The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-24
Popular Sovereignty and the Dele GA lions
to the Charleston Convention.

to the Charleston Convention.
The Republican Convention of this State
with great sagacity and at the same time with
proper respect for the sovereign will of the
people, confined their proceedings to bold
announcement of political principles and to
the selection of State ticket The question
of the selection of candidates to National
Convention they knew did not belong to them,
but TO the people, for whose decision they kept
it in reserve; and even if the duty of sending
delegates to Presidential Convention devolved
on them it would be the part Of wisdom to
keep back an element SO likely to produce di-
vision. The regular and legitimate Democratic
Convention followed their example But the
irregular rowdy Democratic Convention, filed
with due sense of their own Importance, Sc
lected a delegation to the National Democratic
Convention which is to meet at Charleston next
summer to select a candidate for the Presiden-
tial election in the ensuing fall. The proper
object Of the State Convention was to select a
ticket of candidates for the State elections this
fall; but instead of applying all their energies
in doing this well and efficiently, they
strained every nerve for accomplishing dis
tant object, for which there was no need of haste,
but on the contrary, every need of delay and de-
Liberation. In their rabid greed for the spoils
of 1861 they neglect the best means OF securing
the State election, which would be the stepping
stone to victory in the Presidential election in
this State, without which the battle and the
spoils must be lost to the democracy in the
Union at large, and of course to the spoismen
Of New York. Nor is this all-not only do the
rowdy Convention neglect the duty for which
they were sent by their constituents, but
they mar the whole business by riotous and
disorderly proceedings, calculated to bring the
democracy into contempt with that large class
Of citizens who belong to no party, but who
sometimes WELD the balance Of power for or
against the parties of the proceedings
calculated, moreover, to disgust the honest por-
ton OF the democrats themselves, and either
drive them to the other side or keep them away
from the polls
The browning act of irregularity and disor-
der was the selection of delegates to the
Charleston Convention under any circum-
stances, for twas an 'apple of discord" thrown
into the party to distract and divide at the
worst possible moment-the very time when
harmony was most needed for victory in the
the packing of the delegation in opposition to
Governor Wise, under the influence of the pre-
JUDGE excited against him by the foul treachery
of Cassidy & Co., was an aggravation of the poll
teal blunder or crime; for it is all the same.
The choice they made in selecting themselves
three-fourths of the delegation to Charleston
consisting of members of the rowdy Conven-
tion-cannot fail to impress the public mind
with the belief that the bumps of self-esteem
must be very highly developed on the skulls
of the pugilists and DULLES, probably from the
sundry knocks they have received in that part
of their pericraniums. This outrage against
popular rights, in selecting themselves,
without any reference to the people, caps the
climax Of their rascality.
The theory Of our government is that it is
one in which the people are sovereign, and that
the chief attribute of that sovereignty is their
right to select their own representatives They
choose the Governors Of States and the Presi-
dents of the Union. The democratic party has
always given a more distinct and emphatic
enunciation to that principle than any other
party in the country. Hence they have con-
tended for State rights in opposition to the
doctrine Of Capitalization Of power in
the federal executive or in Congress,
and municipal rights in opposition to
the doctrine of Capitalization of power, in
the State executive or State Legisla-
ture The democratic party has always shown
great jealousy against usurpation Of the rights
of the people in any shape or form. Their
primary elections are intended to guard against
all such encroachments unpopular sovereignty.
OF late years these organizations are rendered
null and void by the rowdies and the conspi-
rators behind the scenes who hire them, and
the people have no choice left but to vote for
the corrupt men placed on the ticket, or to vote
against their own principles, or to keep away
from the polls. The proceedings of the
fowdy Convention at Syracuse present
.ne most audacious example of the utter
disregard and contempt Of the will of
the people. These fellows say to each
other, do you vote for me and my friends and
/ will vote for you and your friends. and TINS
we will keep the sovereign power in our own
hands, according to the ancient and approved
usage Of Rob Roy, and laugh at the fools who
call themselves the sovereign people, Thus
do the INSTRUMENTATION politicians share be.
tween them the dominion of the people and
snap their fingers in their face.
The American system Of government is the
best and the most free on earth. But it is
turned by tho rowdes into mockery, delu-
sion and snare. If this be longer per-
mitteo, the country will be ruled hereafter
With a rod .. iron by az oligarchy, the