Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-07-23
Organization and Con
VentiOn,

The following we'll timed ant
eminently sensible and conser
vative article we clip from tht
columns Of the jackson Wing
and Tribune, and we commend
it to the careful perusal of OuI
readers:
The Democratic Conservative
party throughout the State
seem to be fully alive to the i'm
portance Of thorough organiza-
ton. The necessity of party
discipline has been powerfully
inculcated by experience, a
stern but exceedingly impress
sire teacher. The wild passions
and prejudices of ten years ago,
produced a fruit too bitter, to a
gain tempt the palates OF even
the most factious. Organiza-
ton, thorough and powerful, is
now the universal aspiration
of all true Democrats and con-
servatives. This is well. For
else, the State would he at the
mercy Of the party that pro-
scribed her best citizens six
years ago, and that has made
many of the fairest States of
the South a wilderness more
dreadful than that which caused
the Israelites to rebel against
their God.
The Convention system, made
unpopular by men who had a.
chieved their fame and fortune
through its instrumentality, and
who turned against it, because
it turned against them, is once
more recognized as the only
practicable instrument of party
preferences, and the only just
tribunal for the arbitramsnt of
individual claims and aspira-
tions. Why any considerable
portion of the people ever fell
out with the system, is some
what a mystery to us. We say
a mystery, because few on re-
Election can fail 10 see that it is
as easy for the people to con-
troll Conventions, as it is for
them to control the primary
election or any other means of
designating the popular choice
for any given office. If they
will take as much interest in
the primary meetings that ap-
point delegates to represent
them in conventions, as they
do at the polls, the wishes of
the majority will never fail to
triumph. The truth is, the peo-
pie too frequently neglect their
duty, when Conventions are cal
led, stay at home and take but
little interest in the matter until
the work Of the Convention is
done and then, if the work don't
suit certain interested parties,
the cry is raised, that the peo-
pie were not consulted, the peo-
pie were not represented and
the whole tn ng was a put up job
"a packed Convention, whose
action was all cut and dried.
Why are the people not repre-
sented? They always have am
pie notice and they are invaria- |
bly, urged to take deep interest
in the matter. In a few words,
whenever conventions fail 10
reflect the sentiments of the
majority the people themselves
are solely TO blame. The pow
er of the people in the primary
meeting that appoints delegates
to represent them in Conven-
tions, is as great and overwhelm-
ing as their power at the polls.
If they fail to exercise that pow
er and profit by it, who is to
blame? Failing in this, as
members of a great party, en-
gagged in the promotion and pro-
pagation of great and vital
principles, what right have they
to criticise the action Of those
who inspired by a higher sense
of public obligation, go for
ward and discharge the du-
ty they owe themselves, their
party and their country. We
want onr people to think about
these things. We want them
TO control all the Conventions
called in their name. This they
can do and should do. The
way to do it is simple. Take
an interest in the matter and it