Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-09

TME Necessity OR ORGANIZATION
CONVENTIONS, THEIR COON
AND ELL-CHEATHAMA AND JOHN
SON.
To the Editos or the Union and American:
WAYKRLY, TENN, Oct. s, 1S72.-The
Congressional contest for the State at large
Is at present, and from its inception has
been, attracting more attention and receiv-
ing larger share Of the public notice thar
any other issue or question before the PEG
pie Of Humphreys county. Believing that
there were others in the State Of more
legislative experiences and ability, and who
could command more Of the respect Of
Congress and the confidence of the people,
and believing that it was time when our
best and ablest statesmen should be called
out and elected to the Congress of the
United States, and believing that the coun-
try had the right to demand of such their
services for the public good, and that they
had no right torefuse to comply with such
demand, at such time, many Of our eiti-
zens were opposed TO the nomination of
Gen. Cheatham, when our State Conven-
ton met In Nashville, In August last. But
now, with Mr.. johnson In the field, in op-
position to the nominee of the Convention,
and with fair and reasonable prospect of
Democratic defeat and Radical triumph
in the November election for Congressman
at large from the State, powerful reaction
has taken place, and those who were the
most persistent opponents Of Gen. Cheat
ham before his nomination, are now his
warmest and most steadfast adherents.
There was, at one time, q widespread dispo-
sition upon the part Of the people Of this
county, to oppose man for no other rea-
son than that be was the nominee of con-
ventien, so prevalent was the idea that with
conventions were associated corruption,
misrepresentation OF the popular viii, frauds
upon the rights Of the people, and all the
greater and lesser evils with which the body
polite is now afflicted. That the popular
viii has now and then been disregarded In
times past by our conventional bodies Is q
fact too patent to admit decentralization and
viii be questioned by none who are at all IA
miliar with the manner In which they are
frequently manipulated and gerrymander-
cd. But then the people can blame no one
for this but themselves. They are or
should be always present when the prima-
ry meetings for the appointment of dele
gates to conventions are held; and II repre-
sentative men are not appointed, and the
popular expression is not needed, they
alone are at fault. Conventions are not
necessarily frauds upon the rights and pre-
negatives of the people. Politicians, not
withstanding ali that has been said and
written against them, cannot manage and
manipulate the primary meetings and con-
ventions at their own will and pleasure, II
the people were yigilant and wide awake 10
their interests. To concede that few pol
iticians in the counties can manage and
control the primary elections, and to grant
that few political tricksters and WIRE
workers can manipulate our conventions, Is
TO cOncede at once that the masses are not
capable Of self government; and when
ever we .concede this, our Representa-
tive form Of government at once resolves
Itself into an aristocracy; our free and
Democratic institutions dissolve into myth
and American freedom at once finds grave
in the popular expression and feelings ofth
American people. Granting, however, that
conventions, or rather the manner In which
they are managed, are wrong in practice;
granting that they sometimes do violence to
the popular will; granting that now and
then they are manipulated by the political
wire-workers in defiance of popular ex-
pressions, we must admit that there are
times when they are necessary for the sue
cess Of party, for the maintenance of prin-
ciple, and for the security and promotion of
the grand object and ultimate purpose OF
our system Of self government-the public
veal and the general good. And If there
was ever time in the history of Tennes-
see when conventions were necessary for
the attainment and contamination Of the
above grand objects, that time Is now. Our
enemies are wide awake and thoroughly
prepared to take advantage of our weak
nesses, our dissensions and divisions; and
unless we can heal the breach, which can
only be done by supporting the nominees
OF our conventions, it requires no person Of
prophetic ken TO foresee and foretell the in.
evtable result in November next. The
Radicals lost the Executive and Legislative
departments of our State Government
by suffering discussion and disafection
to creep into their organization. And
to-day, after the bitter experiences OF
the last ten years t he Democratic party
is playing and acting the same role, and i
viii be attended with the same result, if nc
change can be effected. In this county
the friends Of Mr.. johnson nowhere CLAIM
that he will or can beat Gen. Cheatham IL
the pending election. In fact many coneedt
that Chestham will receive the largest pop
ular vote; and yet, In the blindness OF thei
desperation and in the heat Of their oppo-
sition to and their prejudices against con
Ventions generally, they are recklessly sup
porting him, regardless OF, and supremel!
Indifferent as to the ultimate consequences
Hsuch men would only take time to think
If they would only view their acts in tn
light Of reason and probable contingencies
they would certainly halt, and change thei
course, ere it is too late. For the last ter
years the friends of Cheatham, in thi
county, have be5n willing and ready Il
stretch their hands across the blody chasm
and grasp those Of their Northern ant
Union brothers, In friendship and in peace
They are and have been since the war, ad
verse to re-opening and re-sgitation of TIL
political and social questions, that le
to and were settled By the re
suits of the late war. It is NO
because of his war record, or on old ante
bellum views that the friends Of Cheathan
in this county are opposed to Mr.. johnson
but it is because of deep, abiding an,
growing conviction that Mr.. Johnson, i
declaring himself q candidate for Congress
in opposition to the regular nominee of tn
Democratic party, ut this particular time
when so much depends upon unity an
harmony of action, has committed gres
wrong, which is not only endangering th
success of the party; but is striking at tn
peace of the people and the prosperity {
the State. III
You may set down Cheatham's msjorit
in Humphreys county at five hundred VoteI
r. LEoNIDAs.