The weekly clarion., 1879-10-01
THE CANVASS.

Q OF the state Is without platform ans
that the Executive State Committee
especially the Chaigman, is censurable
The remark touching the defect in th'
platform that was adopted by the las
State Convention, cannot apply to an!
other subject than the money question
as all will admit that upon every othel
topic, it is explicit and comprehensive
When the Committee on Platform wa:
considering resolutions for the action o.
the Convention, the member who is now
serving as Chairman of the State
Committee and is mentioned by name il
the Falcon article, favored the adoption
Of a resolution denouncing the demone-
tization Of silver and urging its restora-
tion as money metal. Since he has
been alluded to by the Falcon, it is OF
indelicate to say that the resolution was
drafted by his own hand. When sub
mitted with others, it was urged by
members in whose judgment and discre-
ton he had confidence, that it would be
T OCSL ~ lJAClCi mt al 'ANooACA CAA hAisAt
subject this counsel prevailed and the
resolution was waived. No other phas
of the money question was considered,
and the platform was adopted as
reported, and in the form in
which it now stands. Since that
date 0877 no State Convention
10, o..so,,b b1ol rTLo,o bo- Ioo,, no 90
casion for one. Consequently no op-
portunity has been afforded for amend
ing the platform. State Conventions
are called for the purpose of nominating
candidates. The adoption of platform
is an incidental performance, not the
primary object. The present Executive
Committee was appointed by the Con-
vention, and is the creature of it. 1t
could not legitimately exercise a trust
not confded to it, Has it the moral
right to do what its creator, the Con-
vention, absolutely refused to do?
What right has an Executive Commit
tee to prOmulge a party creed? Did the
: IdlCOI GNGI hIlON VI bllC dSSulllD DIIOIl VI
such a prerogative by an Executive
Committee? With no little experience
and considerable observation, we have
never yet known such thing to be
done. The adoption ola political creed
is a high privilege which belongs alone
to the people (the party, through del
egates chosen by themselves. In the
present case, not only would such action
have been without authority of the
Convention, but in palpable disregard
of its example. The fact exists. 1t
may have been an error Of the Conven-
ton. We think it was; and we are
sure the omission would have been
supplied if a Convention had been as
sembled at any subsequent time; but
there has been no occasion for the as
sembling Of one.
Al the beginning of the present can
vass as in the canvass of last year,
meeting of the Committee was called.
The call was made public, and private
circular was addressed to every mem
Der, urging his attendance in order to
consider the programme for the canvass.
Nevertheless only two members Of the
fifteen, besides the Chairman, were pres
ent, and bare quorum was obtained by
the proxies. The gentlemen present
authorized the Chairman to issue cir
cular urging the formation of clubs and
the reorganization of the party, and
adopted such other measures as were
of the campaign, but it did not once
enter the minds of the Committee that
they had authority to adopt a political
creed for the party which had selected
it for a wholly different object. Yet
the Democratic party of Mississippi is
not without a platform even on the
financial question. 1t may not be in
the form of the resolutions adopted
/ by their State Convention two years
ago; but it is in the votes and bills
and resolutions of majority of the
Democratic members of Congress, the
accredited agents of the party in the
federal councils. They are written so
plain that the wayfaring man, though
/ fool, cannot err therein.
We dissent entirely from the opinion
of our Oxford contemporary that there
is ga prospect of total disbandment
and overthrow of Democratic rule in
this State" We are not disturbed by
forebodings of the kind. In some few
counties we know the party has been
shorn of its strength by divisions which
are attributable not to the want of a
. platform, but to the ambition of restless
politicians and self-seekers who are not
willing to bide their time and in other
counties, by the emigration movement
to Kansas; but these are exceptional
cases, and we will now venture the pre-
diction, that more than three-fourths OF
the ensuing Legislature will be composed
/ of members elected through the regu-
/ larlv constituted channels of the party
organization and that Mississippi will
stand ready to roll up laundering ma
jority for the Democratic candidates for
/ President and Vice-Prtsident in 1880.
Let the faint and the feeble no longer
deplore, but take fresh courage and wait
for the salvation which will come as
surely as God reigneth.
WHAT OUR CONTEMPORARIES SAY.
Columbus Independent (Gen. Sharp
We notice an article in the Oxford Falcon,
complaining of the want of State Platform.
suited to the requirements of the party in the
present canvass and attributing blame TO the
Democratic Stste Executive Committee. We