The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-04-27
Gainesville sun. April IL
OaIR NEXT ER-ECTAON.
Give as she Righs Candidates and
We VIII VTia.

We VIII wis.
We do not belong TO that super sanguine class
who believe that the Conserv alive Democrats
will carry the State for their nominees anyway.
and il will not make much difference who they
may be- Such boasts would sDHnd better If our
party had ever secured settled majority OF
thousand or more votes at any election within
the past twelve years We shopld rather make
the equal chances Of success between the two
parties, the bases for selecting candidates for the
Fall elections. Though this is Rot the fact, pFu-
dence in this direction will be The safest guide.
Our party leaders certainly ought to he instructed
and profted by the experiences of the past.
In military annals there are only two systems
of warfare the defensive and aggressive. Ordi-
narily the weaker party is put on the defensive.
and generally gets whipped. In politics the
weaker party may deliberately choose the policy
of aggression. The Conservative Democratic
party has done so; and to this aggressive spirit
owes all its success for the last eight years. To
maintain this line Of policy is the duty OF the
period To insure larger success our leaders
must keep the enemy On the defensive. To be
able to do this our nominees must not be yulnera-
bic 10 attack.
This is one point We wish to emphasize Put
Ac sentiment right crong. reference TO POssi-
bic candidates, must be ,ceA-ceghed By aOmina
ting coacentons. Let those bodies run no risks
by attempts to override public sentiment in re-
spect Of the fitness, popularity sud availability
of prominent men named for office Some of
the ablest men in the State not popular or
available Popular feeling. right or wrong, is
against them. The party is under no obliga-
ton 10 run the risk OF defeat by championing
their cause. The party is not the author OF the
adverse public sentiment against them, and there
fore, it is not bound TO make their cause its own.
To do so would put our party on the defensive,
not only in the face OF the enemy, but to main
tain itself against assaults from members of the
Democratic household.
Nor should the Conservative Democratic Con-
ventions burden the party with dead weights.
Ii will he labor enough to pull through without
them Ii would not he wise to select candidates
who are open 10 attacks on questions of public
policy or on official acts impingi2S on the sym
pathies of the people. II would be an injustice
TO the strongest candidates of the party to tie
on to the ticket one whom they would have TO
pull through, on their Strength and superior pop
ularity. As near may be there should be an
equality OF strength and popularity in our nomi-
nees-not one OF them should be weaker than
his party.
We are speaking a general principle, and
not with an eye To the merits or dement's of any
of the honorable gentleman who have been men,
toned as every way fit to be made the standard
bearers of our party Public beliefs and public
sympaihies, right or wrong, art peculiarly sensi-
tive and generally difficult 10 remove and it is
better To consider them in advance of nomina-
tions, than to reflect on their disastrous effects
after the elections. The party il OF more conse-
quence than the candidates, and the general SEN
timent of the party more tO he respected than
the claims nf any delegation, in the selection Of
candidates by the State and District Conventions.
L has been wisely said that " the party is itself
a candidate lor public favor and q candidate
OF more consequence than any individual in it;
and that party success is 10 he sought rather
than personal vindication, in making the party
nominations Ii the delegates from the people
to the Conserv i've Democratic Stale and Dis
trict Conventions rise To- a iul comprehension of
these words OF ~istloin, and have the dsinter-
estedness and patriotism to embOdy them in the
selection Of the Right Candidates" our party
will win u victory that will give peTmanency 10
our State Government and add strength to our
represen taton in Congress.