nominee, whoever no may Ike, to
be properly canvassed before the people. Before
the 2Sth of April, there will be halfa dozen indie
pendent candidates in the field, and nine. tenths
of the people Of the District will have. individual
ly decided upon the man for whom they will cast
their votes.
Although the adjournment of the Convention to
the 2sth of April, is virtually retreat, yet we
cannot help thinking it would have been
proper for the Democracy to have given the thing
up at once, like men, and to have admitted that
the attempt to put party candidate upon the
track was failure. In that event. they might
have concentrated their strength. if they are de-
termiaed to elect a partisan, upon some one of
their candidates, and possibly have elected him.
As it is, we presume there few Democrats in
the District who will feel themselves bound by the
action of the Convention Of the 18th of April, if
one should be held.
The Office, as we have frequently said, is in no
respect political one and it is for this rea son the
people do not countsnance the attempt to hold par
~ Conventions to nominate for it, Better trust to
the sagacty Of the people to select the best man,
than to impose party candidate upon them, and
expect them to vote for him, willing or unwilling.
Let all the candidates come before the people up
on their merits, and we have no fear that they
will not select man fully qualified to discharge
the duties Of the Office faithfully and iutellgently