American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-05-15
Communications.


1
the people is held to be supreme. Hence
it IS, that when new questions arise in
the administration Of public affairs, upon
which difference of opinion is euter-
tanned by the different departments of
the government, an appeal is usually
made to the people at the annual elec>
tions; and their decision is generally
considered binding upon all good citi-
zens AS an instance of this, we have
the case of the disagreement between the
I President and Congress on the recon
struction question. On this question
many were disposed to stand by the
Executive who, nevertheless, felt bound
to yield their individual opinions for the
aggregate sentiment of tho country
Upon the same principle rests the action
of the political parties of the country
Such parties are eminendy necessary in
a Republican Government, for the pur,
pose of giving force and power to the
sentiment Of the masses of the people
Like the government of the country, its
parties act through representative bodies.
The conventions of party, county, State
and national, composed as they are of del.
egates, chosen by the people, are its
Legislature. They, from time to time,
adopt such rules of action as may be
thought best adapted to tire necessities
of the case, or best calculated to advance
the popular will.
In an early period of our history it
was customary to call county m ass con-
vention to nominate ticket to be sup
ported by the party at the fall election.
Soon this mode Of procedure was found
no. to reflect the popular will Then the
delegate system was reached. In some
parts it still remains but in others, as in
our own county, the popular vote has
been finally adopted as the safer and more
democratic mode of action. | refer to
these facts to show that political party
has the right, whenever there seems to be
a necessity for it, to modify its rules of
action, or to adopt such new ones as the
case seems to require. My main object
in writing now is to suggest another i'm,
provement.
BY the Constitution of the United
States, it is directed that U. s.
Senators shall be elected by the Legis.
latures Of the several States. A provis
ion in our own Constitution provides that
our State Treasurer be similarly elected.
OF course, when these provisions were
respectively adopted, it was believed that
the Legislature in this, as in all other
matters, would reflect the popular will
This, however, time has demonstrated to
be a great delusion 1t is not an open
question, but fact in the history of the
country that the voice of the people was
achOiy disregarded n the late election of
our United States Senator. Aud refer
to this fact only for the purpose of illus
trating that, if the people desire to have
any voice in this matter in the future,
they must adopt some new. mode of en-.
forcing their will. Nor is the annual
e,ectiou of State Treasurer any more an
act Of the people than that of United
States Senator. The question then
ar ses, how can this state of things be
remedied? The answer to this inquiry,
on first thought, would be, fby amend
ing the State and National Constitution
so as to require the election of both these
officers by the people, by direct vote
This, however, would be the work of
time, A much speedier method may be
had through party action. At any rate
there can be no harm in making the
effort. This subject was introduced to
your readers some time since. For the
purpose of bringing it fairly before the
people now, | suggest that at our forth
coming convention we elect delegate to
the State convention charged with the
duty Of pressing the adoption of the fol-
lowing resolution upon its consideration
Resolued, That the State Executive
Committee, this day constituted, when
issuing the call for the next annual State
convention, in addition to the other busi-
ness submitted to said convention, shall
require the people to send their delegates
ins .rueted to put in nomination one can
didate for State Treasurer and one cans
d late for United States Senator"
The adoption of the foregoing resolu>
tion would settle the whole matter. Some
directions might be given as to reason
able notice of the calling of said couven-
ton, so as to prevent surprise on the
people. ,,
Let convention thus called, meet and
put these candidates in nomination, and
all will be we'll. But, say some, there
is no warrant in the Constitution for this
proceeding. and the Legislature might !