Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-09-14
The DUTY OF organlzlng victory.


The nominating Convention for this, the
first Congressional, district may be regarded
now as IL fixed fact. Ihc proposition was
generally regarded with favor, aud Thurs
day night the members OF the Legislature
from the counties composing the first dis
trict held "A meeting and resolved to re
commend, as they did by the adoption OF
the address which appeared last Friday
morning, their constituents to send delega-
tions TO the Convention, st Moundsville, on
the Both. They make the recommendation
not as members of the Legislature, but
simply as citizens of the several counties,
who enjoy the confidence Of their several
communities, who have their good aud the
good of the country NJ heart, and who from
their opportunities have superior means ct
judging as to the necessity OF such "A corusc.
We sincerely trust the recommendation
will meet, AS we doubt not it will, with n
prompt response from the loyal men in
every part of the district.
Each day as it e!npses makes more and
more obvious the necessity OF IA perfect I'M
Outstanding among loyal voters in the
coming election. If we think it worth
while TO succeed, we must take steps that
will insure success. Some still affect to
believe-possibly do-that the enemy will
not attempt any opposition. For ourselves,
we are firmly persuaded they will, it they
can see the ghost OF a chance. The thing
reduces itself to this simple shape. We
have, say, four a01irants from this district
all good men, and loyal, and any one OF
whom would make Il capable aud reliable
representative. The disIOyal element OF
the district has, it is reported, one cnndi-
date-Or il this he not true, it will have
one, aRd only one. Then to succeed NE
Elast be more than four times ms strong AS
the "COps." l. this the cas-? 1t is true
in some locali,ies-it is true in some conn
ties but from the best atia.nable iuiOrma-
ton We believe the district vii! not average
that or anything approaching it.
1t needs no argument to show that we
cannot succeed in such an unequal con-
test as that would be. The only remedy is
to get some of our candidates off the track.
We cannot even afford to risk dividing the
vote on two. With single candidate on
~ can We be assured Of SUCCESS. How is
this to be brought about? We never saw
a candidate before the people who didn't
think he was the most popular man in the
field. You cant expect man voluntarily
to resign his brilliant prospects to some
rival. 1t isn't human nature.
So every one will persist in holding on
with the idea that his rival ought to with
draw and give him clear field, because
they can't expect to be elected. Already
several expedieuts have been exhausted III
trying to get the candidates to agree among
themselves which shall run. Delays are
always dangerous, but doubly SO in a case
like this 1t will not do for multiplicity
of candidates to run up to the eve of the
election and then attempt to transfer the
strength to one. 1t might not be in time
to get information that people could rely
on into all parts of the district. We must
have an understanding in ample time for
people to know in all quarters who is to
be united on; otherwise they will be at sea
and will vote each for his particular ia
vorite without any reference to the general
result.
Well, is there any way to bring this
about but by Convention? If there were
any better plan, or any equally good, we
would be glad to see it adopted. Conven-
tions are objectionable to some; but that
is because they were put to such vile uses
by the old democracy. Yet 10 our circum-
stances we might take even one hint from
it. The democracy Arrays succeeded with
its Conventions, because they thus effected
and kept up thorough organization which
enabled them to bring out their whole
strength. When our purpose is by sue
cess to contribute to the support of the
country and disarm ita focs-when such
momeutous consequences are at stake, and
SUCCESS or failure becomes almost a matter
of life or death-can we not afford to adopt
for once IN expedient that will insure sue
cess, and which in this case con work no
wrong even though it ICdS n favorite cxpe-
dent of partizans and wire pullers in times
gone by2 There is nothing Ubiquitous in
the PLAZA itself, and to assume that there
will be wire pulling and unfair practice in
procuring the nomination before the Con-
Vention, is to assume in advance uot only
the rascality of the candidates but the
duplictty of the Delegates and VIC are un-
willing TO indulge any such assumption
We take it for granted that each county
will send its best men; and VIC do not
think the candidates us bad as the nrgn-
ments Of some of themselves would make