Montgomery County sentinel., 1878-08-09
Congressional.

sideration and more extended comment.
1t is, doubtless, the wish of every Intelli-
gent and fair minded citizen that the win of
the majority of his fellows shall reign su-
preme and it was unquestonably owing to
this desire and the impulse of the moment the
present imperfect plan of holding primaries,
was adopted.
II is not for the love of fault-indng that
your correspondent is now writing, but for
the purpose of directing public attention to
such defects as may lead to complications in
the future, AID especially 10 the Congressional
campaign now opening, before II is too late.
Under the old plan Of selecting candidates
which was good enough for our good old
fathers in the balmest days of Democratic su-
premacy our quota OF delegates would have
been sent 10 the Congressional convention
with instructions to do the best they could for
the welfare and success Of the party, and they
might perhaps have been advised By the
County Convention as to the preference of the
County. As might be expected the candidate
selected would not be the choice of eueryJody,
but before the election rolled around there
would be II general 'acquescence in the result
of the deliberations Of the nominating con-
vention as no man would then feel beat
Under the present plan the foundation idea
seems 10 be that the good and success of the
Democratic party are only secondary and
auxiliary to the promotion of some Office
seeking and ambitious man, and the dea old
Democratic principle that "the office should
seek Me man. has been practically subordi-
mated for the heresy that 'Me man should
seek the office" and that other old cornerstone
of Democracy, ''principtes and not men" has
been so perverted as TO almost mean ''men and
not principles" But the party in Mont
gomery county has spoken in the exercise OF
90, -; F,1 tiua nd IL ic 1otv &C
every true party-man TO give the plan a fair
trial so far as the selection Of County Officers
are concerned However, the plan cannot be
made 10 work in our next Congressional con-
vention because we will then be required
nolens volens, to conform to the method adopted
by our sister counties Of Frederick, Washing
ton, Allegany and Garrett, who all adhere
to the old plan of sending delegates to the
convention, not so much to Vote, as to confer
in the selection of the most suitable and
available man TO carry our glorious old BAN
ner triumphantly to victory. A majority of
fourteen in such district as ours warns us
against temerty and cautions us to wisdom.
The momentous questions in the near future
and the terrible alternative of another fraudu-
lent executive or an internecine war hangs
trembling in the balance, and the only GER
tain preventive is majority in the next
but one. The Senate will be ours beyond
controversy, and damned be he'' who advo-
Gates any measure or man that may lose US
the control of the next House of Representa-
tives. It, therefore, being necessary as well
as proper that we should send delegates to the
coming Congressional convention with like
powers and privileges as are invested in the
delegates from our sister counties, the query.
'how is this TO be done under the present
arrangement" naturally arises and seeks for
explanation. In the opinion of the writer
that is utterly impossible as the aspirant or
otfice-seeker who has submitted his name 10 the
people and who receives the highest vote has
the right 10 demand that the Executive Com
mittee shall appoint four delegates for him
and only for him, Notwithstanding the fact
that there might not be more than two, or
perhaps one man who has the egoiism TO press
bis own personal merits upon The suffrages of
the people, and 10 kick up Jack generally by
talking and writing. This may be the way to
ge. votes, but il is not the way to get the best
and most available man. II is well-known
that the best and most available men like the
best and most beautiful ladies hasten not to
court, but wait to be courted.
Thus it will be seen that the gentleman
who receives the plurality vote (which is just
as likely TO be minority as a majority vote,
and where there are many candidates in the
field the probabilities are that it would be
minority vote in this county bags up his four
delegates and carries them to the convention
to do his bidding, assuming that his nomina-
ton necessarily is the thing for the Democratic
party, and ali The logic aud eloquence Of their
fellow delegates from the other counties will
be in vain, as the delegates, e1 nescssitdte rel,
will like Lord Beaconsfeld in the Congress al
Berlin say, ''We did not come here to yield"
What then? Would II be unnatural, and
wouldn't ii be in consonance with the respect
the delegates of the other counties owe to their
constituents to meet Our delegates with SINH
lar reply "Nor did zoe come here 10 yield, but
to oconfer, and by honest and wise exchange of
opinion to select not q man but a candidate
for the Democratic party; and If you gentle
men from Montgomery are not here invested
with powers TO reason with US, but simply to
deposit your vote for Mr.. Congressman from
Montgomery county, well and good, you can
vote for him, but we intend to confer inde-
pendently of you, and when we arrive at a
conclusion we will vote too, and it remains to
be seen whether your vote can out-count
ours" say, Mr.. Editor, it is perfectly just
that old Montgomery's claim for the Congress
man in the next convention should be fairly
and favorably heard, provided always the
chances OF the success of the Democratic par
ty are not thereby diminished, and for one
am satisfied that her claims are cheerfully con-
ceded by our Democratic brothers OF tho other
counties, who are anxious to recognize and re-
ward the timely and efficient services Of the
true and noble Democrats Of old Montgomery
as Montgomerian have no fears OF the re-
suit, if we do not become dictatorial and ego
iistical. 1t is, therefore, submitted for the
calm and impartial Judgment Of my fellow
Montgomery Democrats, regardless as to whom
their predictions NAV incline them 10 prefer,
whether it is proper for US with view Of in
creasing our county's chances Of securing the
nomination, not only 10 insist (sine qua non
that we shall have the nominee, but also tC
take the arbitrary and untenabe position that
the delegates from our sister counties, and
may add those of our county too, shall trav-
el for miles to convention TO DO what has al
ready been done. Would it not he just AZ
feasible for the friends of the aspirants 10 this
county to publish 10 the journals of the Sixth
Congressional District, "On the-day of-ir
the year 1878. at--o clock, the unterrified De.
mocracy Of Montgomery county, who elected
Walsh, will assemble at their usual voting
places and proceed to vote for the man Of theil
choice according to the rules and regulations
adopted at the late convention Of the party
in Montgomery county, and the man receiving
the highest plurality vote will and shall be
the nominee of the Democratic party for th,
Sixth Congressional, District, and oil Democrats
of Frederick, Washington, Allegheny and
Garrett counties are hereby warned that they
shdN upon the announcement Of the result sil'-
H'cdiateiy acquicsce, or otherwise they shall
! have no part or parcel with us aud We will
proceed to elect our candidate"
l say, fellow Democrats; ! say, fellow Mont
gomerians-l who love old Montgomery ant
am as jealous Of her rights as any man-hah
Don't march on il-advisedly TO such stant
as that. Before IL is too late let our Solonl
devise some method, and there Is none bette