The Van Buren press., 1876-09-19
The Congressional Muddle,

ty to endeavor to harmoni2e the party
and falling in that we shall feel at liber
ty to act as we shall deem most consis
tent with the honor Of the party and the
good of the state. As in all other con
tests which have transpired during the
campaign Of the present year, while We
may have had a preference among the
several candidates we have endeavored
to do each full justice, feeling willing to
leave the choice to the democratic party
of the district, and pledging our earnest
support to the nominee, Having high
regard for each of the gentlemen whose
names We're presented for the nomina
ton, we felt at perfect liberty to do so;
but we anticipated no such result as has
transpired
We fear that that bane Unpopular gov
ernnent, personal politics." has been
allowed too much sway, and that all par
ties have allowed the spirit of personal
rivalry to enter too strongly into this
contest. We are for the good of the
state and the integrity ofthe party above
all individuals, and shall not let any per-
sonal interterences override our zeal for
these great ends. And while we believe
/ that maiorities should rule, we yet have
a regard for minorities, and believe that
they have rights which are entitled to
eoas,afra19n stf and fssPlset
the occurrences of the convention, we
are led to think that both factions have
committed some mistakes, and that Il
spirit of mutual concession would have
engendered and encouraged desire for
reconciliation. Democrats do not easily
brook dictation, and when attempted it
is apt to provoke resistance and retalia-
ton.
Confident of their numerical strength,
the delegation from the northwest came
to Little Rock complaining of ring die
tation, and predicting defeat at the polls
in the event Of the nomination of one of
the candidates, Gen. Newton; they did
not seem to fear Judge Stuart. Now
nobody believes that if Gen. Newton had
received the nomna ton ofthe undivided
convention of this district that he would
have been defeated; the history of the par
ty disproves it. We do not believe there
is personally a more popular man in the
state than Robert c. Newton. No man
has ever been more devoted to the wel-
fare OF the state, or the honor, success
and dieipline of the democratic party.
Why, then, should he be threatened in
advance that the party would not sustain
him if he was the nominee of its conven-
tion2 Gentlemen, this is all wrong. 1t
is not generous; it is not fair; it is not
democratic.
Complaint has been made by You that
Mr.. Sumptcr, who called the convention
to order, usurped the authority SO to do.
II is the duty of the chairman of the ex-
ecutivc committee to call the convention
to order; in his absence it is by the third
rule adopted by the last convention,
made the duty ofthe next named on the
list to act as chairman. Mr.. Sumpters
was the next name, and yet he was taun-
ted frequently during the temporary ses-
sion of the convention with having usur-
ped his position. lfhe had been on your
side, would you not have claimed the
right for him to act MS he didy
| As to the admission OF Gen. Mcmillan
as the delegate from Polk, we cannot see
that he was clearly entitled to it, though
it cut very little figure any way in the
general issue, unless Judge Stuart's friends
should have abandoned him or with
drawn his name.
But the only essential difference was
on the basis of representation. Here We
think that the proposition of Gen. Nc
MILAN was in the light of all political
preccdents clearly right. 1t was really
the last test in similar election. The
returns of the recent state election were
not fully in; it was not yet Il completed
basis But we think the southwest
might readily have conceded this for the
sake ofharmony. They would still have
had majority in the convention uniting
the votes of Newton and Stuart, and the
precedent was not bad enough to be ve-
ly dangerous in the future, and they
would have left their opponents without
Il reasonable excuse for their future ac-
ton.
The withdrawal of the delegation of
seven counties we cannot indorsc, and
especially their hasty organization of a
separate convention and the precipitate
nomination of their choice. 1t .justities
the charge of their opponents that they
came here determined to nominate their
man or bolt We have no objections to
Col Cravcns. We esteem him asa good
man and Il sound democrat, who has
hitherto been a strong advocate for par,
ty discipline. We believe he would
make faithful representative, but we
do not consider that his nomination is
regular.
The action of the delegates who re-
NAMED in the convention after the with
drawal was not all it should have been,
We believe they were actuated by the
best of motives, but they seemed just to
realize the danger they had precipl'atedi'
and their subsequent action was Siaggish
undecided, spiritlcss. Their effort % at
tempt TO work out a compromise through
a conference with the candidates was en-
tlreiy correct, and we regret that they
were not more successful. Failing in
that we do not see now they could have
done otherwise than they did, except to
have nominated Gen. Newton, and we are
glad they did not do that, as it would have
concentrated the vials of provincial
wrath against the imaginary ring at Lit
tie Rock.
We repeat we fear il has dc9encrated
Al II -