The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1877-07-05
A New Departure Suggested.

Editor Brookhapen Ledger
Asthe County Executive Committee has
called a convention to meet on the 2lst
inst. for the purpose Of making nomina-
tio,is or of referring the matter back to
the people for a primary election, and rs
they omitted to state what number OF dele
gates are to be elected from each beat and
al what places the beat meetings are to be
held, / find many people, who have usually
taken an interest in our county conventions,
are in doubt about the proper action to
take in the matter. Nearly all other coun-
ties have adopted the rule of electing a
number Of delegates from each beat in
proportion to the nusaber of Democratic
voters in the beat, and this seems to be the
only fair rule; for no one could insist that
a beat with only one hundred Democratic
voters should have representation equal to
one with five hundred voters.
AS conventions are subject to SO many
objections, it appears that if one must be
held that it should be freed from as many
defects as possible and everything arrang-
ed to be as fair as it is possible to make
one. But l find a growing dislike to con-
v~entions and spirit of independence in the
voters and a growing determination not to
be bound by their action, especially IN Of
fees that are not political. Our last cleo
ton here demonstrated the fact that a boil
ter or defeated aspirant in a convention
can go before the people and succeed over
the regular nominee.
Now, the Democratic party in the hour
of victory cannot afford to be divided and
split up by independent candidates for the
political ofices-that is. the State %oftlcers,
members of the Legislature, etc; but does
the necessity for regular party nominations
exist as to the Sheriff, Treasurer, Assessor,
etc. in this county? The Republican par
ty is d~isorganized and nearly, or quite,
dead, and there is but little prospect OF
their putting a ticket in the field. 1t is
generally conceded that the two or three
Republicans who have ever been recog-
nized as their leaders would not put out or
countenance a party ticket provided Con-
servatiye and capable Democratic candi-
dates we're in the field. They might, by
quiet agreement, mass their scattered
forces on some one of the Democratic can
didates and by their aid elect him; but if
he were a competent man to Gil the office,
and a good Democrat withal, l ask, would
anybody be hurt?
Wuiie stdtlHS my NleWn "ooo' NV
tons / do not want it to be understood that
l am advocating a primary election, for
this plan is open to many objections; but l
am of the opinion that the convention
that is called to meet on the 2lst inst.
would give more satisfaction to adopt the
primary election plan than to go ahead
and make the nomination. But a better
plan than either might be adopted
| suggest this plan: Let the convention
meet as called-the delegates to be from
each beat and box the same as at the last.
Let them confirm or reject. as they see
proper, the delegates appointed to the
State Convention and their instructions.
Let them make a fair apportion OF dele
gates, to meet at some future time, to make
nominations for Representatives in the
Legislature and declare their intention
not to make any nomination for the county
offices and recommend to the people to sup
port no one, for even the lowest office, I'M
less he is known to be honest, competent
and capable, and then stand adjourned
subject to be called by the chairman, pro-
vided our opponents put a ticket in the
field for county Offices.
These, Mr.. Editor, are only the views Of
one man, and l do not know whether you
or any one else will adopt them; but 1t
may be to the interest of the Democratic
party in this county to adopt this plan or
something similar, for | do not believe
that the convention as called could make
nominations that would be generally &C
guessed in. VOTER