Arkansas true Democrat., 1860-06-09
N. B. BuRRow.

Those persons who have studied the history of democratic nominating conventions, knows that the congressional caucus formerly nominated candidates for the presidency, whilst caucuseS and cOnyen tions did not otherwise presume to intep0se be- tween the people and the ballot box. In course of time, the congressional caucus became corrupt- The Washington iuncto became trading estab- lishment with as much po,rer in American politics as the East India company had in Great Britain Gen Jackson became an independent candidate for the presidency-independen of " ashington iuncto beat on the first turn, he afterwards rallied was elected and drove the officebrokers from the capi tol, dispersed the congressional caucuses ceansed the Augean stable, and lnaugurated new era in politics. Henceforth, federal office holders were not allowed to interfere in popular elections; the people were to be left free, unbiased and untram-
 meed, to form opinions and express their will without any trickery, circumyentOp or cabling on the part of those in office; officers were to devote themselves ercusipely the duties of theirre
 tive offices, and an intelligent and virtuous people at the ballot box, or in popular convention, would never fail to do justice to the ofice-holders to the country and to themselves. Conventions were to be exclusively of unofficial, unbiased, unbought cit
 zens of the country; the ballot box was not to be corrupted by the of federal patronage fter the fashion ot the English governments; especially was no office holder to neglect his duties to minrle in any canvass; and above all, he was excluded from the popular nominating conventions, where his mas
 ter was likely to come in competition with private citizens for a nomination. An ofice-holder hold
 ing commission under the President of which he could be deprived in an hour, was not supposed by
 Gen. Jacks son to be competent juror to try issue as to whether his master another man should be President, for such person was not free unbiased and independent. State rights democrats loudly proclaimed that in popular nominating conventions to nominate candidates for state offices, federal Ipti ybp tbprn nt
 post office or any other officer in the pay of the fe- deral government, should take no part; because
 thus the federal government might easily override the States, and place in all State offices creatures of the federal government ready at any moment to surrender the great seal of State to a consolida- ted government at Washington city. Apart from these radical and palpable truths, it is evident that no private citizen could compete for office success fully with ruler who was backed by an organized
 band of stpendiaries, paid electoneerers dispersed over the whole country, constantly and artiuIly engaged in weaving the net work of their program
 me, whilst the unsuspectng and honest industrial | classes were engaged in the necessary domestic pursuits of life. The perfect ease with which the | aipendidry and otFce-holder could rircumvent the artless countrymen, was one of the very reasons why he was forbid to interfere, even in cases where there special reasons to suspect his Honesty and independeRce.
 After the inauguration of Gen. Jackson, it was expressly understood that congressman or fede- ral ofice-ho was ever to be allowed to sit in national convention to nominate candidate for the presidency; but that citizens atone-unofcaI citi- zens, who qualified, impartially to determine whether the dynasty should be changed or not, should compose such conventions. Now, who could doubt but that the army of federal office holders, appointed by President, would always re-nomnate him for office, and his son or kinsman after him. If such conventions were allowed, the people would cease to be free; the ruler would ap- point the officers, and the officers in turn, would re nominate the ruler--ad infnitum.
 Our popular nominating conventions have, like the old congressional caucus, begun to grow cor rupt The national convention of 1852 had vitali- tv enough to change its sittings from Baltimore to Cincinnati, to get rid of the interference of mem. bers of Congress. The Arkansas State convention of 1856, after full discusson refused by vote of thirty three to seventeen-near two to one-to ap- point the congressional delegation of this State to the Cincinnati convention. The combined influence of the entire delegation unable to lead the de- mocracy astray-what change has occurred since that time! The late convention which nominated Mr. Johnson for Governor of Arkansas, was called together by federal office holder. and was stocked and attended by the appontees of every land office in the State, and far the greater portion of the e deral officers were present. in person, ready So do