New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-25
sELECTING CANDIDATES.


Our country has many admirable usages and
institutions, whereof the Nominating COnven-
ton is not one. In fact, to speak bluntly, we
consider it our chief remaining swindle, now
that Slavery is about gone. 1t is device OF
scheming Knavery to fill its pockets at the ex-
pense of ambitious Mcdiocrity. Men are con-
hnually sent to Congress or the Legislature on
the strength of regular nomination." who
would not have the presumption to pre-
sent themselves as Independent candidates,
and could get no support if they did. And
able, good men are frequently thrown out by
the Irregular nomination" of rivals who demand
their turn" or that of their county or town.
ship, and obtain it by buying delegations or by
pledging their support next time TO aspirants
as unworthy as themselves. No Madison, Clay,
or Webster, could have kept Ia seat in the House
ten years under the system Of Irregular nomi-
nations" which have steadily degraded our
standard of legislative capacity ever since they
were generally adopted. Good, honest men
are sometimes "regularly" nominated and
elected; but the system did not make them
good, but tends ever to degrade or to supersede
them.
TIE Ercning Post, discussing the British
elections now in progress, says:
'On one point we might with profit take a lesson
from the English and that is in the frankness with
which most of the candidates address their consttu
ents and ask for their support With U.s. it is supposed
that nobody thinks himself nj TO serve in Congress- ana
10 l.n tra ha. q
matter Of what ability should put himself forward
a candidate upon his merits and solicit the suf
fages of his fellow citizens. But the result OF this
nonsensca system is that secret intrigue in the caucus
ro0m takes the place Of fair open and above board
acton, and the man who is greatly surprised onu
deeply gratfed at The honor conferred upon hin by his
friends and feowcitzens,' and accepts the nomina.
tion with she air OF Cncinnatus leaving the pow has
usually intrigued and bargained right and left until
the caucus or convention is securei and, for all his
surprise. has commonly supper at hand 10 entertain
the crowd 10 whom he can hardly express his amaze
ment and difidcnce Would 1t not be much better, ms
well as more honest. II men OF known capacity and
character expected and encouraged 10 announce
themselves candidates for Congress or the Leslsa'
ture and openly ana decenty solicited the votes Of the
people q
This is very well; hut the true way to
nominate is Ivy Public Requistion. Let good
men in any district meet informally at their
leisure and consider who Ought TO represent
them in Congress or the Assembly; having
fixed upon the best man, let them sign a call on
him 20 come forward aS d candidate and let
them post up that call in public place and
advertise for all who concur in their preference
to add their signatures. Let Others,
who have different choice, do likewise; and let
every voter sign for whichever candidate he pre-
fers The preponderance ofsignatures Gadgedby
weight as well as by numhers) will soon de-
termine which candidate should withdraw and
which should be kept in nomination: if not, in
the few cases where the persistence OF rival
candidates of the same party threaten the loss
of a seat, let q mutual council or party con-
ference be called to decide which shall be
withdrawn. But there would very seldom be
need of this; while the candidates designated
by free public requsiton would generally be
much ADLER and worhier than now.
The party known to be the minority in any
district might safely try this plan without
hazard, and often with decided advantage,
especially should it bring forward its very best
men. To this end defy ''the shrieks of locality"
and select one who lives out of the district as
readily as though he lived in it,