American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-10-04
July 7th-August 4th.


corps, whose teachings have for
some time past enriched the col
umns of the Mail, has at length
undertaken TO inform the Clarion
and the rest of mankind, what the
true position of parties in Madison
county really as. The exposition,
which is understood to come from a
veteran lawyer of more than ordi-
nary ability, must be considered as
presenting the cause of the August
faction or boiling fraternity in its
best aspects. That it presents a
true and reliable history of existing
party complications here, is what
no man OF sense and importantly,
conversant with the facts, credits
for enc moment.
Had the delegate convention,
which assembled in. Canton on the
9TH day of July last, authority to
make nominations for the various
Offices to be filedF The autocrat
denies such authority, because it
was not held in exact conformity
with the rulings of the previous
convention, in 1877. That conven-
ton of II, be it Remembered, was a
delegate convention, authorized to
make nominations for the various
offices, and to appoint an executive
ommlttee. to keep up the Orgahi>
zat;on of the party: When these
things were done, its authority was
entirely exhausted, and it was func
tus o6ic,o. That convention had no
original Inherent pOwer-nO author
ity whatever except that delegated
to il.
Yet that convention of III did,
very innocently, a few moments be-
fore adjournment, when every body
was tired, only a handful present,
and without debate or reflection,
pass a resolution. offered by John
Handy Esq. to the effect, that nom
nations for county Offices and the
should be made by
of the people en- mdsse in
But, as we have al
ready seen, said body of delegates,
upon strict legal principles, had no
whatever to pass such
resolution, no power to prescribe
rules for the future action OF the
people, much less to enact a law,
which the people themselves, act
ing in their mass meetings in the
several districts, could neither alter,
abolish, repeal. nor ignore.
Thus far we have proceeded upon
the idea that the convention of III
had no authority to pass the Handy
IT solution. imposing rules for the
government of the executive COM
mittee in calling future conventions.
But admit for the sake Of argument,
that the convention OF 1877 had pie
nary power, unquestiOned and un-
to act as iG did IN the
premises. What then? L. there
no escape from the binding efficacy
Of that resolution Must the prin-
ciple involved in it, remain forever
aud ever, sacred and inviOlable, un>
changed and unchangeable as the
laws of the Modes and Persians
We mean no profanity when we
say in reference to this matter, the
people give and the people take a.
way; God bless the name of the
people! If the people through
heir delegates in the nominating
of 1877, passed the Ham
iy resolution, the people themselves
in their mass meetings in the sew.
araI districts of the county, altered
repealed OF ignored it.
As well attempt to bind the stall
wart limbs of giant with the spi>
ler's most attenuated thread, as
seek to restrain the sovereign peO-
ple in their right to assemble and
assert their will, through such IN
lllegitimate and paltry
as the Handy resOlu
ion.
The executive committee, the
members of which were so distribu-
ed in the several parts of the coun-
Y as to learn readily the sentiment
If the people, soon discovered that
he plan proposed by the Handy
resolution was exceedingly dis>
asteful to them, as they thought it
would give the Canton district an
influence in the con-
emplated mass convention. Acts
ng upon the conviction that the
,eOple desired it, and contrary to
he well-kuOwn interests of the
hartman in his political aspirations,
he executive committee called up |
u the Democratic-CoHse |
arty to assemble in mass meetings |
Il their respective districts, to
hOose delegates to represent them
u the nominating convention to be
cid at Canton, Oh the 7th day OF
uIy, 1879.
This call was published in both
he city papers for about two
lonths before the nominations were
} be made. In the meantime, an
ctive canvass was carried on for
be various offices. Large and in>
crested audiences assembled in
ifferent parts of the county to hear
he views of the Legislative candi>
ates. The consequence was, that
ne people were thoroughly arous-
i, and the district meetings, held
n the 9th of July, were large be-
ond all former precedent. The
stimate is, that not less than nine
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