Middletown transcript., 1874-07-11
tcorrcspondencel
NOMINATING BY BALLOT.
LErrkR FROM wILLlAM DEAN.

oeSupy spaCt IN your columns, giving tnelr
views on the proposed amendment of the rules
governing the Democratic party of New Castle
county, in reference to changing the nomination
of candidates for Representatives and Levy Court
commissioners from the present method of nomi-
mating by delegates In county Convention to a
direct vote of the party, the same way as we
now nominate sheriff and coroner. Under the
existing method of electing our Representatives
and Levy Court commissioners, by general
county ticket, 1t does appear to me that the
present method of nominating the candidate by
County Convention will give much better class
of candidates than direct vote of the party,
taken at the nomination election held for the
purpose of nominating sheriff and coroner.
know 1t has been said that our Conventions are
packed with delegates opposed to a majority of
the party If so it is the fault of those persons
who care SO little about the matter that they
stay at home instead of attending to their duty
as good citizens; too indolent to attend to them
when they have an equal opportunity of attend
ing, they should not find fault with the manner
in which the duty has been performed by those
persons who are willing, and do give the matter
their attention. have never yet found one of
those persons who find fault with the present
system who can point out a single instance
where our party nominations have been OF an
improper character or where our party has been
defeated by the nomination Of improper or un-
popular persons as candidates. ltis much easier
for the party in any Hundred to be managed and
packed in favor of one intriguing person who is
desrous to become candidate than TO get the
party to unite to elect five obnoxious or improp-
er persons as delegates to a county convention,
for in the latter there is individual interest al
stake, the same as there when persons are
ambitious 10 become candidates. 1t is at such
times, and by such persons, that the work OF
managing packing and intriguing is done. If
the system is changed tea direct vote OF the par
ty TO secure a nomination, then any person can
become a candidate no matter whether be has
any of the requisite qualifications 10 fill the Office
or not. All he has to do is TO announce himself
as candidate through the advertising columns
of any of our party papers, when he can go 10
work canyassing his Hundred by going las most
of our candidates for sheriff and coroner now de-
from one hotel, tavern or drinking saloon 10 an
other, calling mp all hands present TO drink,
thereby getting claim on each and every per-
son, who accepts Of the proffered drink. and they
will act as the friend of the person who has paid
for the liquor, and at the coming nomination
election not only vote for the above person them
selves but will use their influence to secure for
their new made friend the nomination sought for,
while the man of ability and respectability hay-
ing all the requisite qualifications 10 make good
officer will not condescend to any such low means
to acquire the nomination and our people and
our party are thereby deprived of the advantage
that men n better character would give TO the
party. Have we not had examples enough in
the persons who have been aspirauts for the Of
fee of Sheriff and coroner? Have not several of
those persons spent fortunes in the way above
mentioned and ruined themselves financially and
morally in their efforts, in the way referred to- to
secure the nomination? Have not even some of
those persons who have been successful in secur-
ING both the nomination and election acquired
habits, while canvassing for nomination, that
have stayed with them through the balance of
their lives, which totally unified them, as useful
and good citizens, to manage any regular busl-
ness? Can such a system that is surrounded
with such dangers to the individuals seeking
nomination be beneficial TO either the people at
large or the party who uses it2 | will not gay
there are not exceptions TO this rule, but does not
such a system of securing a nomination tempt
persons, who are ambitious to secure nomlna-
ton, 10 descend to means TO accomplish their
ends which they never would have thought
of under the present system? Do not all such
degrading schemes to secure nomination tend 10
iniure the party that make use of them? DO not
this class of men who expect 10 secure nomlna-
ton by intrigue and are defeated in it by some
lower and more cunning aspirant than them
selves at once say that they will not support the
successful person for the reason that he got the
nomination by fraud and intrigue? Would it
be right that in any Hundred which may poll
say three hundred Democratic votes at general
election for such Hundred to folst on TO the
Democratic county ticket an Objectionable per-
son as a candidate, for the simple reason that he
had received the highest number of votes IN his
Hundred, when there were probably dozen
other candidates for the same office in his Hun
dred. as there no doubt would be under the pro-
posed system of the man seeking the office in
stead of the Office seeking the man. For under
the proposed system every man snpposes him.
self 10 have an equal right to fill any Office thai
he can get nominated for, regardless OF his quail
ifcations or character, il he can only control, or
,t,Hp I'm nor N n
of his party, either by persuasion or the liberal
use of money to be applied in any way that will
secure the greatest number of votes, no matter
how they are acquired. Cannot persons under
such system be found who would descend to
any means, no matter how degrading, to secure
a nomination, while all such persons il it was
left to the selection of the five men, elected as del
oates from among the party of the Hundred to q
county convention, never would think OF bring
ing any but the best men forward TO offer as can
dida' es to the county convention, knowing that
if they offered any unpopular or Objectionable
! persons they would be rejected by the conven-
| ton The Democratic party OF New Castle
county have had some experience in the opera
tons of the proposed system, while it was in ope-
ration on previous occasion, at which time did
| not certain parties in one of the Hundreds sue
ceed in getting nominated, as a candidate fol
| representative an unpopular person, which per-
! sons unpopuarity was the means of electing, o.
| the opposite parties, candidates TO the Le2isla'
ture. by which means the peoples choice at thai
time of a Democrat as a United States Senator
was defeated and an opposite Senator elected
have heard some Of the friends of this unpopu
lar candidate say he was as good and as respec
table a man as was on the ticket at that time
! 1t might so appear to them but it certainly did
not SO appear to the mass of the Democratic party
throughout the country. If IL had been SO III
would have been elected along with the balance
| of the ticket As the September county conven
ton has to take the matter into consideration il
regard to altering Rule No. governing the
Democratic party of New Castle county, would i
| not be well for the several gentlemen who acted
as ehairmen of the last Hundred meetings ane
whose duty it is to call the next Hundred meet
iugs, for the purpose Of felectng five delegates tt
the county convention TO nominate candidate!
for the Office of Representatives and Levy Cour
| Commissioners, to, at the same time, call the at
tention of the party TO the matter OF alteration
| of the rules, SO that if they think proper they
may instruct these delegates how to act? Should
the county convention decide that our cand
dates should be nominated by direct vote
should they not, like the candidate for sheriff ant
coroner, be voted for in nomination throughon
the county, as they have TO be elected by genera
ticket throughout the county? Then the part,