The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-09-19
CaUcsssc

of County Officers will be held. In the
intervening time the caucuses in the va
rious towns Of the County will meet, and
on the nature and character of these eau
cuscs, depends in a great degree, the
character of the ticket placed in nomina-
ton, and the measure of success that
shall await it.
There is in every community a habit
of neglecting to attend the primary meet
ings Of a party, and the very word eau
Gus has come 10 be almost a synonym
for intrigue and corruption. 1.-THE bad
odor that clings to this word is Justly at
tributable to it, it is in a great measure
the fault of those who keep aIoof from
the gatherings it signifies. If it is duty
for men of all stations to take an interest
in the government under which they live
if it is duty to go to the polls at MI
If citizenship imposes any obligations
then the duty and obligation of attend
ing a caucus and using ones influence
t, place proper candidates in nolnina
ton, is certainly no less binding and i'm
peratire than tho duty Of voting for can
,lidates who are placed in nomination.
When q candidate, or any wing of
party are defeated in convention, it is
very customary for the beaten ones to
he Mortified by the wire working, the
corruption, the dishonest caucusing by
which their defeat was effected; but we
believe it to be generally true that those
who are loudest in denunciation, are
mon who have tried all the known arts
to carry caucuses and have been check
mated at their own gamo. 1t is very
common to hear charges of "packing
caucuses," and most Of this talk is very
idle and shallow, as we propose to show
We will assume in the first place that
every man is interested in the primary
meetings and wishes to attend the eau
Gus, for if he does not wish to attend, he
has no reasonable right to complain of
the action of those who do. Seasonable
notice should be given and it always will,
if the people take interest enough to re-
quire it. Now "packed caucus" Gfthe
court understands herself, and she thiaks
he does) is one where certain man OF
set of men have picked delegates whom
they wish to elect, and for this purpose,
combine their friends, secure their atten-
dance, and if possible outvote all oppo
sition. Is there anything wrong in this?
anything dishonest or dishonorable? The
action is based on the accepted principle
that the majority shall rule, and if ma
iority of the voters choose to stay at
home and leave a few TO control impor-
tant political action they certainly should
DO ashamed to find fault. The only just
ground of complaint is where delegates
act in opposition to the will of those who
elected tlem-cases Of rare occurrence
an4 which can generally be guarded
sgaiust.
Now we have some know ledge Of the
politics of this county, and it is certain
that all tho caucuses to be held in it with
in the next two weeks, will be packed,
according to our definition of the term.
There are number Of men who desire
to be placed in nomination for some one
of the county offices; these men have
friends in the various towns, who will
strive to secure the delegates for them,
and for this purpose those delegates will
be picked and all the available force raj
lied to support them; and this we hold
to be peril city natural and proper. Now,
my, reader, if You do not care who is
nominated, If you are willing to vote
for any of the possible candidates of tho
party you belong to, why you may as
well stay at home; but if you have any
choice, attend the caucus, vote for the
delegates who will represent your will,
and then having done your duty, be sub
missiye to the action of the majority, I'm
less that action takes on form subver-
sive of the interests of the people and the
party, in which case, promptly repudiate
it, bnt don't think you happen TO be
beaten, and your wishes are not gratifed,
that that is sufficient reason for boiling.
We talk plainly on this matter because
we believe that the occasion demands it.
For ourselves, we are not so anxious for
the success of any particular candidate.
as we are that the Republican party move
/ forward in solid column to victory.
| There will be spirited struggle for
J .ha Offices Of Sherif. Treasurer and Clerk