New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-22
PLEDGED DELEGATIONS.

practice OF dividing out the offices before
the election is pretty much like deciding
before the drawing Of lottery who shall
receive the prizes. The exciting uncer.
tainty as to the prizes is the motive which
induces the purchase of the blanks by the
unconscious losers. In effct, ten thou
sand voters contribute each an equal vote
to elect {. ticket, or two bits piece to
raise the capital prizes Of q lottery. In
each case each voter or ticket holder is
entitled to an equal chance for whatever
prize may be constituted by his vote or
his money with that of others. It would
be as unfair in the one case as IN the
other to prefer in advance some contribu-
tons to others. We do not mean that the
offices of an election should be drawn for,
as was proposed in the Fusion convention
Of 1872. We mean tina. all offices should
be equally open to all men COM
petent to fll them. We do not ap-
prove Of assigning these offices
to a select few before the election, and then
calling upon men equally qualified to re-
nounce their right 10 compete for these
Offices, and go on to work like serfs for
the promotion Of those who have no bet
ter claim to Office than themselves, and
who, indeed, by the act Of intriguing for
such offices, prove themselves unfit to
hold Office. Practically, it is known long
before an election who are the men to fill
the Offices. Other men, equally compe-
tent, can not be expected to labor as hard
for the success of q ticket from whose Off
cial result they are known TO be excluded,
as if these results were equally open to
them as to others. If hundred men
felt that the principal offices pending on
an election were open to them, their con-
joint labors, expenditures and influence
will benefit party more than any amount
Of money which can be put up by any
ring of men appointed to fill the offices in
question.
We find these ideas Of party policy so
well embodied in an article in tho New
York Herald that We submit and commend
them, with the Herald comments, to our
own friends interested in making q strong
canvass. The Herald says:
Governor Dix's deprecation OF the an
nearauCe at :. national con veLtion of d dele
Cation Of Republicans pledged to the sup
port of some favor,te candidate will meet
wi that favor in public opinion which is
commonly secured when any reputable per-
sou expresses distinctly what is thought by
all. IL ia in the same direction and to the
same effect as the more positive declaration
made q few days since BY tbs Union League
Club. AND is The essence OF :he movement
which seeEs to be making quiet progress,
not for third party, but for the purifca-
ton If that party against which the people
are disposed to revolt only because of its
corruptioCs. Republicans who propose TO
take an active share in the attempt , purify
their party must not leave their opinions in
doubt on this subject Of a pledged delega-
ton" for Cincinnati. All the point of The
battle is just there, and it the vote of this
great Stats goes 10 Cincinnati as the prop
erty Of the office holders-.o be delivered at
the polls TO whoever will make terms with an
Otiicthoiuers committes-the Republicans
OF this part Of the world VIII have lost the
last opportunity TO save their party.
Pledged delegations imply Of course. packed |
coarentionS that The delegation is the per-
sonal property Of the person to support ,chom |
the pledge is givess. and that that person a7iH |
atse its cote for himself or another IN e7ay
uGy Mat seems good 10 him. The attempt To |
secure "a delegation pledged to any man i'm !
plies also q modest apprehension on the !
part of such a patriot tua. il lett 20 etand !
be fore the convention on his own merits |
he might not stand at all. Eut the country |
is just now concerned with other facts than |
the welfare of all tho hole-and-corner |
patriots who Eay secure pledged delega |
tons; and this is good time 70 have ma
tioral conventions restored to their charsc-
ter as organizations whose fealty and obi |
cation is to public opinion aud to the !
voters of q party, not to the jobbers and |
traders in votes.