The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-05
The State Conventions.

IHE pOllClclanS are JO udVe SIduu O ms db
Harrisburg this week. The State Conven
tions of the Republican and the Democ ratio
parties are to meet there at almost the same
time, to nominate opposing candidates for the
Governorship. The State Capital will, of
course, he a scene of unusual excitement
during the next few days, and we have made
arrangements to supply our readers with full
and accurate reports of the proceedings OF
both of the very important bodies to be there
congregated. There will, OF course, be large
amount of loud talk, in which some persons
are likely to utter considerable nonsense, in
spired by artificial stimulation of the brain,
rather an cool and sedato reason. They,
certainly, should not be re yarded as fit to give
advice on grave questions of politics, though
they are just the class of men who presume,
by noisy bluster and impudence, to control
the action Of wiser people, and who too fire.
quently succeed in their attempt. Any one
who has ever attended q political convention
to name candidates for Office must be aware Of
this. The smallest delegates in po Mt of sense
and sobriety, though the most powerful in
point of numbers aud selfassuranco, usually
manage, by underhanded plotting and secret
combination, to carry their projects, not only
against the counsels OF q minority of intelh
gent and honorable men, but also against the
true interests of their party and of the Com
monwealth at large.
I his evil should be corrected. The time
and it's issues are too critical to be trifed
with by indiscreet or corrupt persons, who
are generally much more solicitous for their
private advantage than for the public welfare.
And in this connection it is seriously to be
deplored that conventions called to choose
candidates for high and responsible positions.
cannot meet and act without being imperti
nently interiered with by vast crowd of sell
fish, ignorant, and intriguing individuals, who
arc mainly concerned to secure the nomina-
tion of some particular asprant whose spe-
cial friends they claim to be, and whom, if
successful, they intend to hold personally
bound to take care of them in the dispensa-
ton of his official patronage. These "wire-
pullers" work outside Of conventions with
their members, and sometimes work so effectu-
ally that a nomination is practically settled
before the first balloting has been commenced
The consequence, in effect, is, that what the
people have elected certain representatives to
do for them with due soberness and wisdom
is done in reality by promiscuous assem-
blage of scheming ofice-holders and Office
seekers, who have not been, and who perhaps
could not be, selected to make ticket for
any party.
We are now discussing general principle
of practical political &c onomy, and do not
direct our remarks to one set of persons more
than to another. The people of the whole
State are mutually interested to have its
affairs administered with the utmost possible
prudence and integrity; and hence they are
equally concerned, aside from all political differ
ences, to have an eminently capable and honest
Governor, whether he may belong to one party
or another. 1t is, therefore, the &dutyof both
of the conventions that are to meet at Harris
burg this week. to nominate, respectively, as
their candidates for the chief magistracy oil
the Commonwealth, thsir best man, in all re-
spects, regardless OF those bad influences
which designing men, outside of the conven-
tions, will bring to bear upon their delibera-
tions. And this advice should be speci.
ally needed now, because the fall cleo
LlOn ID uhely TO De not anO
close contest, In which the people
will probably look to their solid inte
rests as citizens, rather than be controlled by
their prejudices as political partisans merely
It is not to be concealed that the action O
the present Congress on vital questions o
national policy has wrought no inconsiderablC
change of sentiment and opinion in the popu
lar mind, as respects party obligations sim
ply. The people are not likely to be hel,
henceforth, very strongly and decidedly, b.
any such ties. The war is over, the Rebel
hon is crushed and questions which belon
to a state of peace are destined, from thi
time forth, to divide the voters OF the countr
in all electoral contests. Even party name
are not to be too implicitly relied upoI
Party conventions, therefore, cannot be to
careful what distinctive views of State an
National policy they enunciate, and whl