The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1859-11-01
DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATIONS.

their ancient usagcs we know Of Iii
more fitting way of closing our part o
the labors Of the canvass than by renew
: ing our often repeated counsel.
For half century it has been the gen
eral custom, and of later years the uni
yersal one, of Democrats to select theiI
candidates by conventions composed o.
delegates chosen by and representing the
masses of the party. By this plan at
sections have voice in proportion tc
their numbers and an opportunity is given
to choose the candidates who are most
likely to prove acceptable to the largest
possible number. Aspirants, who might
otherwise believe that their merits were
not duly taken into consideration, are
reconciled to their failure when they
find they could not secure majority OF
the general conventions intheir behalf.
The. friends and admirers of the unsuc-
cessful rivals of the nominee accede to
the will of the majority cheerfully when
thus proved to be themselves in minorl-
| ty. The Democratic candidates thus en-
ter upon the contest with the appreciation
| and by the choice Of more than half Of
the party, and as "a fair test has been had,
with the good will of all the balance.
Seldom do we hear Democrats of true
merit and real ability complaining Of their
failure; the plants Of the unsuccessful
are usually in an inverse ratio to their
deserts. Sometimes a deserved rebuke is
administered to an audacious aspirant for
some position which he has not the Ca
pacity to fill aud sometimes modest
merit and retiring moral worth are hon
ored by an unsought and unexpected
nomination. 1t is not assumed that the
best and most talented men are always
chosen but it may be claimed with conf
deuce that, by means OF conventions,
Democrats secure candidates far above
the average standard of those who would
swarm in political contests where no con-
ventions were held. 1t is not assumed
that the delegates who constitute couven-
tons are any wiser than the people who
send them and whose wishes they repre-
sent, but that, by consulting canvassing
and weighing the opinions and wishes OF
all Democrats, they are enabled to make
suitable selections and such as are almost
always better than could be made by any
other process.
Democratic Conventions composed of
those who represent the entire party may
from time to time declare the principles
and tenets to which as party they ad-
here These declarations, put in the shape
of formal resolutions, constitute the plat
form to which their candidates are pledg-
ed Their candidates are in this way
made the exponents Of the principles to
which they subscribe. Both in their dis
cussions before the people and in their
official conduct when elected, they are Oh.
liged to conform to these principles on
pain of forfeiting the good will AMI sup
port Of the whole party Hence the mot.
to principles and not men," 80 idle in
tue mouths III independents and their ad,
herents, has q deep significance when used
/ by Democrats. Both in the canvass and
| in Office when elected, Democratic nomi-
nees aud officers are the servants OF the
party and the country, with duties plainly
marked out for them in the platform on
which they placed themselves at the time
of their nomination. Those who run
without nomination by a competent
body and without having given any
pledge of the principles which are to
guide them or of the policy which they
will pursue are irresponsible and may
do as they please when in office, having
no party to call them to an account for
their misdeeds. Such candidates may
satisfy those whose eyes are still blinded
with the smoke squalcr and dust of the
wig wan; Democrats, having principles
to maintain and defend, sdesire to give
their suifrases to men pledged to the sup
port Of such principles. Experience has
taught them that the only process by
which such candidates can be secured
and snch pledge imposed is that OF
nominating by conventions.
1t is for these reasons that we find nine
teen Democrats of every twenty who
Inerer hesitate to vote the ticket and the