The Van Buren press., 1871-07-25
The Van Buren, Press,
VAN BUREN,. ARKANsAs.
DEMOCRACY.
Address of the Democratic Conservative
State Central Committee to the DEM
ocratic and Conservative People
of Arkansas.

policy about which tnefe was uiueIehCe
Of opinion in the party, aud especially
that concerning the time of holding a
State Convention, the Central Committee
recently invited the several cOngression.
al district committees to meet with them
in Joint convention for counsel and con.
suitation. That convention was held
on the 10th instant, all the committee:
being present in full representation and
through its wise deliberations and re-
suits arrived at. which. If they do not re.
fleet the unanimous sentiments OF the
party, it is hoped aud confidently believ-
cd, will be chesrfully accepted and ac-
quiesced in by every member who has
the good Of the party and his country at
heart
1t was the opinion ofa majority Of the
district committees, and finally acquiesced
in by unanimous vote of all, that 1t
would be inexpedient and unwiss to call
a State convention until after the Nation
al Democratic Committee had published
a call for the meeting Of national con-
vention to inaugurate the campaign OF
1872. Accepting the declaration OF that
opinion as rejecting the predominant
views and sentiments Of the party, we
have accordingly declared it inexpedlent
to call State convention for the present.
In regard to the matter Of promulga
ting platform, the convention, though
recommending a favorable consideration
of the platforms recently adopted by the
democracy of Ohio and Pennsylvania,
wisely declared that it was not lawful or
expedent for either the Central or Dis
trict Committees to provide platform
of principles for the party-that right
and privilege being within the ercius'ee
province Of the national and State con
ventons. Fully coinciding in the cor
rectness Of that opinion, we shall not at
tempt to forestall public opinion, or go
in advance Of the authoritative dcclara-
tons Of the party, by asserting any new
doctrine or laying down any new lins OF
policy, in reference to federal politics, at
variance with the previously declared
principles of the party; deeming 1t the
better and safer course to leave the peo-
pie and press perfectly free and untram-
melled to discuss any and all new issues
that may have arisen, and which are to
be regarded as open question S, until such
time rs the party shall meet in national
convention and promulgate a platform
for the governance of the party, satisfied,
as we are that in the assembled wisdom
and patriotism Of the approaching na-
tional convention Of our party, composed
as it will be Of delegates coming from
every section and representing every IN
terest Of our broad land and union, all
animated by the same lofty sentiments OF
patriotism and love for pure republican
government and constitutional liberty
all sharing in the same common sense of
common danger, and impressed with
the same common convictions OF the alb
solute necessity for a speedy deliverance
from the dangers that threaten to engulf
us all in one common ruin, that such
wise, temperate, prudent and conside-ate
counsels will prevail as will result in the
adoption of a platform entirely accept
able to the whole party, and upon which
we can all stand without any surrender
or compromise Of principle or honor and
wage a successful warfare against the
common enemy. radicahsm.
| Our province and our duties arc not OF
a Igisldttee but purely OF executive
character 1t is our business AMI duty
not to make platforms, but to aid, direct
and assist in the organization Of the par.
~. And it is in the discharge of that
dutv and the iIurtherance Of that good and
important work, that va would now in
woke the attention and enlist he earnest,
active and untiring efforts and co-opSra
ton Of each and every individual mem
ber Of the party The work or organiza.
ton is now the one great duty that lies
before us. We need not trouble ourselves
so much about the making OF platform
that is a matter which will bc sure to
be properly taken care Of; but the work
of organizing and bringing out our full
strength, and dsposing OF our forces to
the very best possible advantage for the
next campaign is, pre- eminently and ex
clusively, a work Of our own, which we,
ourse'ues, must do by ourselves, and for
ourselves alone, without any help from
others, or succor from abroad
| We know that many Of our friends are
so dspirited and discouraged blythe pre-
vious infamous conduct Of the corrupt,
unscrupuous and unprincipled party in
power, in heretofore defeating, by force,
fraud and forgery. anything like fair ex.
preston Of public sentiment through the
ballot box, as to be almost hopeless OF
success in any future contest with that
despotic and tyrrannic power. But in
connection with this matter, it is con.
sideration which ought greatly to cncour.
age us in the work Of re-organizing for
another campaign to know that demo.
cratic and conservative party have never
heretofore exerted their full strength, or
been fully aroused in any of their pre-
conflicts with the radical party. 1t is true
that we have always polled votes enough,
had they been fairly and honestly count
ed, to beat the enemy in every election
held in the State since the commence
mept Of reconstruction but II is also
true that we have never polled anything
like our full vote, or exerted barely more
than one half Of our full strength. We,
therefore, do not know what VIC can do
until we try to do our best, nor what viii
be the effect upon our adversarics when
VIC arise in the full might and majesty OF
our power and strike with all the concen.
trated strength. and vigor of our united
and combined will and energies. Were
we TO poll, or attempt 10 register and poll,
LII R.tt he