Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-02-11
Pnr1r nrrnnizn1ion.


A wise statesman has said that parties are ne
cessary in a republic" Without them democratic
governments would degenerate into anarchy, major
tiles would to control the legislation of the
country and popular elections would furnish test
of the popular will. Men who agree in sentiment
must act in harmony il they expect to carry their
views, and harmony caa only be secured through
the agency Of parties.
As parties are necessary in the government, so is
organization indispensable to the existence of par
ties. Some means must be adopted to ascertain the
wishes of the majority and determine the policy to
be pursued in accomplishing them. a party with
out organization unity Of action would be like
army without discipline. ItWould soon be dispersed
and dsbanded in the persuit Of schemes of private
advantage and personal ambition. The interests of
the cause would be abandoned in the conflict of in
dividuals, and principle would be forgotten in the
of factions. 1t is necessary, therefore, that
there should be some recognized and fair method of
adjusting or preventing such difficulties. The sues
cess of political truths is important than the
success of men, however eminent and the claims of
individuals must be set aside whenever it is necessa
ry for the establishment of the great principles
which they advocate Hence, the members of po-
ltical parties assemble together in their primary
meetings, declare their sentiments, nomina'e such
men as they think win best represent them, thus
securing concentration Of action among themselves,
and giving effect to The pirit of republican in
situations, by enabling the majority TO control the
government
The Convention system grows naturally out Of
the necessity of party organization. As we have
adopted the representative plan in conducting the
affairs of the nation we adopt the same same plan
in the organization Of parties. The whole body of
party cannot assemble together for the purpose of
comparing their views and nominating candidates.
Consequently they send their representatives. to
State National Convention JUS; as they send their
representatives to Congress. These delegates enter
the Convention, fresh from contact with the people
sympahizing In their feelings and acquainted with
their views They certainly have every motive to
reflect the wishes Of their constituents whose inter
ests are the same their own and it is reasonable
TO suppose that they are as honest and discreet as
those who send them their trusted agents
Abuses certainly do exist in the convention sys-
TEN, but such abuses found in every system
ever devised or practised by men. We regard it
the best mode of organization which as ever been
adopted or suggested, and shall, therefore strenu,
ously advocate its continuance. The old Congress
siOna caucus system for which twas substituted in
the days Of jackson was found TO be the prolific
source of the most enormous and formidable evils
The election Of john QUINCY ADAMS, contrary to
the wishes Of large majority Of the American peo
pie was one of the results of it.
The temptations to fraud aud the sources of cor
rupion in Congress, already fearfully great would
be enormously increased by giving them the power
of nominating candidates for the Presidency Be
sides the heated discussions in that body introduce
elements Of discord and dissensOn which would not
exist in convention assembled for a single object
and held together only for a few days There i,
less opportunity in convention for private feuds
and factions to spring up among its members. Per
sonal influences and selfish considerations have less
weight with men who come directly from the peo>
pie. who have not been mixed up with political |
schemes in Washington and who are not pOliti-
clans by profession.
On the other hand we cannot urge any objection