The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-06-30
S. G.
Sunday Morning, June 80, 1872.
Political Conventions.


Political Conventions.
Being now convinced that its bitter,
inconsistent and suspicious opposition
to the Cincinnati nominees has failed to
make the least impression upon che De
mocratic masses, and that the endorse
ment Of Greeley and Brown at Baltimore
is now beyond peradventure, the World
turns, as last resort, upon the makeup
OF the conventions and the abuses OF
political conventions in general. Much
Of what the World says about the con.
troll which intriguing politicians exercise
over such bodies is true. But tho evil
cannot be avoided. Nominating con-
ventions are necessity resulting from
the existence of political parties. The
prime object is to secure that unity of
action among the adherents OF any par
tioular party, without which they cannot
hope to succeed. when an active and
powerful party organization is opposed
to them.
The World charges that conventions
fail to represent the popular will. This
cannot be gainsaid. But conventions
do generally approximate the popular
will as near as may be. This is certainly
the case where the party convening is
out of power. Officials who have place
and patronage to give, and all that infiu-
ence which the possession OF power
exercises over men, may, if they are
unscrupulous enough to do it, pack
primary meetings and thus control con-
ventions. But where the party conven-
ing is out Of power, the only influence
which can be exerted is that which at
taches to the superior intelligence and
force Of character of individual men.
Now, in the instance of the Baltimore
Convention, we believe that the will of
the people will be more nearly expressed
than in any assemblage of the kind for a
long number OF years.
The Cincinnati Convention was pre-
sumably far better than the one at Phi
ladelphia, from the fact that the official
patronage and power which may have
and doubtless did sway the deliberations
OF the latter, did not exist in relation to
the former. The Cincinnati Convention,
in the matter of the platform, precisely
expressed the preconceived wishes of the
people, which gave rise to the Liberal
movement. In the nominations, how
ever. the will of majority of the people
who favored the Convention was neutral.
More individuals. perhaps, favored the
nomination of Mr.. Adams than of any
other particular man. But the people
we're not welded to any man specially.
Provided only he possessed the necessa-
ry qualifications of mind and character,
and. politically, was in sympathy with
the principles Of the new movement, the
majority of the masses did not mind
much whether the standard bearer should
be Mr.. Adams, Mr.. Greeley, Mr.. Trum-
bull, MIR. Brown. or any other good man.
They were willing to concede that to be
determined by the best judgment of the
delegates, with all the lights before them.
among one another.
With the Baltimore Convention, the
whole case is made up beforehand. The
question has been before the people
from the beginning, presented to them
through the press and discussed at the
primary meetings. Itwas whether Gree
ley and Brown should bo endorsed and
tho offer of cooperation made by the
Liberals accepted or not. The people
knew what was to be decided, and it is
the height of absurdity to imagine, as
the World charges, that majority
would have remained at home and al
lowed minority to manipulate their
party action. The Baltimore Conven-
tion will not only express the will of the
people in the principles it may lay down
or endorse, but also in the candidates it
will agree to support.
THE SoRR-HEADs DIE HARD.-Not
qRtiafipd Nth Tho ,kto, eo:1r,o bo;