Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1863-12-22
Primary Election.

the CouEty Convention which Is to be
held at Virginia on Monday next. That
Convention win be most important one,
and as nomination by it is equivalent to
an election, the political welfare of the
people for series Of years depends upon
the discrimination of those of whom it is
composed and the nominations which
they shall make.
At that Convention are to be nominated
a District Judge, man to whose legal
ability, strict integrity, dignity, and prac-
teal application of the principles of law
to q new and anomalous state of facts and
circumstances, are to be intrustcd the
heaviest pccuniary interests, and the grave
question of life or death, in the highest
Court of original jurisdiction in the land;
4 County Judge, of less power and infe-
rior jurisdiction, but requiring all those
exalted powers of judicial discrimination
and lofty integrity indispensable upon the
bench; four State Senators and twelve
ASSemblymcn to hold prepondcrating
voice and influence in the Legislature of
the State Gf State there is to beg to make
laws of general application, and to repre-
sent especially the vast mining and other
interests in this, the greatest, weal;hicSt
and most populouS county Of the State,
and upon whom will dcvolvc the impor-
tant task of laying the foundation of the
future legislation of the State, and upon
whose discretion will hinge the veal or
woe, the greatness or inSigni6cance of the
State for all time. Upon this Legislature
will devolve the choice of two United
States Senators, upon whose patriotism,
high order of talent, and fidelity to their
constituency, so much of the future pros
pcrity of the Nation and State will de-
pend. At this County Convention are
also to be chosen sixteen delegates to the
approaching State Convention, for the
nomination of 4 member of Congress and
Il full board of State officers ard Judges
of the Supreme Court.
All of the above enumerated important
offices are to be filled at the general cleo
ton on the 10th day of January next.
The theory Of our form Of Government is
that its officers are chosen by the people.
The fact is, however, Il horse Of IN entirely
different hue and complexion. The people
vote Il ticket that is handed about on the
dav of election, and which bears the i'm
press of the particular party which they
favor. The " choice" which the people
exercise on that day, is not as to whom
above all other men is most fit for the
position to be filed, but simply choice
between t,ro men, neither of whom the
people themselves had art, part or voice
in nominating. \ petty clique, held i'll
some secluded back office, is the small
point 10 which the great Tor P0puH is
whitfield down by the sharp jack-knife of
political trickcry. The "great unwashed"
on the day after the election, losses on
high its multiplied Golgotha, and rends
the air with mighty roar of triumph at
its great victory - and echo answers
"Bosh"
The people could exercise that choice,
which they fancy they do, but do not.
There is a way, and only one, by which
the real voice of the people can make itself
heard and felt, and that is at the PRIMARY
ELECTION. By attending that election
en- masse, oy sending to the Nominating
Convention those men whom they kno~ to
be such as will fairly and truly represent
them there, and who are either pledged to
the nomination of such men as the people
may have expressed u preference for, or
who are fit to be trusted with a free dis
cretion in the matter; by so doing, the
people will have exercised that voice that
the republican form of government con-
templated. BY neglecting ii, the people
submit to what is worse than monarchy.
\ King, an Emperor, or a petty Herzog,
is generally a gentleman, and in his acts
and deeds, looks at least to pcrpetuity of
power and the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of his
nation; while the petty pot-housc dema-
goguc, who rules the roast in private
back-room caucus, has generally neither
much personal character nor any great
stake in the permanent welfare OF the
country, in whose rule and ruin his UNI
heard voice is nevertheless almost al
mighty.
We are not telling the people anything
new. Every man who "knows beans
when the bag is opcn," knows exactly the
manner in which the people are "Suy-
gugled'' in the matter of nominations
yet there is general apathy existing with
regard to the matter of these very primary
meetings, which are in fact the elections
to be watched. The people are always
ready enough, and proverbially prone, to
growl and raise the very devil when bad
man is placed on the County or State
Ticket, and do not seem at all to realize
that the fault is their own.
Rally to the polls, tomorrow Look
at the ticket which is handed to your
" cat's-paw" to vote; inquire who and
what are the men whose names arc upon
it, and what they intend to do after they
get to the Convention. So, and only so,
o,,, ,.o,, oxorc;sn the rioht of frrcmen and