Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1878-04-16

| II.
NJ. d. BoRUcK, Secretary.
HEADQUARTERS DEMOCRATIC !
STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE,
San Francisco, April IL, 1878. J
A meeting of members of he
Democratic State Central Commit
tee will be held at the Palace Hotel,
in this city, on Wednesday, April
oath, 1878, at 2 o'clock p. NJ. The
attendance of members is earnestly
solicited, as matters of importance
will be presented for consideration.
By order PETER DoNAHUE,
Chairman.
JOHN G. MAYNARD, Secretary.
These calls pre-suppose the idea
that there is a plan on foot to do
away with party nominations for
the coming Constitutional Conven-
ton, or something of that sort, else
why should there be joint meet
ing of the State Central Commit
tees of both parties at the Palace
Hotel at 2 p. NJ. OIL the Oath of
April? | can imagine no other ex-
cuse for such politically pIenom-
email proceeding 1t will also be
noticed that the phraseology of the
two calls are identical excepting
the difference of names. and were
evidently both written by the same
hand. There Can be no doubt
about the correctness of the above
premises. And this foundation
being established, If you will allow
me, Mr.. Editor, and excuse me for
trespassing upon your space, l will
take the liberty ofcalling attention
to some reasons which appear to
me to make such a course both il
logical and wrong.
Political parties are voluntary
associations, formed and main
tanned for the purpose of advance
ing certain sets of ideas or princi-
plies, deemed for the public good
by their members; and for bringing
such ideas or principles into force
and effect, by their Incorporation
into either the statute or funda-
mental law of the State or nation.
For instance, the Fifteenth Amend
ment was once n principle of the
Republican party. 1t is now part
of the organic law of this Union.
Hence it follows, logically, that
those Offices are and should be con-
sidered of the most Importance in a
political-a partisan-s sense, tile in
cumbents of which have to do
with moulding, making and
unmaking either the statute
or organic law. Thus, while ii
may not make much difference in
a political, party, sense, whether
merely executive or ministerial
officers belong to one party or
another, so long as they perform
their duties sat;sfactorily,-such as
Constables or County Surveyors,
for instance, it does make great
difference who is elected to Con-
gress, where grave questions of pub
lie policy daily come up for decs.
ion. In my opinion, of all the Of
fees to which a man could aspire,
under any circumstances, in this
country, that of member of Con-
stitutional Convention is the most
essentially political i'll its nature;
and it should by all means be treat
ed as such. A Constitutional Con-
vention, of all places, is just the
one to which strict party men
should be elected
If the principles of the Demo-
cratic party are right, they should
be incorporated into our new State
Constitution. If those of the Re-
publicans are best, they should he
embodied into the fundamental
law; and so of all parties. Let them
all nominate their best material,
on clean. cut platforms, and let the
sovereign people decide which they
prefer to mould the new Constitu.
ton.
1t could hardly be expected that
a Republican would graft Demo-
cratic ideas into the Constitution,
or vice versa. No good man would
thus stultify himself.
In fact the Democratic party
itself, the Oldest political organiza-
tion in America, had its inception
in the struggles over the character,
formation, and adoption of the
National Constitution, and from
the days Of the Federalists and
anti-Federalists, of Hamilton and
Jefferson, to the present, the max
ing of Constitutions has been con-
sidered the natural and legitimate
field for the operations of parties
ard partisans.
Why should we elect our political
opponents to the Convention, that
ideas repugnant to us may be incor-
porated in the Constitution, and
that through the coming years it
may lprevail we may be bound
hand and foot to the thing we
abhor?
1t is related of Washington that
when he cast his last vote, he did
so with the remark, 81 vote for
principles, not men, And this is
the true American idea, no matter
how much may be said in favor of
"electing good Dlen to office regard
less of politics." In despotic
countries, there is contentment If
the monarch rules well, although
the fact remains that the govern
ing principle is still that of IL King.
Would we be satisfied to have a
King rule over us, no matter how
good he might be, or how well he
might govern? No; because the
idea, the principle, would be abhor-
rent to us. Principles are the chief
consideration. Mere good men, as
the world goes, can be found in all
parties.
In conclusion, / may remark, en-
PEASANT, that | have lived in this