Daily national Democrat., 1860-08-11
The County Committee.

The card published in the Express, Of yes
terday over the signature of Joseph Payne,
member of the County Committee, is repn-
diated by Mr.. Payne. He says, in a state
nent in the DEMocRAr, this morning, that he
intended to sign no such card that it was
read to him bv Mr. Mcdonald, and that he
(Payne) did not understand it as saying that
he did not agree with Judge Reardan in the
Committee meeting, for that he did agree
IN everything. lie also states that he re
cards Judge Douglas as the nominee Of the
Democratic party, and that he intends to sup
port him as Sacb.
We should think that this sufficiently de-
fined his position.
Now, as to the regularity of the proceed
ines of the County Committee, the Chairman
called a meeting for the Sth inst, as be was
authorized to 60. Full notification was Civ
en-. Ate o'clock N. the members had not
vet arrived The Chairman waited until
late in the afternoon for their arrival Mr..
Joseph Payne was found to be in town, and,
the other members not coming, Judge Rear
dan and himself thinking that the absentees
were either out Of the country or not dis
posed to take the responsibility of acting
under the existing aspect Of political affairs,
proceeded TO cal, County Convention, by
virtue Of the authority in the Committee
vested. They conld not of course allow the
matter to go 10y the board, and SO have no
Convention called at all simply because the
recusaut or negligent members failed to be
present i was their business to be present.
The Express publishes report of so-called
proceedings Of Committee headed by Nc
Donald What sort of a committee was
this? Mr. Mcdonald was a member of the
Committee, of which Judge Reardan was
! Chairman, but he did not attend at the call
Of the Committee He came afterwards, and
Htu certain proceedings were had which
were signed 10y the following names; }. L.
Mcdonald, 5. G. Sewell and G. NJ. Miller.
S. G. Sewell and G. NJ Miller, as we are
authoritatively informed, are not within the
county And Mr.. Joseph Payne authorized us
in the presence Of several gentlemen, to state
that Mr. Mcdonald assured him, on Thursday
(the day of the alleged proceedings) that he
had no proxies in his possession. Very well,
then, how came those names to be signed to
the proceedings? If neither the members
themselves nor their proxies were on hand,
how could their aames be properly attached
to the document which was issued?
The fact is. the whole thing, as perpetra-
ted by Mcdonald and his advisers, under the
circumstances as stated by Mr.. Payne and
others, was farce. If Mr. Mcdonald had
no proxies, what right dil he have to speak
or act for Mr.. Sewell and Mr.. Miller?
Besides, had the proxies actually been
present, could the proceedings be recognized
without the presence of the Chairman? Fur
thermore it is very doubtful whether prox-
les ought to be admitted in a County Com
mttee at all. AT least one County Commit
tee in the State has ruled ont proxies, and it
was a Breckenridge one at that
1t is hardly worth while to multiply words
upon the subject, for it is evident that, if
there has been any action at all of the Coun-
ty Committee it was the action Of Judge
Reardln and Mr.. Payne. Either The cali
made is authoritative or there has been no
call at all, The Democracy, we think, will
recognize the call for Convention by the
J Chairman of Che Committee as nuhlished in
the Democrat.