The Russellville Democrat., 1876-07-13
THE PRIMARY ELECTION.

for nominees at the Primary; and after he has cast his vote for his choice, if somebody else's choice becomes the nominee by receiv ing the greatest number of votes, it will then devolve upon the man who has been defeated in his choice to gracefully yield to the majority and accept that which he could not defeat. But, says one, "what if some man gets the nomination who Is a personal en emv of mine, or whom 1 believe IS dishonest or incompetent, must l still support him?" There are two points in thls question which we will try to answer. First, your personalities have nothing to do with your public duty as q citizen and voter. If you are a good democrat you will not oppose q nominee if he, is an honest, upright, competent man, simply because you may not like him personally. Remember you are only one out of q great many, and you cannot consistently ex pect your personal taste to be consulted in choosing an official who is to be public servant for the whole people. Your dislike for any particular man does not disqualify him from making . goou official.
 Second, as to being found to support nominee who is dishon est, or incompetent, or whom, from any cause, you cannot con- scientiously endorse with your vote; on this poin we have to point you to q vigilant and ener- getic opposition to such men BE- FORE THE PRIMARY ELECTION TAKES PLACE, as your remedy, or rather safeguard, against such contingencies. Keep in mind that "eternal vigilance is the price of liberty" If you know, beyond all doubt, that any partic- ular aspirant or aspirants are dis honest, corrupt or incompetent it is your duty and privilege to op. pose him with all your might and main, and by voting all the votes which you can influence against hlm at the Primary defeat him in securing the nomination. As q safeguard against any such man or men securing the nomination, we published in our last issue an appeal to every democratic voter to watch things closely, scrutinize the merits of each aspIrant and be certain to go to the Primary and vote, being careful to vote for the best man for the various offices, without regard to your personal like or dislike toward him. If everybody will do this there is not the slightest danger of bad selections being ma e. -
 If a bad man should get the nomination for any office, it will be through want of unity and concert of democrats at the Prl- mary. If such thing should happen we see no way to help it.; it will be q blunder of the people, and the consequences will have to be taken. This is an evil which no system of nominating candidates is absolutely free from. Government itself, might be said to be all evil in ono sense of the word.
 We don't know that fealty to party requires any man to violate his conscience by voting for a nominee who Is dishonest or in competent, but as We said before, if every man will do his duty at the Primary, no such a contingen- cy will arise. Center on your best mon; go to the Primary and vote for them; and if they are de-
 feated, and second class men are put in, acquiesce like little men, for if a majority can stand 1t you certainly can. If in any cmer- gency you don't want to vote for some particular man who has been made the nominee, at least hold your peace and don't disor- gonizc ard disrupt the party by bringing out independents.
 We have faith enough Iii the