Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-11-12

County NOmlnntlns Convention.

County Nominnting Conventions.
II is useless to deny or conceal the fact that |
here is wide spresd dissatsIaction among |
good Republicans Of this County at The man
ner in which County Conventions are cons.itu-
ted, and candidates for the various offices nom
mated.
Th, dissatisfsetion has been increasing for
years, aid it is the psrt Of wisdom and pru.
dence g. calmly consider and settle this matter
upon s,ms just and equitable basis, before a
point shall be reached when dissatisfaction
shall ripen into open rebellion.
1t is evident to all that this question cannot
be properly considered aud decided in a noni-
mating Convention. no, only from want of Tins
for its proper discussion, but because every
candidate is afraid that he willie injured by its
agitation, and therefore his friends are induced
to be quiet.
An independent Convention for the express
purpose Of considering the matter is the only
way in which it can be reached and properly
settled.
And now that tho election has passed and
candidates are quiet, for one (and expressing
know the sentiments of very many Republicans)
/ hope such a Convention may be called, and as
/ suppose the Central Committee cannot call
except upon the present basis Of si1 delegates
to a Ward and Township, let it be so called.
With good, judicious men in it, have no
fears for theresut, let the power be where it
NAV.
Every Republican is agreed that the true OBJ
iect of a nominating Convention should be the
presentation of candidates who are preferred
by the people, or in other words, delegates
should be the mere agents Of the people, selec.
ted by them to carry out their references.
Every Republican will also agree that every
member of the party has an equal right to be
heard and have his inhuen felt in the nomi.
| nations and that one man should have no
greater influence thsn another.
Look now at our Conventions.
The seventh and eighth Wards gave Denni-
son lls votes each in both 236.
| Brooklyn gave him 322 votes. Now in
| Convention the seventh and eighth Wards with
| 236 Republicans have just twice the control Of
nominations, as Brooklyn with 322.
But look again. Orange aud Parma gave
Dennson each 81 votes, in all l64 The 4th
Ward gave him ASS. In Convention the ior-
mer with l64 Republicans have twice the power
of the latter with 459.
And 80 all through the list. It surely cannot
be necessary to prove this rule unjust. Every
man Who has mind sees it once.
Sixteen Townships and Wards having in
Convention 96 Delegates gave Chase 1927
votes, and the remaining fourteen having only
s4 Delegates gave him 1885 votes.
Hence it has more than once occurred that a
majority of delegates representing minority
of Republicans, have nominated a candidate
over minority of delegates representing ma
| jority of Republicans.
Asystem which permits such gross injustice
ought not to be longer tolerated. No other
county in Ohio known to the writer with but
one exception) holds to such basis.
But do our conventions in their nominations
select the real preferences ofthe party Z
Who will say it that has ever attended one,
l mean in very many instances. Look at the
bargains aad sales between different candidates
to secure their own ends look at men often.
times nominated whose claims the people
bad never considered, but who by well digest
ed trick come to the surface suddenly and unex-
| pectedly.
Nothing has saved rs from repeated defeat
bot our large majority.
But insist that by the present system it is
impossible for Republicans to have their prefer
ences reflected in conventions. Take this falls
ticket for example. Some six candidates were
TO be nominated. An Independent Republican
decides who he desires to be the nominees. iHe
goes to a primary meeting and perhaps finds a
ticket for delegates. He inquiries who will they
vote for for Senator. Some one replies Breck
That satisfies him and he inquiries who will they
vote for, for Representative Nobody knows.
Who for Treasurer Nobody knows Who for
Commissioner Nobody knows. Who for
Prosecutor Nobody knows.
Thus if he iavoTs the nomination of Mr..
Breek, be is the only one Of all the candidates
he can aid by his vote to a nomination.
Take another Ward or Township and you will
find the delegates with known preferences az TO
Treasurer, but as to other candidates nobody
knows how they will vote.
Thus in voting for the delegates who will
carry out my preferences for Treasurer or Rep
resentative may be voting for those who will
do all in their power 10 defeat all my preferen-
ces, or trade them of to suit their own private
views or interests.
There was time when before Convention
there was no discussion as to the merits of can
didates or expression as to preference Then Of
course if judieious men were elected delegates
good men would be nominated and all were
content.
But now, especially in county like ours,
| long before the convention candidates are an
nounced, their respective claims discussed and
every intelligent man decides for himself who he
prefers.
This is all Just as it should be, provided every
Republican can have a voice in the final selec
tion. But as matters now stand this is impOs-
sibe.
But the inquiry may be made how can it be
improved In another article propose to ans
wer this question. REPUBLICAN.