Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-07-30
CONVERSATIONAL CONVENTION.

Nothing perhaps illustrates the relaxation
of all discipline in. the Democratic>C onserva-
tive party of this State more .strikipgly than
the facility with which its most authoritative
and deliberstive arrangements are. sought to
be set aside atfthe mere suggestion Of some
village newspaper. The Parkersbuzg Con-
vention appointed the 9Th Of September as
the time, and the town Of Grafton as the place,
for holding the Convention to nominste can>
didate to represent this District in the Con-
gress of the United States. The fact was
made known throughout the District, and the
Executive Committees of the different coun>
ties composing it, as we'll as the people, con-
sidering the time and place as fixed, have
made arrangements for sending delegates then
and there to be held-when 10 meeting
is held in the county of Preston-being only
one of the II counties of the District in
which it is proposed, i. is said, with the con-
currence of three of the candidates, there
being not less than flee in the field, to change
this arrangement, sanctioned as it has been BY
| the whole district, and to alter the time for
holding the Convention, the 9Th of August!
And forthwith the Martinsburg Era, the
avowed advocate of one of the candidates, de-
clares its approval of the change and 'sas one
| speaking by authority" issues its mundate in
the following words-"So be it understood
that the Congressional Convention will assem-
bic at Grafton on Thursday, the SM of Au-
! gust merit" Now without stopping to expose
| A. Al. II
people of Preston, or of any other one county
| of the District, even when backed BY, the
"Martinsburg Era, to exercise any such pow>
CT. or to show its fatal effects, if conceded upon
all party organization and discipline we OBJ
Ject to the proposed change purely and solely
upon the ground of expediency and convent
ence. And first, it will be observed, that
while this county lies Immediately upon the
| great thoroughfair of communication with the
county of Preston, neither the press, nor the
people of this county, was apprised of the ac-
ton of the Preston meeting until Thursday
| last; and we were indebted for tho informa-
| ton then. to the Martinsburg Era the only
| paper that has yet reached us having any &C.
! count of the meeting. 1t is scarcely neces-
sary to say that if the proposed change had
! been approved by those in charge of the party
| organization hero, there would not have been
time to assemble the Executive Committee
| and to mako the necessary arrangements for
! the meetings Of the people in the different
townships to send delegates to County Con-
ventiop; and for this last body to meet aud APP
point deputies to the Congressional Convene
| ton by the 9Th of August. IF this be true
in regard to this county, how is it in respect
to the people of the other counties of the Dis
trict, some of which arc at the distance of 80
miles from all railroad connection with Gran
bury Station, the place where the Preston
meeting was held: 1t is obvious that the
people of those counties could not have been
apprised of the proposed change in time to
send delegates to represent them in Cons
vention held at Grafton, as early as the 9th of
| August. The consequence must inevitably
be that any Convention which may be assem-
bled there on that day must fail to embrace
full delegation from all the counties entitled
to be represented
Now, however a nomination made by such
convention might suit the purpose of the
candidate nominated we hazard nothing
in saying that it would be fatal to the
prospects of the party in this part of the Dis
trct. The ties of the party fealty have been
already sor far relaxed if not severed by re-
cent events that it would be idle to expect
united party vote for any candidate whose
claims to their suffrages depends upon such
nomination. And now let us see what are
the alleged reasons for this change in the
time of holding the Congressional Convention.
The Martinsburg Era tells US that it is me-
cessary in order that we should have
candidate in the field to be voted for at the
general election for State officers to be held
under the new Constitution on the end of
august; That the Radical party proposes to
run a candidate to be voted for at that cleo
ton and that if we have no candidate and al
low the election to go by default the Radical
Congress will decide that to have been the
proper time for the election and give the seat
to the member then elected, instead of our
candidate if we should elect him on the third
Thursday of October; the time when we think
the election for members of Congress in this
State ought pr rperly to be held. And to guard
against this, it is proposed that we shall have
two elections, one on the 22nd of August and
. the other on the third Thursday in October
so that the Radical Congress, which it must
be presumed will do wrong, if it has the op-
portunity. will be obliged to declare in favor
of our member, as it will then be seen that
he has been elected at both elections. Now