The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-05-21
Reform within the Party.


the following article taken from the
Mountain Herald, for they contain
truth and sound advice. AS there has
been change that amounts to al
most a revolution in private affairs
for the purpose Of getting back to
the old ways Of living, SO in public
parties letsinnovations and extraya.
gances Of all kinds be discarded, and
let there be a return to olden Gus.
toms, Let those who would be Gov.
ernors, U. S. Senators and Congress.
men, get their nominations after
the conventions assemble and not be.
fore. The men Of best ability, men
who could not be bought, who would
not swerve from party principle,
who would always do what they be.
lieve to be best for the whole country,
bothin the Republican and Demo.
cratic parties, have ceased to aspire,
2 have ceased almost to go to conven.
tions, because such men will not beg
and plead for q nomination. Let the
Democratic party go into power in
1880, with men Of integrity and
ability-from the President of the
United States down, then we may
look for the good old times which
have forsaken us since Republican
rule commenced. The Herald says:
"This paper processes to be Demo
cratic; it has faith in the time-hon-
ored principles of the party, and it
believes if those principles are car
ried out fully, and to their legitimate
consequences and results, the people
will, in the end, be profted. But
certain practices have sprung up
within late years, which give rise to
much trouble, and form the chief
cause Of third parties, and lead, in
our opinion, to disintegration.
every member ola eatpartycan
not procure a lucrative of1ice-hence
sore-heads-for every active member
thinks he ought to be rewarded for
party service, by an Office; some must
be disappointed; but is that a good
/ reason why man should desert his
principles, and turn his back upon
his party friends? We think not.
aof late years an evil practice has
been growing up in the Democratic
party of this State that must be
squelched, OF all hazards. 1t is cor
ruptingin its tendency, demoraliz-
ing in its effects, and prevents full
and fair expression Of the popular
wish. To illustrate: A candidate for
the U, S. Senate, or for Congress, Wis.
its IN PERSON, and by his henchmen
and strikers, each neighborhood in
each county, and by hattery,and the
corrupt use of money, he induces GER
tain persons to attend the county
convention IN his interest. Certain
delegates are appointed to State or
Congressional convention; the ques-
ton then arises, how are these dele
gates (most of whom are impecun-
ious) to get to this convention? OF
course the candidate for Congression.
al or Senatorial honors, furnishes the
wherewithal; he must pay railroad
fare, hotel bills, liquor and cigar
bills, and throw in little loose
change for pocket money, besides
The delegate is bought before he
leaves home, the candidate has him
firm, his hand in his color; he repre-
sents the views and wishes of his
people with q vengeance. He (the
delegate) is purchased for a price be-
fore he leaves home, and thus it is,
that unworthy, incompetent men,
bold and reckless, are elected to fill
the most important-oifices within the
gift of the people. For when nomi-
mated, it is easy to convince the peo-
pie that the candidate was fairly
nominated, and editors and orators
will freely and eloquently espouse
the cause of the nominee. e
"This paper is Democratic, and
processes to be independent, and is
anxious that the party should return
to its ancient usages. Before the war
and before the Pennsylvania system
OF politics was imported into this
State, it was an unheard of thing for
candidate for Congress (before his
nomination. to visit SNAKE rum" or
''possum hollow" to look after the