New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-18


sound and dangerous to the integrity Of the party,
and that delegation thus chosen viii not reflect
and cannot reflect, the sentiment Of every part
of the State. The plea by which these preg
nant and unanswerable objections are met is,
the example Of Nao- York. Here is the first perni-
cious fruit of the course Of our own State Commit
tee. In this State, il may perhaps be Justly ar
pued that at this election il would make no differ
ence in the complexion of the delegates, however
chosen; but in Pennsylvania it is otherwise. Rival
interests, and perhaps rival men, contest the field.
If those interests were allowed fair and full 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 en-
forced submissions. This harmony can be found
in body Of independent delegates chosen
by the several Congressional districts; but it can
not be found where large numbers meet simply to
try their voting power upon one another, as Is
necessarily done in great State Convention.
But while the views We express may be support
ed by every consideration of political expediency,
we yet rest them mainly upon the ground of sound
principle 1t is clearly right that the people should
be brought as near as possible to the National Nom
mating Conventions. Those Conventions are agen-
ces that are bad enough in their best estate; and
they may be 30 constituted as to be wholly loath-
some and without authority The best that can be
done is to have their members chosen by the Con-
gressional Districts. To this approximation to the
direct popular voice we at least can come; and we
entertain no doubt that if the question were left to
the voters of those Districts to say whether that
should be the universal practice we should hear no
dissenting suffrage whatever. The plan is in itself
SO reasonable, so manifestly proper in all respects
that everybody spontaneously declares that it is the
only true and fair mode. Of course there will be
foul play and packing sometimes, even then; but it
ia the best resource which the Convention system
leaves us to get an expression of the wish OF the
people generally.
On the other hand, everybody knows to what
gross abuses National Conventions, got up on any
other basis, are liable. Constituted by any other
of the modern methods, they may be so composed
as not to reflect popular sentiment at all. What
we particularly desire at this time is to remove In
advance every possible difficulty that may or can
arise in the coming national gathering OF the party
We want rules for a stormy as well as peaceful
Convention and thus We want them such as
promise the greatest possible amount of fairness in
the construction of the body. We want tbsm so
that disappoirtments may be easily quoted, and
prevented from growing into reyenges or rebel
lions. On this ground we insist that the district
system Of electDg delegates is absolutely indspen-
sable to assure the harmony and success OF the
Republican organization. 1t is best and safest to
adhere TO the practice under all circumstances,
whether there are differences or whether there is
perfect agreement in the party concerning the ult
mate results of the Convention. But a departure
from the system in any State where there are dim
culties and contendDg claims to settle, such as we
believe to exist in Pennsylvania, we reckon to be
the hight of folly and temerity.