The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-15
LETTERS FROM SALEM.
SALEM. March I. 1872.

EDITOR NEW NORTHWEST:
You should have been at Salem yes
terday if you want an argument of the
ineapaeity of man to govern himself
without the honest and purifying infiu-
enee Of women.
Inc County Convention met and was
soon transformed into body of wooden
men. One hundred and seven men of
the delegates We're easily manipulated
and voted by the political sharps of Sa-
lem. There are only two paying (cor-
rupting) offices in the county, Sheriff
and Clerk. One of these sharpers had
thirty-six voters at his back; the other
had thirty, and the two combined their
forces and nominated themselves, and
all the officers of the meeting and Off
GERS of the county and the people, of
course, next summer will ratify their
fraud.
The Sheriff is man of family, and
perhaps does well enough but for the
corruption of his nomination. The
Clerk is a rich young man, who has no
wife or children, and has got rich off of
the public crib, while poor men, as well
qualified, and having large families to
maintain, We're overslOughed by this in
famous coalition. Neither one of these
men was the choice of the Convention
by themselves, but only small knot of
delegates; but by aggregating to them
selves the interests of others and their
own, they palm themselves upon the
community as its choice l am well
satisfied if women could vote that such
proceedings would be Indignantly
spurned, and such candidates, even if
nominated, would be rejected at the
polls.
What becomes of the boast of our peo-
pie, that in this Government ''the peo-
pie choose their own rulers?" The Off
ces might as well be stolen. What food
is there in such a country for the soul of
the patriot? Who would care to go
forth to the battlefield and peril life,
liberty or property for such a country or
such a people? For Gods sake hasten
the time when the ballot in better hands
shall save men from themselves.
OBSERVER.
SALEM, March IL, 1872.
EDITOR NEW NORTITwEsT:
a little more on the Salem COnven-
tion. Since making my last ''observa-
tion," / have been greatly amused and
edited by the remarks of dissatisfied
Republicans. They have caricatured
the leaders in the nominations for Sher-
iff and Clerk as the "Salem Tammany
Ring" Mallory is Boss Tweed. Knight
is Sweeney. Scott is Connolly, and
Murphy is Mayor Hall.
The pot is boiling terribly. Numbers
of Republicans swear they will scratch
the ticket or vote for good Republican
and Democrat for those offices. The
names of Jacob Conser, Democrat, fol
Sheriff, and Mr.. I4aughhead, Republi
can, for Clerk are freely talked of.
Many Republicans desire call of
new convention, in which an unbought
unsold and unpacked ticket may b
formed. Unless the dissatisfaction is i
some way healed, the county will no
be able to give two hundred Republica
majority on the general ticket, and tn
Sheriff and Clerk will be beat. 1t is fu
for the Democracy. Now to the rem
edy. When women can vote, how 500
these frantic and corrupt struggles fo
office will be removed, simply by put
ting those officers upon salaries, say {
twelve hundred dollars per year. GooC
competent men stand ready to tax
either of those offices at that figure
now worth five or six thousand pc
year, and which it takes burthensom
taxation to pay, and which the struggl
to possess shakes the county to its cer
ter and corrupts many men by il
temptation. OBSERVER.