The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-01


electoral vote in the Union.
The old guard who led the van for FIRE.
mont would again rally, nominate live man
representing living issues, and at least sweep
the States they carried in 1856, if they did not
elect their candidate. While the Charleston
nominee would carry every single Southern
State, and perhaps, by the division brought
about by the calling of fusion Convention and
the nomination Of non-committal fusion oppo-
sition candidate, succeed in allowing the Slave
Power ae ain to carry enough Northern States
to keep the Government. Such result would,
indeed, be deplorable, and the whole land would
mourn; but : would be far better for the cause
of Freedom ana Humanity in the future, than
to succeed with any man representing the Win
throps, the Ketchumls and Crittendens, and that
very respectable conservative class OF Old Line
Wings and Pro-Slavery Americans, who eonsti-
tute very small select, and, in their own esti
nation, an immensely important body of men
in this country. This is the class of men who,
together with a few protested Republicans,
are demanding a surrender of the Republican
organization, and general fusion movement,
with themselves as leaders, on either some new
or old issue, or no issue at all, so the question
of Freedom is ignored. They are sick, very
sick, of the everlasting demands of the people
for free Territories, free homes, and National
Administration favorable to National Freedom,
and they desire the masses of the Republican
party not only to give up the cherished princi-
pies for which they have been struggling for
years, but to put these men, their lifelong ene-
mics, In the lead, and sustain them by their suf-
frages. 1t is hardly probable that this very
modest request will be complied with.
1t ought to be distinctly understood that at
least three. tourths of the electors in the Repub-
lican party will not only not consent to the dis
organization of the party or any arrangement
by which they will be misrepresented in National
Convention, but that they will support no man
nominated by any r" Opposition" Convention,
unless he ia rly and distinctly represent, in
his past acts and life, the fundamental princi-
piles of the Republican party, as promulgated at
philadelphia In 1856, and reaffrmed by every
Republican State Convention in the Union from
that day to this.
| have urged the adoption of the representa-
tive basis for the Convention of 1860, as did
for the Convention of 1856, not only as one of
the best means of preserving the Republican
organization free from any and all kinds of
compromises, but because / believe the princi
pie in the abstract to be the true one; that the
voters in any organization ought tc be repre-
scented in all Delegate Conventions, whether
county, district, State, or national, exactly in
have in said cou.ties, districts, and States
| submit that this plan is the only one by
which we can obtain a reliable expression Of
the wishes and wants of those who make up
the Republican party, or indeed any political
organization. If any Republican prefers
larger number of delegates than the basis
would give which l suggest the matter can
be so adjusted as to give one delegate for each
Congressional district, and an additional dele
gate for every 5000, 5,OOO or 1000 Republi-
can and Republican and Union votes cast at
the last general State election, and for every
fraction of 1000 or 5000, or more, another
delegate. In this way the number of delegates
can easily be increased to a thousand, if de-
sirable.
prefer the basis first proposed, for reasons
given In my communication of July 18th, and
also because l preferred to have the number of
delegates in the Convention under rather than
over 500.
This principle of representation is adopted
by all organizations, and the political parties
In all the States have uniformly been governed
by it, when calling their county, district, and
State Conventions.
Why, then, should we not adopt a principle
conceded by all to be the correct and true one,
when we come to elect delegates to our Ma
tional Convention?
If there ever was time more than another,
in the history of any great national party, when
the wishes and preferences of its Individual
members should be fully and fairly known and
faithfully represented, that time will be with
the Republican party when its National Con-
vention for 1860 assemblies. INA