The Van Buren press., 1860-03-30
For the Van Barren Press:
A Few Words in response to d" An
ON Democrat

fI' VI 1871 "ecA ~ ~ w. - A'>'
March % places upon me the necessity of
making a few remarks in answer to some
things contained in his article. l regret
this necessity, and if the general tenor of
his article did not bear evidence of being
peLned by fair man | should not notice it.
dislike newspaper discussions upon poll
teal topics at the best, and little did /
think when | handed you my short article
that it would touch'to the quick the feelings
of MIR. Hindman's friends, and draw from
-" An Old Democrat, such laLored re-
ply But, as already said he must be a
pretty fair man. and an honest man one
whose heart is open to repentance and
whose judgment is open to conviction.
Abuse cannot, of course, consistently with
these qualities, find a vehicle in lfs tongue
and l will scorn the use of such low, but
too frequently handled, weapons. Let ours
be discussion Of reason, not passion.
The firssspaft Of. /" An Old Democrats"
commpnirssiea does him Injustice. lie
has hung closely TO one idea, the triumph
Of man, until he has been unwittingly, l
must be permitted to believe, drawn into
the use of improper language so common
to the adherents of Mr.. Hindman. He in
sinuates that cannot be convinced of Mr..
Hindman's democracy until .' he repcnts in
sack cloth and ashes. and bows i'll humble
submission to Conway and Johnson ism,"
&c. What point is gained by this unjust
assertion? Could l not recriminatc and say
that Mr.. \. 0. ID. is hanger on to Mr..
Hindman for the purpose of gaining an Of
flee which he has failed to gain under the
" johnson family ~ But for what end
should | make the assertion | would
shake the faith which rational men may have
placed in my judgment, and convince no
one of the justice of my cause. That Mr..
Ii. fought the h. Ms valiantly. do not
deny but said, and | stand uncontradic,
ted, that this, per Sc, did not prove him to
be a sound democrat. Nor would his " arm
advocacy of the johnson clique make him,
per Sc, sound democrat in my opinion
any more than in the opinion of A. o. d.
The only reliable criterion of a mans de-
mocracy is his conduct and his openly
avowed sentiments. No man proves him
self to be a good democrat by advocating
the claims of any man or set of men
" Principles, not men," is the motto of all
good democrats, and when l See men tram
pie upon principle, and sickle for the
claims of men for the service they NAV
have performed, set them down as either
ignorant OF the true life and soul of democ-
racy, or as speckled sheep in the flock Let
us try Mr.. Hindman by the test OF avowed
principles, and in doing so I'll let him
speak for himself
My colleague presupposcs that | will
do what has been the habit of my past life
and that is go ipke a Democratic caucus
with my fellow Democrats and abide by
their action. | viii. sir, Int miM this e.
press reservation, which applies to the &C
tion of every democrat, ,chenerer conrea-
ton Of has party Is held that Whenever the
democracy shall act as m my judqntent
democrats ought to act, whenever they will
conform to the established usages of the
democratic party iii nominating one who
approves the principles and abides hy the
usaSes of democracy, then will ! be found
adhc-ing unflinchingly to that nominee. >"
DC, kc. i" But I say distinctly that | will
not be transferred by tie roice ofMc demo-
cratic majority on this floor nor any other
power under heaven, in any case whatever,
to the support of a man who does not en-
dorse and approve democratic principles and
usages, dc. Now l again say that this
Is not sound democracy. 1t is DESTROYING
the power OF the ana ajority, it is the pure
and unadulterated essence of disorganiza
tion. The ma ority must rule, or dcmocra
cy is a mockcry, an empty name, and defeat
is certain. This may seem like hamperinr
the freedom of thought and opinion. 1t is
not III point Of fact. Conventions were
fixed upon by the wise of the party as the
great political magnet by which all the
strength of the party might be concentrat-
ed and mighty and solid phalanx be for
med III the party. Union is strength"
was the party's motto.
Through the instrumentality of this con-
vcntion system and the concert of action
consequent. the spirit of democracy has
marched triumphantly over all other par
ties, and secured to this Union place in
the highest niche in the temple of national
greatness. Whiggery was vanquished by
it, and it's tattered flag was buried with the
last earthly remains of Henry Clay. Con
ventions have now become part and par
eel of democracy. The rule of nominat-
ing III conventionsiis by majority. AS the
majority go SO goes the party This regula-
ton is notorious and all who go into con
ventions go in with the tacit understanding
that they will abide by the action of the
majority. II any in the convention refuse
to SO abide they are termed "bolters." Nor
Is 1t to be presumed that a convention of
democrats will so far forget their duty to
Prihcipie as to nominate any man whose
principles are not icmocatic. Unity of ac-
ton then is the sole object of conventions
Nlii this unity be effected if any and all
democrats can come out of the convention
and declare that they will not support the
regular nominee OF the party because "in
Metr J"dg'nent" he has not in all things.
fully adhered to the principles and usages
OF the party. If each number of the par
~ has the right (and exercises IT'D "when-
ever convention of the party is held /" to
vote Tor whom, in his private opinion con-
forms to the simon pure tests of democracy
IN lieu OF the nominee, then where is the
concert OF action, and of what use is the
convention system. In such cases the
system is undeniably worthless. Mr. Hind
n L.