Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-10-17
C.. q. BENEDICT, Editor.
The Right OF Boiling.

Discussion is still active in Massachusetts
over the extent OF the obligation resting on
individual voters to support regular nomin-
ations. The subject came up in the late
State Convention at Worcester, when rev
James Freeman Clarke, who was delegate
to the Convention announced that he eou4u
not conscientiously vote for Ben Butler II
he was nominated. lie has since written
letter in which he defines more elaoorateiy
his view of party obligations. He says.that,
other considerations aside, mere personal
preference does not inyalidate ones obilga-
ton to support the regular candidate. But
there are considerations higher than those
IF marty orraJ ization and when notorious
lyunworthyc date is nominated through
the corrupt l. 0ulations of bad men,
bolt Is in order. This, fairly understood, is
substantially the zion often asserted by
this paper. We 81 rhat there may be two
good ground, for boiling. First, fraud in
the caucuses, or II the convention. Fair
men 20 into such meetings, agreeing to be
bound only by fair majority OF their own
marty as represented in them. Slc0nd,
utter unworthiness in the nominee. 1t may
be considered TO be tacit understanding
and indeed essential to the maintenance OF
republican institutions, that nominating
conventions shall present men OF decent
character, as candidates. No organized
action can take from "a voter his in
diyidual liberty or responsibility or
compel him to vote for nominee
whom be knows to be Of utterly vile, cor
rlpt, OF di-reputab.e character. Such
objections to a candidate should, however,
MT be lightly taken. They must rest on
good grounds. and they should commonly
he boldly stated in the convention, and fair
opportunity offered Tor an agreement on
some olninsr whom all can conscientious
ly support
Beyond these two eases, the duty of sap
port Of regular nominations seems to us
essential to the support Of party organiza-
ton. No man OF self respect will 60 into
convention with another who announces
that be intends 20 be bound by the nomiua-
ton only IL it happens to suit him. lie .
-z,s To hi- brother delegate, with whom be |
is not agreed as to choice Of candidate I
I'VE viii submit our preferences 10 the /
fairly expressed viii Of the majority but
the submission must be mutual. II ] must
support your choice, if il proves to be also
the choice Of the majority Of the convention,
while You are free to reject my choice, II
the majority is with me-then desire to
have nothing to do with any such farce.
Upon any other theory than the binding
obligation of fairly made and respectable
regular nomination. conventions and parties
arc impossible.
Perhaps the future may have in store for
Us some better method Of securing eoncen-
tration Of opinion and concert Of action,
than the caucus and the convention. Bat
at present they constitute our only avail
able machinery for such purpose. No sane
man supposes that any improvement in the
character of officials could be secured
by sending voters to the polls, each to vote
for the man he happens TO prefer for any
and every Office Without organizations Of
men Of good purposes and sound political
principles. the rogues will always carry the
day. And organization means occasional
submission Of preferences; occasional yield
ing of what one really believes to be bet
ter judgment occasional support, for the
time being, of what may be an unwiSe q
choice. if it is clearly the choice of the ma
iority, for the sake Of good cause and Of
good government, in the long run.