The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-10-05

the doughty champion of the wisdom and
prOpriety of the browning act of that con-
vention, he may succeed in so far ingratiat-
ing himself with Baltimore county, that
the mantle Of the present nominee may
fall upon his shoulders two years hence.
Stranger things have happened, and there
appears to be no limit to the vagaries of
nominating conventions, which in too many
instances have degenerated into mere de
vices for thwarting instead Of fulfilling the
popular will
1t was not only our privilege but our
duty as journalist to discuss the acts of
that convention. 1t met as a representa-
tive body presumed to reflect the public
sentiment That it did not do so is ac-
knowledged in effect even by one of the
journals above named. The acts of that
body affected not its members alone, but
thousands of others who had delegated to
it the power of making proper selection
on whom they might bestow their suffrage
as a representative in the next Congress
If they did their work well, it was ours to
approve; if they did it i'll, it was ours to
condemn, in virtue of our duty as public
journalist, and because as electors we are
directly and Immediately concerned. We
are not of those who believe that ''the
king can do no wrong" and when wrong
is done we are not of that school of politi-
clans who speak Of such delinquencies only
with bated breath. These journals have
undertaken to assure us that the members
Of the convention were independent and
intelligent gentlemen, facts of which We
were as cognizant as they; facts which we
have not called in question. And that is
what has puzzled us to understand, that
intelligent men should have come so far
short of what was reasonably to have been
expected of them. The Cecil Democrat
thinks ''the delegates from Cecil and Har-
ford will prefer to remain their own con-
nce-keepers." We trust they may
We are more concerned about the manner
of the keeping than the keeper So they
are kept in a manner not TO interfere with
the conscienees of Others we shall be con-
tent. Had they considered that they were
representative men, and the consciences of
Others were proper subjects for their con-
sideration as well as their own, there would
probably have been less ground of com
plant The fact is, we think, that selfish
considerations had too much to do with the
action of the convention. There was too
little of self abnegatiou, too much merging
Of the representative into the individual,
determination to serve individuals rather
than the body of their constituents who
had clothed them with their powers and
functions as representatives.
There was ''the vaulting ambition which
overleaps itself and falls on t'Other side, j"
behind the members from Cecil and in
spring their course. This it was which
was mainly responsible for the unlocked
for result.
In Hartford there are Individual aspira-
tions, We understand, looking to guberna-
torial honors, and reaching even beyond
the next Presidential election to high Off
cial position in the Cabinet. These pro-
baby obtained some consideration, and
had their measure of influence in shaping
the final course of the convention. There
are more mysteries in politics than there
were ills in Pandora's box, and it would
be inteFesting to the people if they could
have them made plain.
Passing from Hartford re come to Bal
timore county, but here we must proceed
with caution, as our esteemed contemporary
the journal, characterizes our former ami
madversions as "injudicious nonsense
We hope its genial editor will pardon us
IF ne say that whatever his qualifications
to give an opinion on that subject may be,
we must disagree with him. That is his
view of the subject, however, from his
stand-point,-Baltimore county-which
seems not to be troubled with any very
nice discrimination IN matters of political
prOpriety, and holds to the opinion that
whatever Is is right: Public sentiment 10
Baltimore county, appears to be liberal,
very liberal, in a moral point of view, and
doesn't stand upon trihes, bat whistles
them down the wind as unworthy of con-
sideration. Due allowance ought to be
made, however, for public sentiment in
other localities which have not been edu-
Gated up to its position of easy abandon in
such matters In looking beneath the sur
face of things in that direction, the repre-
sentative principle again fails TO assert it
self With sufficient force and is seemingly
overmasteFed by individual considerations
There, we learn, are to be taken into the
account aspirations for senatorial position
aud for the states attorncyship. and the
road TO their attainment must be cleared
Of whatever obstruction lies in the way
With these explanations, which have
been made to US by gentlemen better post
ed 10 the occult science of Maryland poll
ties than we are. some clue can be gained
to the result arrived at by the late con-
ventiOn which so much disappointed all
reasonable calculation. The sum of il all
is, that the convention did not represent
the public sentiment Of the district, l0osing
sight of its representative character through
/ individual considerations OfthiS we have
the right to complain. aud in doing so, we
but voice the complaints Of others who
feel that they too are aggrieved.