The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-04-29
The Primary Election

The following communication eAp'a.
,r W. .rc no, attached to any particular
man Of taking the sense OF the 'oocis. w
a.s;ro only that IL shall be ascertained I'D
some manner. The people are IN no humof
70 be .r;,lcd with. The success Of the Con-
scrystiyc ,nrty is too. important a naattcr 10
he sacrificed upon the shrine OF mere mo-
,yus. That success, we fear, will not be ours
,,nless we can satisfy the masses that they
are not to be cheated out Of their votes
hy the tricks of political iugslers. Justly
or unjustly, certain "rings,' SO ca"e",
arc charged with having heretofore o'''.."
the nominees of the Conservative ls''s: 1'o
such suspicion must attach 10 'f'e ',''i'''ses
this spring. II they run with such i" on'
b.,cing about them they will he d'sclnceu'
W. tnny If no means of Kidding the party
,s snch an incubus except primary cleo
t;or-c;tbcr for candidates or for delegates 10
tho nominating convention. We prefer the
tnr,,or. hI; tho latter would be much better
.h.n the nlan now. before the people, when
- moi only fable to the objection that it opens
the door to packed delegations, but actually
proytes for giving voter in one W;ua
almost twice as much strength IN the con.
ye11tion MS voter in another ward. WhaS
rood reason can be given for allowing
jackson Ward. which last fall cast an ave-
rage Conservative vote of about SOo, the
same number of delegates as Monroe, which
cast an average vote OF about 1,3OOf Is IL
not plain that the one ought to have thirteen
and the other eighth Suppose TINT one can
hidate receive in Convention the solid vote
of Jackson Ward and another the solid vote
of Monroe, is it not evident that 800 votes
will balance 1900? And what clamor an
independent candidate or a boiler could raise
over injustice so manifest.
We ask the Central Committee to reconSl-
der this subject. 1t is not too late to remedy
the evil. We may yet save ousclveS ifmcans
be adopted to assure the people OF voice IN
the nomination of candidates.
RICHMOND, VA, April 9th, 1872
To the Editors Of The Dispatch:
Your article OH rings and cliques in this
mornings paper touched upon subject OF
vital importance to the people of Richmond
at this time, and l hope you will continue ITS
discussion. There is q widespread opinion
that the convention plan of making nomina-
tons for municipal offices has been greatly
abused in this city. and we all know that it
has resulted more than once in the defeat OF
the popular wish in regard to candidates.
The clubs are not so much to blame, ina
cine. as most people think, but if they would
avoid suspicion they should take no part in
nominations, receive no pecunnry assistance
from candidates, and eontine themselves to
efforts TO register and poll the full strength of
the party. :,
bu, ..mitting that we have had packed
meetings hcretofnrei and that cliques ana
rings have too often been Successful, what Is
the remedy? You have answered the ques-
ton in proposing primary election. in
which every man having m interest in the
matter has voice, and no vote is thrown
away. But how shall it be conducted! /
suggest this plan:
Let the City Central Committee announce
that on Il certain night Qhen few can plead
business as an excuse for absence)-Say the |
night already named for the ward meetings
meetings will be held in the several wards for |
the purpose of nominating Conservative can- |
didatcs for municipal offices. Let each Of
these meetings be superintendent by three
discreet inspectors appointed by the City
Committee Let them be open for several
hours, the limits being previously announced, |
and during that time let all the Conservative
voters in the ward deposit their ballots for
the man whom they prefer for each office.
After the polls are closed the votes can lie
counted, and the result certified by the i'll
spectors to the City Committee. That COM
mittee can then meet OH the next day, can |
vass the returns from the several wards, and
announce the persons receiving the highest
number Of votes for each office 10 he the re-
gular nominees of the party.
What are the advantages of the plan thus
briefly outlined? First, the people them
selves make the nominations instead of ell
trusting the work to delegates whose prefer
ences are known to but few. Second, the
most popular men are bound to be nomi-
mated. Third, all talk of ''ring" and "club'
influence is silenced. Fourth, there can be
no independent candidates, for these gentle
men have an equal chance with others to
show their strength, and if they are not nom
mated they cannot complain. Can any OF
these advantages be claimed for the conven-
ton plan? s.a.
But if anybody has better scheme to pro-
pose, let us hear it at once. There must be Il
change or the decentralization Of the hitherto
victorious Conservative party is not only
possible, but probable. 1t is not too late for
the Central Committee to pr scribe another
plan Of making nominations. MONROE.