The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-02-23

the friends. Of the different candidates tor
President but, regarding it as an unfair
effort tc cheat the people out of their
voice in the matter, we have plainly, and
we think courtcously, told our readers SO
The presses advocating the convention
plan have made considerable capital out
Of the fact thettather States hays adopted
their plan, and have particularly put for,
ward the sction of the New York STATE
Committee as their precedent ThstsR'
er may be the fete of the measure in the
State Convention to-day. it resolves itself
into question Of precedent for the fu-
ture; and in this view of il We cannot al,
low it to rest without laying before our
readers the following indirect endorsement
Of oar pas5itiop, by SC eminent aaA dis,
tinguished cotemporary as the New
York Tribune. We especially call the
attention Gf the editor of tl,e Tioga Agi-
taior TO the following extract from an ed
itorial GA the subject in the DuIy 1reb,
uae of the 18th inst;
Here, for example, is ths State Con-
Ventjop of Pennsylvania about to be held
Il is proposed and urged that that body
shall choose all the Delegates 10 the Ma
tional Convention 10 which pennsylvania
is eutitIed There is very great opposi-
ton all over the State to this exercise ot
power, Tor the double reason, that the
principle of action is wholly umssund and
dangerous to the integrity of the party,
and that Il delegation thus chosen will
not reflect, and cannot Fstie2:,' the senti-
mept of every part OF the State. The
plea by which these pregnant aud unan-
swerable objections are met Is, the erdn1-
pie of Ne,c Yoyh. Here is the first per-
uicious fruit Of the course Of our own
State Committee In this State, it may
perhaps be Justly argued that at this
election it would make no difference in
the complexion of the delegates, howeveE
chosen but in Pennsylvania it is other
wise. Rival interests, and perhaps rival
men, contest the field. If those interests
were allowed fair aud fnl play, and their
action in no way coerced, nothing is more
probable than that, when meeting on equal
terms, the duly elected representatives, Of
those interests, personal and otherwise,
would harmonic. But such harmony
cannot be expected where rivalries are
subdued, not by mutual concessions, but
by enforced submissions This harmony
can be found in body of Independent
delegates chosen by the several Congress
ional disnIcts; but it cannot be found
where large numbers meet simply to try
their voting power upor one another, as
is necessarily done In great State Con
ventiuG.
But while tho views we express may
be supported by every consideration of
political expsdieney, we yet rest them
mainly upon the ground of sound princi-
pie IL is clearly right that the people
should he brought as near as possible to
the National Nominating Conventions.
Those Conventions are agencies that are
bad enough in their best estate; and they
may be so constituted as to be wholly
loathsome and without authority. The
best that can be done is to have their
nemhcrs ch0sGu By the Congressional
Districts. To this approximation to the
direct popular voice we ac least can come
and We en:ertain no DOUBT that if the
question were left to tho voters of those
Districts TO say Whether that should be
the universal practice, we should hear nc
dissenting suffrage whatever. The plan
is in itself so reasonable, SO manifcStly
proper i'll all respects, that everybody
spontaneously declares that it is the only
true and fair mode OF course there wil
be foul play and packing sometimes, even
then; but it is the best resource which
the Convention system leaves US to get
an expression Of the wish of the people
generally