Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-05-09
CONVENTION CALLED.

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lion, to be held June 17th, ensuing The call
has been timely made. and itnow remains with
our party brethren throughout the Territory
| to perform their ft and allotted parts in the
programme Of the campaign SO far blocked out.
The recommendation by the Committee in ref
erence to the formation of Democratic Clubs
in each precinct or camp is especially worthy
of the attention of every citizen who hopes TO
see the corrupt and usurping party, which is
now enthroned in paramount authority at
Washington, hurled from its stronghold by the
mighty power Of the people, and who desire
the restoration of good, equal. free, and eenu-
inc republican form of government in the land.
All good Democrats viii heartily approve
the basis adopted by the Committee in regard
to the qualifications required to constitute
voter at the primary election for delegates to
the Convention. 1t is in accordance with the.
old-time usages of the Democratic party, es-
tablished before the days of sharp and doubt
full political machinery, and Is now being al
most universally adopted throughout the whole
country. 1t is the true principle OF represent
alton, for it gives the just aud exact quota of
voice in all that appertains to the preliminary
and final movements aud accomplishments
within or by the party. to each and every one
alike. 1t accepts the word of honor of the
voter that he will abide and sustain the action
of the party in the campaign, and he who yio-
lates this pledge of genuine manliness, cannot
be bound by any other, in which his action is
left untrammeled. except through the influence
of fear, or dshonor, or in some other way
which is linked with unworthy motives or cor
rupt ends.
But there is one matter in which we think
the Committee exceeded the limit of their au-
thority. We refer to the resolution which un-
dertakes to prescribe rules concerning dele
gates. and the admission OF proxy voters in the
Convention. In the first place it 10 well enough
to remind those who may differ with Us in this
matter that the Committee is n subordinate,
limited executive body, aud not legislative
or governing body. Democratic Conventions
establish the party rules and regulations. and
the prescribed duty OF the Central Committees
is simply to administer and execute that which
the Convention (out Of which the Committee
sprung) shall have dictated or authorized the
Committee to perform. Now. it is rule, rs
old almost as delberatiya assemblies, that bod
les of the character Of a Convention shall be
the Judges Of their own members. Agreeably
TO this established rule the Committee erred.
in thus undertaking to usurp TO that body the
exercise OF an authority which belongs only to
the Convention. But there Is yet another rule
which governs the case. that may be- mentioned
particularly, although the rule laid down above
generally expresses the same Judgment. The
agent cannot 60 beyond the limit of authority
prescribed by the principal. The authority
held by the present Territorial Central Com.
mittee is only that which it derived from the
paramount body-the Convention Of 1856
the measure Of its powers is the chart which
came to it from that Convention. An exami-
nation of the proceedings of the Convention
of that year, or, for that matter, of any pre-
vious year, will show that the authority Of the
Central Committee has been limited to fix.
ing tho time for the calling of all usual or cx-
traordinary Conventions oil the party nrrang-
ing the apportionment [agreeably to precedent
or rule prescribed by the Convention, howev-
or, and with no power to change The system /;
to declare the qualification of voters at the
primaries and to fill vacancies in their own
body. These are the prescribed duties Of the
Committee, beyond which, in the matter of
dicta, they cannot 60. They can suggest or
recommend, but they cannot enact rules tn
govern the party in affairs to ensue. This
power rests alone in the Convention.
Indeed, the Committee, while they adopted
the Objectionable resolution relative to dele.
gates and proxies, in the very next act seemed
to be aware that they could not depart from
the bounds imposed by the Convention. They
were obliged to make the vote for Mr.. Hol.
brook In 1866 the basis Of apportionmcnt. In
TINT year the Democratic vote in Ada county
was much smaller than was the Democratic
vote Of that county in their local election last
! year. Yet the Committee could not properly
take cognizance of these facts They were
obliged. no matter what their opposition, Ia
nm h a fI,a Ear Ala a. thar d,d