Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1862-10-28
A FRIENDLY WORD

gent people than those We have met-social
ly or poli,ically-in Juniata county. Thei
short Trial Lists evidence peaceful an
moral community. Ouly 10 parlizau mat
tiers, do we find aught to detract from
their general reputation as most exem
plary citizens. Were they separate dis
trict 10 all respects, their domestic dissen
tions aud fierce vitupera:ions would be o
less consequence, aud should be left-lik,
"family quarrels"-to be settled among
themselves. But connected, as they are
with other counties, those variauces are
necessarily felt beyond their own bounds
They seriously affected the recent election
Que unhappy result is thus expressed by
the last Sentinel, the Republican Union
organ Of Juniata:
"The Republicans OF this county. through a
family quarrel, may congratulate themselves
! on sending Breckinrdger 10 Congress"
That is frank confession. While the
District elects Rep. TO l Dem. Assem-.
blymen, and gives 200 to 500 maj for
the Union State Ticket, our candidate
for Congress is defeated BY reason of the
alterations among political friends Of his
own county, of Junia'a We do not un-
dertakc to decide between these coutes.
tants. We neither know nor care what
their personal grievances are. Our only
object is to suggest, with the best of mo-
tives, remedy that may hereafter be
efectual
For twenty years past, united with
Union as Juniats has been, it seems to
have been regarded that nomination in
the latter, confirmed by the former, was
equivalent to an election. Hence the
great, absorbing strife has been, in Juui,
alta, to obtain nomina'i3n for the State
or National Legislature, BY majority of
the delegates. 1t is alleged-we know
not how trul y-that, often, undue aud un.
reasonable if not fraudulent and corrupt
means are resorted to, to obtain the ma
Jority of q convention, trusting to "old
Union to put it through" Whether
fairly or unfairly nominated, however,
by Delegates, almost invariably, the de-
feated candidates have felt dshesrtened
and soured, aud too often have turned in
to vote down their more fortunate rivals.
This is all wrong, but it is q serious evil
of the system.
The remer'y-and we ask the Sentinel
TO copy this article for the consideration
Of its readers-is the Crduford County
System, whereby every voter casts his
secret ballot for the one he deems it best,
aud the majority man takes the nomina.
tiou. The people, and not few personally
men, thereby make the choice.
The defeated candidates can not say they
were "cheated by their delegates" or
"traded off," or that there was "bargain
and sale" when hundreds or thousands
act as equals. 1t is much easier to "buy
up" or to influence improperly, q hand.
full Of men, than the whole party. This
system keeps the nominating as we'll as
the electing power, in the hands of the
people themselves: and if they make
poor choice, they must suffer for it, and
be the wiser thereafter.
This mode may not, does not suit po.
litical iricksters, and wire pulling politi-
clans by trade: but it does exactly suit
the HONEST MASSES: and from all We can
see and hear, it is every way preferable to
the caucus delegate system. Men Of Ju.
niata take the power of nominations
from your would-be leaders of all kinds,
md exercise it yourselves.