Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-08-31
THE CREATURE OF A CONvENTFO
REPUDIATING ITS CREATOR


THE CREATURE OF A CONvENTEO
REPUDIATING ms CREATOR
Andrew johnson is about 10 demon
strate to the people Of Tennessee nov
easy it is for a political demagogue t
kick over the ladder by which he as
eends TO place and power. Andrev
johnson is the creature Of party con
~ventions. For thirty years he has use,
the system to advance his own selfish
and Unsuitable ambition; and now tina
it no longer ~subserves his purposes b,
proposes to cast off the squeezed lemon
He has been elected to Congress, Gov
ernOr Of Tennessee, to the Senate Of tb,
United States, and to the Vice-Presi.
dency by the fundamentally Of conven.
tons; and now because the people o
Tennessee assembled in State COnven-
ton would not strike down a favorite
son TO whom she owed a long postponed
debt Of gratitude and again crafty John
sons inordinate ambition, he COM
mences a savage crusade upon the the
system that he has so long used to
promote a greediness for Office, which j
seems impossible to appease or satisfy.
According to the new teachings Of MI.
johnson, he has been acting contrary 10
his convictions Of public duty, by ac-
cepting the nominations of conventions,
during the whole of his public career,
The convention system has stood the
tests Of scrutiny and opposition from
soreheads and disappointed Ofhce-seek-
ers since the day that Andrew Jackson
was made a candidate for the Presiden-
cy. It has defeated and driven into re-
tirement and obscurity the little crea-
lures who assailed it because it failed to.
crafty unworty ambition. The system
has indicated itself by its results. Its
behests have been ratified by the peo-
pie at the ballOt-bOX; its nominees have
received the support Of the country; and
now, that one of those who has received
his chief honOrs from its machinery,
and who has successfully been elected
to the highest positions within the gift
Of the people Of Tennessee, after hav-
ing accepted the nominations Of party
conventions, turns around and casts
upon this system his contempt. An
drew johnson, judging from his present
war upon the convention system, evil
IDENTIFY suppOses himself to be a man
who has attained Z distinction and
power by the mate force Of his great
ness and virtue. We eoneede to him
much ability-some virtues. But he is
evidently ignorant of the alphabet Of
his own success. Without the Demo
cratic party, Andrew johnson would
now be tOiling, Ike the mass of his fell
low-citizens, in private occupations.
And without the convention system,
we are free TO say that the Demo
cratic party would not now be in exist
The convention system is Just
as necessary to party organization as
discipline is to the efficiency Of an army.
Mr.. johnson has assembled to the
giddy nights Of power and eminence by I
the ladder Of conventions, and after
attained TO the elevation which
be now holds, be essays to kick from
under him the fundamentally by which
be has assembled. Let him beware lest
be find it necessary to descend to the
evel Of the people again, and, finding
only prop gone, meet with a most
,recipitous descent Mr.. johnson
avs that the men who compose these
.o~nventions are generally without stand
ng at home. We would suggest to him
the members of conventions, usu-
lily, have as much standing and re-
as the Governors, Senators +
nd other officers they Manufacture. m /.
smuch as the creature cannot be better |
han the creator. He also denies the .
onstitutionality Of conventions dietat- !
ng who shall be the President :
Did it e occur to him that |
'hen the people vote for the NOM {
nee of a convention, they do 1t freely. !
oluntarily, and with their own con- !
mt, and that they give their
otes in honor Of the principles they 3
lerish and espouse, and not merely for :
he men who are selected to champion {
lem? Did it never occur to him J
lat the people care very little what !
len represent them in the government I
they are honest capable and true to d
ne constitution, and that they are not d
about having before them
ore or so Of ambitious plaee-hmtes 4
ON "hom to select their rulersP ADd u
ID he never reflect that If III
ozen OF so candidates for the Prassdsn q
: are permitted to enter the 6al6 - '
instituted and s~elf-seeking. tbst 49,.
ection mus inevitably 20 int ~
-ouse of Representatives, wbere tbs q
i'll Of the people is not likely "a NJ fl
'nsnlted, and where bribery is as mkelv =
influence it as any other cause? Mr. j
strikes at the very root Of b
arty organization, when be uses his in q
1ence to crush the convention system =
I'D We eannot permit his remarks to s.
In silence, without conniving our /
ives at Reorganization. 1t Is true :
ie convention system is often Y
used. But let us correct these abuses 3
be church has its abuses that ought to b
abolished. But the church must not I !
erefore be abolished, but reformed. s
Of the convention system. II Gov b
nor johnson had contented himself l.
tn pointing out and proposing a :
medy for them, we should have p,