Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-10-22
Address Adopted by the Republican Mass
County Convention at Lancaster, October
18th. 1867.

In order that the actlon OF this Mass
Convention shall not be misunder-
stood nor misrepresented we present
the following reasons for the course
we have adopted
Upon the adjournment OF the late
delegate county Convention dissatis-
faction with its results was deeply
felt, and openly expressed By prom
inent Republicans in all parts of
the County. 1t was claimed that in
one instance a man bad been nomina.
ted whose loyalty and qualifications
were not proved, and whose fealty
to our party was doubtful, and WHO
had never been soldier, And that
he had been SO nominated over a
Wounded soldier, whose qualifications
were unquestioned, and whose chars
acter was without reproach, in total
disregard of Tho Oft repeated pledges
of the Republican party 10 the sol-
dicrs OF the Unioa. And it was claim.
ed furtAer that men bad been placed
upon the County Central Committee
whose conversion To Republican prin
ciples, il it had taken place at all, was
so recent as to furnish no sufficient
guaranty Of its genuineness, thus
practically placing the party orgaui,
cation in the hands Of its enemies--
Ii this dissatisfaction was well found
ed; II these wrongs had really been
done to the true and tried Republic
can voters Of the county, it was evil
dent that somethin4 ought TO be
done. These things could not be pa
tiently oorne, because they were
blows aimed at the life OF our party,
and ut the supremacy OF the princi>
pies it adocateS II could not be that
in such a state OF things the people
were without 4 rem .dy. The power
TO depose man thus forced upon the
party must exist somewhere. ifnot,
if in truth we have nothing left to do
after the making of nomination but
to vote for the man nominated. what
ever may be his character or qnalih.
cations, then, indeed our whole poll
teal system is failure, and our elec-
lions farce and mockery Our
county would be governed, not by
the people, but by an oligarchy, a
'closc corporation" composed OF the
few political Il ickstcrs who would
bold in their hands the party machin
cry, and whose DEGREES made and
promulgated by means of that machin-
cry would be as completely despotic
rs those OF the Sultan OF Turkey.
We believe that the people rule
That in electing delegates to attend
party convention for any purpose
they do not place in the hands of
those delegates all their power
That they always reserve the right
and power TO criticise and, if they
think best, annul the action of those
delegates. Ordinarily this power
has been exercised by each citizen
for himself at the polls, by ''scratch>
ing" the name of any obnoxious per-
son from his ballot. This course is
Objectionable, because such scatter>
ing, disorganized effort can never
work any practical good, and because
every such ''scratched" ballot is prac
tically vote for our political OPP
ponents.
Some better way of correcting er-
rors in nominations is indispensable.
Some method by which organized
effort can be directed to redressing
those wrongs.
Thus far no better way has been
suggested than the one we have here
adopted.
This is a meeting OF the people
/ themselves. 1t has been called to-
gether ut the request of large nuns
Der of the voters of the County
Due notice Of the time and place of
meeting has been published It's
doors have been closed to none
We the voters of the County, who
are thus assembled have considered
the action of our servants the dele>
gates who composed the late conven,
ton, and in view Of the total dsre-
gard Of the claims of the soldiers then
manifested; of the tricks perpetratcd
in the composition and organization
of that convention; of the fact that
one of the nominees of that conven>
ton is ut present holding and draws
ing che salary for County Office, the
duties of which are absolutely incom.
patible, with those of Senator from
this county, and that the other is a
man whose record during the war is
dlscreditabie, whose republicanism is
not proved, and whose qualifications
are evidently insufficient; and of the
fact that two of the persons appoint.
ed upon the County Central Commit
tee, Messrs. Dewey and Bennett are
such very recent adherents to the
Republican party, we believe that
theintercsts of our party,the suprem-
acy of its principles, and an honest
adherence to its pledges, demanded a
modification OF the action ofthat con-
vention
Believing Ibis, we have placed in
nomination for Senator, Allen Tay-
Tor, an old and well known citizen of
the county, man of ability, educa
ton and legislative experience, whose
devotion to our principles is lifelong,
and who moreover served in the
ranks as a soldier of the Union. We
have endorsed the action of the
Teachers of the Co, in nominating
d. Gray Purman, for reelection to
fill the office be has so honorably I'LL"
ed, and to which his honorable sears
obtained in the service Of his country
as soldier, give him paramount
claims And we have removed from |
the county central committee, those
men whose adherence to our princtp>
les has been so brief, and have placed
in their stead, men whose Republi-
canism is nnquestioned. And finally |
VIC confidently appeal to you 10 en-
dorse our proceedings at the polls.
Motion made and carried to adjourn.
MILES X YOUNG, Chair n.
y y d +, n.sPlAvA' Secretaries.
DIED AMONG STRANGERs.-Died in |