Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-11-12
THE CoNSTTTUTIONAL CON,
VENTION.
Who shall Represent as, and How
They shall be Chosen "a Can~

Who shall Represent US, and How
They shall be Chosen as Cam
didateS.
To the Editors OF The union snd American:
On the second Saturday of December
about month hence-the people of the
State viii be required TO elect delegates
to a State constitutional conventlon-the
most important body which has assem-
bled in Tennessee for many years-per.
haps the most important that ever met in
the State. The contention Of 1876 and
that of 1884, also, had only to deal with
questions OF organic law, as they present
ed themselves on peace basis. On this
body viii be devolyed the duty of revising
the State Constitution, after the ordeal of
fearful civil war, and of conforming it
to the moral and material changes which
the body polite has undergone in that ex-
perience. No more onerous responsible
ty ever rested on the delegates of q free
people. 1t cannot be over-estimated, and
the people should be deeply impressed
with the fact. Especially should the peo-
pie of Nashville and Davidson county
the political, commercial and social me
tropolis of the State-recogniZe this fact,
and send delegation of the proper sort
A seat in such body will be high
honor, but 1t Is one not to be sought for,
directly or Indirectly, by any individual
To canvass for 1t on the hastings, OF
through the press, after the manner of
candidates for the General Assembly,
would be to degrade the position. 1t Is to
be hoped this viii not be done in this or
any other county of the State.
1t is probable that the body win be so
constituted that the people of this county
will be called to vote for three members
or delegates, two representatives proper,
and foater from Davidson, Robertson,
Montgomery and Cheatham counties
The writer does not propose to suggest
names. A public meeting should be held
on the last Saturday of this month to
which all the people should be invited.
A committee of one from each ward of
the city and civil district Of the county
should be selected In such mode as the
meeting may prescribe, who should retire
and choose two suitable men, neither of
whom should be less than 30 nor more
than 70 years of age, and the report of
such a committee should be unanimously
adopted by the meeting, and accepted by
the people. The action of this public
meeting should supersede hesspirstions of
every individual, and the voters should
early and unmistakably manifest such to
be their determination If some such
plan is not adopted, we viii either have
scrub race before the people, or the Jug.
eli Of nit oil af
tendants of a canvass, with the risk that
the best qualified and adapted persons
win not be elected.
For the selection of the hoateriai candi-
date, the public meetings in each county
of the district should choose a delegation
Of six men to meet at the most central
point in the district, Springfield for In
stance, or at Nashville or GAINESVILLE, the
same number of delegates from the other
counties, and these should be empowered
to choose a candidate, who should be at
once accepted by all.
The chief object, Messrs. Editors, Of
these suggestions is to prevent ground
scufie for these important posts. There
are not less than twenty, and perhaps
double the number, of men between 81
and SO years of age, who are now look
ing forward No matter of what profes-
sion or vocation, nor what their talents,
not one of them should be chosen Neither
should superannuated men, no matter
what their supposed qualifications, be Sc
lected. They should be men in the vigor
of life, who combine natural ability, ae-
quired learning, and experience in public
business, or at least knowledge Of il, at
tanned by reading and study.
Dick, Tom and Harry, neither because
they are popular, clever fellows, nor be-
cause they can speak in public, nor be-
cause they are favorites of g special in
terest, nor because they, or their friends
for them, can prevail upon oyer-courteous
editors to publish calls upon them from
"Citizen, " Many Voters, " "Vox Pop
uli,r or any oJher fictitious parsonage,
are qualified. In fact these are priTo
facie proofs of lack of qualification.
This is one time when the Office should
seek the man, and it is hoped that you
and the editors of the Republican Ban
ner will not hesitate to speak out promptly
and frankly. SoNERs.