The Shasta courier., 1865-09-02
Political Conventions.

Effort is being made on the part of the
Boter organs throughout the State to render
unpopular the system of conventions for
placing before the people suitable candidates
for their suffrages. To oppose anything is
easy, provided it is done in the manner of the
papers referred to, simply by saying the
system is corrupt; that conventions are
bought and sold that none but corrupt
demagogues have chance before them, y
dc. No argument is advanced, no prece-
dents quoted, no other plan suggested. To
do that would require some talent, some
mental capacity on the part of the writers for
these forlorn hope concerns, making a requi-
sition for what they are markedly short of.
While such sheets as these are crying down
the system, others, and all who have the
reputation of talent and honesty conceded to
them. are in favor of having the system
legalized by the law making power of the
State. This shows a vast difference between
thought and blowing. and shows in Itself the
difference between principles and boilers.
The convention system appears to US to be
as necessary to the proper carrying out of
our system of government as State or Ma
tional Legislatures. The system of self
government begins in neighborhoods or pre-
cincts. In an election precinct each citizen
is acquainted with the other; those citizens
assemble and nominate one of their number,
in whom they have confidence, to go and
meet with others selected from each of the
other precincts in their county, in county
convention, on day named, and there select
"a majority governing-suitable candidates
for the various county Offices to be filed at a
given time. If the inhabitants of a precinct
know of candidates before the people, by
announcement, whom they favor, they in
struct their delegates to support them; but
failing to nominate their choice they are left
at liberty to assist in nominating any other
good man.
These conventions, when assembled, re-
present great national principle, and their
duty and aim is to nominate such men as
advocate and will sustain chat principle
Authority thus delegated is placed in posi-
ton to know candidates offered from other
localities than those they represent; those
who sent them selected them with view to
that very point; and having delegated their
power, they are bound by the acts of their
agents.
If community of men wish to acquire
information relative to distant land, of
which they know nothing except from ru-
NOR, what course do they take? Do they
start in body and look for themselves? or
do they delegate some one of their number,
selected by majority, in whom all have
confidence, and dispatch him to do the bus-
ness of all?
convention jus.,as fully represents the
feelings and wishes of majority in the party
as does the Legislature assembled-and by
conventions ominated-represent the State !;
and SO on to the Congress of the United
States and the President thereof.
Because an aspirant for Office is defeated
before convention, it is no sign of corrup-
tion even though he may control the columns
of newspaper and howl ever so loud On
the contrary, it is simply the best evidence
in the world that the said aspirant had not
the same high position in the minds of his
fellow men as be had arrived at in his own.
The larger body may have been mistaken,
but the foundation of our government is on
the great principle that majoritieS shall rule.
Majorities may sometimes be wrong, but
experience teaches us that in the end thev
are right.
We see it written and printed that conven
tions are proverbiaily corrupt; yet, with
few and rare exceptions, we find our best
men occupying places of trust and honor. and
nominated thereto by conventions True,
sometimes a knave or fool attains position
that should have been occupied bv worthier
man; but this does not necessarily occur
because of the convention system. and we
honestly believe the evil would be greater
under any other, where the voice of the peo-
pie would be more restricted from intelligent
action, and no means or plan that occurs to
US can bring them nearer than the present.
One thing we ask to perfect the present
system and that is a law to regulate primary
elections. and make it criminal for any man
to violate the pledge he tacitly makes when
he deposits his vote,-a law that will compel
men to keep their pledges made to conven-
tons, and punish violation of it even as
thieves are now punished. Such law would
at least close the columns of boiling organs
against the cry of '' fraud" ;" i" corruption. y
whisky" and all such stuff. given out as
fact, when the whole cause of all the scream
ing is that the miserable quill driver has
found himself occupying the position nature
intended him for. instead of the one he had
attempted to gull the people into believing he
was worthy of.
Among the sons of men how few are known,
Who dare be just to merit not their own
Superior virtue and superior sense,
To knaves and fools will always give offence.
QUEER.-We took up from our table the
other day what we supposed to be tie Red