Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-10-29
Letter from Port Royal.
PoRr ROYAL, Oct. %, 1879.

gate or as spectator, L WAS ueePly
impressed with the effort that was
made to lift the Democracy OF this
county out of the deep slough into
which it has foundered, on to the
true American idea or plan Of gov
ernment, that of POPULAR SONER-
EIGHTY, or majority rue by pop
ular vote. 1t was a grand effort that
was made in its favor; but art, ma
chine politics, prevailed, and the ques-
ton was ruled out.
1t is a correct principle to strug-
gle for. The men who are to fill the
county offices this fall viii be elected
under it. If county officers, and
State officers, and Representatives to
both branches of the Legislature,
and members of Congress, and Gov
errors are elected by popular vote,
why not apply the same system IN
selecting men by the same way for
nomination at the primary elections,
1t was with Popish grip, as Port
Royal and ''Tuscarora truly say.
that the correct system was thrott.ed, |,
strangled, ard kicked out. But the
execution of kicking out the popular
system was not more mastery than
was the effort to keep the enlarged del
egate system, that was adopted by the
convention, from going to the people
of tne Democracy for their accept
ance or rejection. What would the
people Of Pennsylvania have done If
the late Constitutional Convention
had not submitted their work to the
people for their acceptance or reIee-
uon! Doubtless the work would all
have been done over The people OF
tie State, without regard to party.
woull not have been satisfied with
out having the New Constitution sub
mItted to them for acceptance or re-
lection. The late Democratic cOnven-
ton Ill this county framed an en-
larged delegate system-a new con
stitution-adopted it, and then re
fused to allow the people OF the party
to vote on it, as to whether they
wouli have 1t or not.
FUSt-They kicked out the popu-
lar sovereignty system.
Second - They enlarged the dele
gate system.
Ihird-They would not allow any
resolutions to pass that submitted
the new system to the Democratic
party for acceptance or rejection
Is the Democratic party blind, that
it does not see that all such conven-
ton work is but bitter satire on the
fair honest expression that is pre-
or believed to underhe pri-
mary election work. The convention
must have been under the delu-
sion of the Popes infalliDility doc
trine. Pope-craft and King craft
could do no better in Its palmlest
hours.
A large percentage of the Democ
racy find expression against such
work in having a candidate-Alr.
George Shivery - in the field, as
against the nominee OF the conven-
David Fowles. The Tn
june champions the cause of Mr.
Shivery, and the Democrat and Register
the cause Of Mr.. Fowles-
The Tribune, in its championship. got
almost entil ely away from the funda-
mental work of the convention, and
professed to go behind the curtain
and strike at the prime movers Of al
the opposition to the work OF the
reformers, and keen and cutting were
tine blows that were dealt, personally,
right and left. 1t declared, There I,
Look! There sits the King See him
He's the author Of all our trouble.
Last week the Democrat and Regis
Ter came to the front and charges that
the heavy hand OF king work is more
heavily felt on the side which the
Tribune espouses than was ever felt
before in the politics Of the county.
1t says that it does not run so much
in the groove Of conventions, but that
it shakes out the pocket-bcok. 1t
saws that 1t reaches for mems mort
cages, and judgment notes, and deals
out k;ngly despOtisTn in that way.
1t says that the law, which is intend
ed to be a shield and protection, is
made an instrument to bring men up
to obedience to the behests of certain
masters. Indirectly, it tells that q
fearful practice Of 5ull-dozing has
been INDUCED in-bull-dozing that is
as complete as that in practice in the
South, of course, leaving out the
work of the knife, the torch, and the
pistol.
The organs of the Democracy i'll
this counsy-the Tibtns and the Dem
ocrd ard Re,isfer-nake the charges
am simply repeating what the two
organs say. In the face of the
charges, there Is no encouragement
for the rank and file Of the Dem.
ocracy to vote either of the tickets
they have in tie fed. and it is
the plain duty OF Republicans to
stand up for their party with
more unanimity than ever. The
shocking work that 1 have briefly
outlined above is confined to the
work Of Democratic leaders. ] i'
The confession of Democratic leaG rs
one against the other, and it viii re
suit in driving hundreds to the sup
port of the Republican candidates
They VIII fly to the Republican party
as they did in olden times to the
cities OF refuge when the fell de
stroyer swooped abroad They viii
enter the ranks of the Republican
party as place of relief from the
blighting work of the Democratic
leaders.
No such record as that held up fol-
each other by the leaders of the Dem
ocracy, is to be seen op the escutch
con of the Republican party in Ju
niata county. Every Republican
should rejoice that their candidates
Kelly, Caveny, Wharton and Butter