The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-10-02
An Unreasonable Complaint.

An Unreasonable Complaint. 40;
The Ottowa Scotsman of Tuesday is unreaa-
onably affected about something which it
seems unable or unwilling to explain. The
Democratic party of La Sale county, in con-
vention assembled, has been guilty Of some
act that does not strike the oWners Of the
Statesman favorably. Said convention made
nominations for county officers that had not
been selected by the aforesaid oUners. The
Statesman throws out hints that the reason for
this contumacy on the part of the Democratic
Convention was, thatit was manipulated by q
"few lawyers around the square," 90 that its
action should " serve the interests of the re-
publican party" and the Statesman has found
that the democratic party is possessed OF a
"Court House Clique" who influence the &C
ton of the party greatly against the wishes
and interests of the aforesaid owners of the
Statesman, and so on.
Now the facts about this whole matter can
be given very briefly. When the Democratic
Central Committee met in Ottawa to decide
upon the propriety of calling county con-
vention and fix the time of its meeting, q
number of the Leaders of the Labor Union
party were present, ard fully understood that
the Democratic party would make nominal
tions. The committee informed these leaders
that they found the principles of the neo par
,y perfectly familiar to them, and had for
years cordially endorsed and protested them
as among the most cherished principles Of the
Democratic party. It is our understanding
that it was then and there perfectly under.
stood that, thus holding the same principles,
the two parties, in making their nominations,
would act in concert. and the Democratic
Committee went on and called their conven.
ton. @5i.
A few hours later, the same day, however,
few of the leaders Of the Labor party above
alluded to- now understanding fully the pur.
pose Of the Democratic Committee and ad-
vised of the day on which the Demo
cratic Convention was called, in the face of
the tacit understanding already alluded TO-,
called mass meeting of the Labor party
three days IN advance of the Democratic Con-
vention, saying virtually to the latter, "You
must either ratify our nominations, or we
will compass your defeat" In other words,
the said leaders said, eff we trust ourselves
in the hands Of the Democratic Convention,
what assurances have zoe (the aforesaid Lead
ers) Of being nominated9 Let us nominate
ourselves" 1t was called as mass conven.
ton. A mixed crowd of rs or 80 people as
sembled in the court house. whom the few
leaders of course found no difficulty in man.
ipulating to their purpose One of the post
ulates of the Labor party, in their platform,
is that "men should not seek Office, but that
offices should seek the men," On this occa-
sion the "offices sought the men" with ven
geance.
When the Democratic Convention, on the
following Tuesday. convened in the same
place, they had no idea but that the Labor
party of the county generally, having had no
part or lot in the little court house caucus
of the preceding Saturday, would regard
those nominations in no other light than as
recommendatory and proceeded to make
such nominations as convention fully repre-
senting every town in the county but one,
and desiring only to present strong ticket
that should command success, would natural
ly make. The nominees, or portion of them,
at least, OF the mass meeting" were on hand
resorting to every means in their power to Sc
cure double nomination They allowed
their names to go before the Democratic Con.
vention and they solicited votes from the del
egates. They had appointed as delegates to
that Convention, from some of the towns.
their own men, and contested for every NOM
ination. The Convention made its nomiua-
tons. About half the candidates nominated
by the mass meeting were placed upon the
ticket; the places of those omitted were filed
by men who certainly, in no Legitimate sense
can be Objectionable to the Labor party, and
it was honestly believed that the mass of both
parties, the leaders included, would be per-
fectiy satisfied with the ticket; and It was
not believed that those candidates who had
been honorably defeated in the Convention
would persist diahonora6ly in running for Of.
fee against the ticket nominated. als'
We have written this only In kindness, and
desire to be particularly understood that we
have no thought Of charging tho laboving msn
connected with the labor union party q