The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-05-26
The Keeper OF state C0nviets Cousid.
cred as . Keeper Of Political Aee ount.,

The Keeper OF state C0nviets Cousid.
cred as = Keeper Of Political Ace ount
The Hon. II. n. SETTER, who serves the
State in the capacity Of Warden Of the
PenitentIary, the Democratic party ss Mem.
Der OF the State Central Committee, and
the public generally as Editor Of the Still.
vaier Democrat, takes exception to the
scheme OF representation to party conven-
tons being based on the party vote, as al.
vocated by this paper, in very long arti.
Gle, Of which the gist and substance may be
found in the following extract;
The Pioneer claims that il will not be dis.
puted that numbers should form the basis Of
representation In all bodies. II II had said in
all hgisiatiue bodies, we might coincide
with ia opinion to some extent, but taking the
position A. II stands, 1t is begging the question,
laying down as It's premises the very thing
which 10 Ia required TO prove. The proposition
laid down by the PiOnssr Ia an innovation upon
the well established usages OF our national
party. governing conventions, and perhaps the
most dangerous that could be we'll invented
TO Charleston In 1860, than either California.
Arkansas or Texas, and Massachusetts, more
than most Of tho Democratic States Of the
Union yet both OF these States are the very
hot bed OF the Opposition, containing less
Democratic voters than many Of the counties
Of their sister states. Iysrs the policy Of tie
PiOnssy edJrNd out, the South sc0uid haze the
large p'spondsranos Of dsisgatss, and might
bscsns Gerry difficult, nay impossibis, 10 p, event
the snErd(t,ng Of ssefiOnai opinions in our ma
hOnaI cred. II Is on the influence exercised
by the conservative portion Of the North upon
the deliberations which are to take place st
the Charleston Convention, that we must rely
to xesp our party creed national one e, upon
the presence OF Northern Democrats do we
depend for the existence Of our party-for the
safety OF the Union itself. The course propossd
by The Pioneer rOaid deprive the North Of hS
ntesssary infusncs 10 great srfsnf, and the
evils which, in all probability, would follow so
suicidal policy, are Of the most dangerous
kind.
Passing by the point, which will be ap
parent to every reader, that our article
which is replied to above, had reference to
State Conventions for the nomination of
candidates who are elected by the popular
vote; that no analogy can exist between
such Conventions and National Conven.
lions which meet for the nomination Of can
didates who are elected by the popular
vote Of States separately, and not by the
popular vote of the whole Union and that,
therefore, the reasoning pertinent to the one
case has no applicability to the other-we
proceed to a consideration of the concu.
Sous which are come 10 by the combined
intellect of the Warden, Committeeman and
Editor. The Warden says that Z" were the
policy of the PIONEER lin basing party re-
presentation upon party votss,) carried out,
the South would have the large preponder-
snce Of delegates, and Itbe Committeeman
adds il might become very difficult, nay
impossible, the Editor continues) to pre-
vent the ENGRAVING of sectional opinions in
our national creed" And the Editor, Com
mitteeman, and Warden, join in the ultimate
conclusion, that 1.-The course proposed by
the PloSkrR would deprive the North OF
this necessary influence to IA great extent !;
and the evils, which, in all probability,
would follow so suicidal policy, are Of the
most dangerous kind Which conclusions
of our tripartite critic we fail fully to com
preheud, especially when we recur TO the
premises on which they are based. For,
We cannot understand how 81" the South
would have the large prepondersnce of the
delegates in . \ rational Democratic Con
vention, with representation based en- the
Democratic vote Of the several States, unless
the south should happen to possess within
itself majority of the Democratic vote OF
of the Union This, the Warden Of the Pen
tentary doubtless supposed to be the case
But in this opinion the Committeeman made
q mistake. Therefore, the Editor Numbered.
And that it was y very great, and = very
inexcusabe. and therefore very ridiculous
blunder, will be acknowledged when We
state the fact that the Democratic vote Of
the North is Just about double tina, Of the
south. In the Presidential election of ls56,
the slx,Nn Northern. or Free, States polled
for Mr. BrcnASAN l,?it750 votes while
the fifteen southern, or Slave. States
counting South Carolina. which does not
sho"se presidential electors BY popular vote,
at 40,0o0-polled for Mr., BrcHASAs snly
6l95s7 votes. Under the operation IT our
scheme OF representation therefore, the North
would have nearly or quite ,wothirls OF
the whole number Of delegates in Democra.
tic National Convention. Aid thus pos
~ssing two-thinis OF the delegates. it is in-
conceivable to 10 bow the cuarse proposed
by the PioSxxR would deprive the North OF
this necessary influence TO grea, extent,
or indeed to any extent. in National Con
vru,ion, Or how evils Vi dangerous