, 1869-03-12

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on the theory that the people are the sover-
egu repository of powrr-the source of all
authority. This principle lay at the .fOuoda-
tion Of the American revolution, aud is em.
bodied and set forth 10 the Declaration Of
Independence. That instrument declares
that whenever any government becomes de
structive of he ends for which it is instituted,
it is the right Of the people to throw it Of
and establish such new forms as tu them may
seem best calculated to secure them. It is
true the National Constitution vas NOT sub>
United to direct vote Of the people. 1t was
adopted by the States, yet the Conventions
raiiying the same were ch sen directly by
the people. But while this is the theory
upon which our political fabric rests, Of late
years the practice has been to cheat the peo
ple out Of a VUiee 10 the selection Of their
public servants. Indeed, the tendency has
been to reverse the order Of things and make
the people the servants and their public
agents the masters Since the radical party
came into power it has been the aim Of It's
leaders to so hedge in the popular will by
cunningly devised expedients as to make the
minority rule the majority, aud the officials,
both. Take the case of Tennessee. There
some hundred thousand white voters are dis
franchised while minority of negroes and
whires rule the State. The same is the case
in Missouri, One third of the people Of that
State rule two thirds. But it is not By such
hagrant outrages as these that power has
been gradually going from the hands Of the
many to those Of the few. By means of
packed conventions Incompetent men are
nominated for office, who. looking upon the
wire pullerS as their constituents, forget the
people and work alone for th' ir special inter-
rsts. 1t is true, under the convention sys,
tenn, the penple elect the members, but after
these are chosen, ten to one they go back on
the electors aud Illuminate men distasteful to
The party. In this county especially hes such
beeu the case. A few party managers, ever
active and vigilant, so put up the Political
cards, that the game is all in their own
hands. Indeed, our conventions have been
20 manipulated by rings and cliques that
nuthing short Of be strictest parry discipline
aud large impurities have enabled us to elect
our men. Such has been the case more or
less elsewhere, aud hence it is that efforts
have been made to 50 Incorporate the pe,-
pie" that they shall have direct voice 10
the selection ot party nominees"
As illustrating the manner in which the
voice OF the people is stiAed, take the FIRST
appointment made BY the County Central
Committee, and We find that Eve precincts
which in the aggregate pOled l54 democratic
votes, we're cutilled to rlrct sixteen deIeyut-r
to convention composed Of thirty-one mem
bers, whilst The Eve remaining precincts, with
democratic vote Of 452, were allowed but
i43 delegates. On the popular vote the
hve preciucls that we're to elect sixteen dele.
gates bad, according TO the returns, but 8I5
Voters, while the precincts restricted to l43
delegates, footed up 773 voters. Il will be
seen frou these figures that by the manipu
lations of the Committee considerably less
than Que third the voters are enubled to con
troll the nomiOatiOns and dictate TO the two.
thirds and over who shall huId the oEicr..
We are quite sure that the nsjority Of the
c'mmIttee never contemplated fraud Of this
character, and that the result vas solely
brought about by the skillful wire-9orkIngs
OF the ehuirman, who regards the secou.
Pllshnent Of bis own selfish ends az Of i66.
nItely more inp0rtancs than tho success Of
democratic principles. As soon a. q majority
OF the committee became aware Of the mis-.
take they had made they came together, aud
like honest men repaired. as far as they could.
the wrong. But this arrangement does not
meet the views Of the wire pulers," and a.
the time we write they arc again engaged 10
endeaVoring to get the committee together.
with the avoWed purpose Of having the ap-
Portlonment so put up" as to give less
than One-third the voters of the county con
troll OF tbs nominating convention. We write
this fur the purpose Of warning the leaders in
this movement that no such arrangement can
vim. The endorsement of packed cuo.
Vention will not be worth the uaper ON
which 1t is written, and those Who exl,eur t,
steal into Office by mu1zIing the popular
'OiOe. will 6nd in the sDd that even in poIi
tics "hOnssty Is the bss. policy" We write
'os-s words reluctantly, and oaly for the
'easo' that We are profoundly Impressed
h.. ku.le. ~. .n