Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-08-13
Nominating Conventions.

Nominating Conventions
Nominating Conventions constitute neces-
sary part of political party organization, as it
is only through conventions that the requisite
concentration to ensure success can be accom-
plished. Conventions should secure two OBJ
jects-the nomination and election of the men
best qualified for the Office and most acceptable
to the voters Of the district. To ensure the
nomination of the proper persons, the voters
should turn out in full strength at the Town
ship meetings for the election of delegates to
the conventions, SO that delegates may be elect
ed who will properly represent the sentiment Of
the majority, and thus prevent few active men,
who may have axes to grind from packing the
convention to subserve their own private and
selfish interests.
The voters should bear the fact in mind that
the election of delegates fixes the character of
the convention, and virtually determines the
nomination and election Of the candidates. 1t
is just at that point of time that the voters Of
the district have the whole control of the NOM
ination and election. IF they do their duty at
that time, they will have no reason to complain
Of the action Of the convention, for then the
convention will fairly represent their wishes
If they neglect to attend the Township elections
OF delegates, as they are too apt to do and al
low few to select delegates for them, and
those delegates misrepresent them, as would
most likely be the case, they will have much
cause OF complaint, but can reproach none but
themselves, for it will be the result of their own
remissness Of duty in neglecting to attend the
Township meetings.
They should make it point not only to at
tend these meetings, but to see that the best
men are elected delegates, and that such will
attend the convention. 1t is worse than USE
less to elect such as will not attend and fairly
represent their constituents. In these meetings,
they are frequently careless as to whom they
will elect as alternates, after electing the dele
gates This is a great mistake, for the delegates
may not attend, and then the alternates become
the delegates. Tricksters attend these meet
ings, and they nominate for delegates those
who would represent the Township fairly if they
would attend, but they know they will not at
tend, and then they secure the nomination Of
alternates whom they know will attend, and
whom they know will subserVe their selfish
purposes and vote to nominate their men.
The mass Of the voters are honest and unsus-
pecting and seeing that good delegates are
elected, they think the election of alternates is
of little consequence, and treat it as mere
matter of form OR empty compliment, and thus
give the artful trickster the opportunity te
cheat them. The voters should be active anc
vigilant at the Township elections, for there
they can control the result. IF they neglec
their duty to themselves at these Township
elections, they cannot repair it, for they become
responsible for the action of their delegates anG
all are bound to abide the action of the conven
tion-those who were not members as we'll al
those who were, and those who did not attend
the Township meetings as we'll as those wht
did. Those who fail to attend the Township
meetings are estopped from uttering any com
plants Of the action of their delegates.
A letter from Harrisonburg, Va, in the Bal
timore American says 1.-THE interest mani
tested by the capitalists of this portion of Vir
GINA, as well as the citizens in general, in ref
erence to the construction of the Washington
Cincinnati and ST. Louis Railroad, more gener
ally as the Narrow Guage Road, is increasing
and have no hesitancy in asserting that tn,
contemplated road is fixed fact ground will
be broken possibly this fall.
SAD ACCIDENT In Bedford county, On las
Tuesday, as We learn the Liberty Neus, young
Galloway, the eldest son of Mrs. j. w. Harris
undertook to drive wagon out to the wheat
field, when the horses ran away, and he was
thrown out, the wheels passing over his breast
crushing one lung and iniuring the other. He
fingered In great pain until Thursday, wher
death ensued.
A terrible tornado and hail-storm passed owe
Harrisburg, Pa, on last Monday night, carry
ing off the roof of the State Capitol Hotel
Braudt's hall, and many private buildings
Hundreds Of trees were blown down and thou
sands of panes Of glass broken. The track O.
the tornado was one mile wide
Speaking of an election held in Westchestel
county, New York, last Fall, the Morrisians
Times, a Grant paper, says: "We thought We
had elected Republican ticket last Fall, bu
Nc SVNoo LII" NC WCIo ulSUdk0u. AL Ile
parties then elected have gone over to Greeley
and Brown.
The GRANTEES are letting themselves dowr
quietly, since their wrestle with the Greeley
party In North Carolina did l hurt yo,
much Jimmy 2" said one Irishman to anothe,
after he had thrown his competitor severely tt
the ground. 20 not much-you only broke
my arm !"
Only lastyear the Radicals carried the STATE
of North Carolina by 9,345, on test vote fol-
changing the constitution, and Grant had re-
ceived majority of II, 1856 for President This
was the numerical capital, upon which the Ad
ministration started, in the contest Just closed.
Edmund T. Winston we'll known merchant
of Richmond Va, died at the White Sulpuul
Springs w. Va, On the Sth inst.
1t is thought that the labors of the Geneva
tribunal will be brought to satisfactory con-
clusion by the 18th of September