The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-05-25
TBHpurY OF TIE HOUR.

A State Convention OF the Republican
party Of Kansas will meet at Topeka, to-
morrow, for the purpose of electing dele
gates to the National Convention at Cincin-
nati-a body charged with the duty OF Sc
lecting the men who are to fill the two
highest offices in the Republic, for the next
four years. The body which is to assemble
at the capital Of the State tomorrow, is,
consequently, of much more importance to
the party and to the public at large, than
any ordinary State Convention it will be
factor in that body upon which devolves
the duty of giving shape and direc-
ton to the political course Of the nation,
till our next quadrennial election-oi die
tating principles to Congress, and OF pre-
scribing line Of policy to govern the next
national administration. In view, there
fore, OF the important duties devolviDg up
on to-morrow's convention, it becomes every
delegate to act with the most careful delib-
Grafton, and with the understanding OF the
oct that upon his invividual vote may
:, to a very great extent, the well-being
the people.
IN the matter of delegates, the parties
caosen should be, without exception, men
l.. whose integrity, in whose judgment, and
in whose soundness upon the great issues
before the public, the people, as we'll as the
lc.lvention, have unquestioning confidence.
: is better in all cases that delegates to a
Iominating convention should go unin-
ructed. as contingencies, unthought OF at
the time delegates are elected, are liable TO
arise in the convention, or before the con-
vention, which may render it impracticable
or undesirable for them to carry out their
instructions therefore we should select on
I ly such men as We can trust.
There is no improperly in a state con-
vention expressing its preference for any
particular candidate, and its delegates
should duly respect such preference, but
without being bound by it, for, as We ha We
already said, circumstances may arise be,
fore the assembling OF the national conven-
ton, BY which the general situation of af.
fairs may be 70 changed that delegates can
better carry out the wishes of the people Of
the State by voting for some other candi.
date than for the one indicated by the State
Convention.
But in its declaration OF principles, it
seems to us the State Convention should be
clear and explicit. The present is pecu,
liar time in the political history of the
/, country. There are great Issues upon
which tie people are distinctly divided in
sentiment, yet upon which neither of the
great parties has fixed position or defined
policy. In the matters of economy, integ-
rity, and purity in office, the professions OF
all parties are, of course, the same (; and
upon these points the Republican party
needs no better platform than its record for
the past sixteen years. These are questions
upon which all good citizens agree, and
concerning which party professions amount
to but little. But there are issues upon
which good men honestly difer-questions,
too, of the most vital importance 10 the
people OF the whole country, and upon
each of these the National Republican
party should take square and unmis-
taxable position. The party that had sui
fcient physical courage in the hour Of the
nations peril to attack and conquer armed
rebellion, should not make the humiliating
confession before the world in this day
OF the nations prosperity that it lacks suf-
Gcient moral courage to take a clear and
bold position upon any national issue. The
success of the Republican party in the pas,
has been due to the fact that its declarations
have had no uncertain sound, and its prom
ises to the people have been scrupulously
fulfilled and it can add no lustre to its bril-
liant record by going into the Presidential
campaign, in this Centennial year, with an
equivocal or evasive platform, and with no
higher test Of Republican faith than a sup
port Of the ticket.
The people of Kansas have positive con-
victions upon all the great issues before the
country, and i, ia due to them that their
sentiments should be distinctly expressed in
the declarations of the State Convention
not only because of the influence that such
an expression will have upon the interests
of the party in the State, but that our true
position may be known and felt by the Gin
cinna,i Convention when drafting the ma
tional platform of principles.