Litchfield enquirer., 1880-03-25
The Primaries.

The coming week will decide the questlon or the Connecticut delegation to Chicago. The delegates to the State Convention which meets at New Haven on the Eth of next month will most of them be chosen within few days; and it is for the majority of the Republican voters to show their preferences Tn such de cided way as can turn even the most wilful politicians from the error of their ways. The more we hear the question discussed, the more pronounced the opinion grows against Grant. Many Republicans prefer, or would assent to, his nomination, who nevertheless discern his weakness as candidate and the increased risk of defeat that would surely follow his nomina- tion. Blaine undoubtedly has many admirers. So dashing fellow could hardly fail of that i; but, although certain machine influences are working in his favor, we judge that he will not get much help from Connecticut at Chica- go.
 Of the remaining candidates most frequent ly mentioned, MT. Edmunds seems, just now, the most popular His bloom" has not start ed till late, but it is quite as prosperous as those which have been more thoroughly worked up."
 The first thing to bring about is really representative convention. This can only be effected by thorough turnout at the prima ries. free discussion, a fair and full vote, and the election of sets of delegates fairly repre- senting those appointing them. When the convention assemblies, the practice has Always been to nominate delegates at large in separate caucus by congressional districts; and district delegates, by county caucuses. Therefore, at the April Convention, the delegates from Litchfeld and Fairfield counties will meet in caucus and elect delegate at large; separate into county caucuses, and choose each dis trict delegate The chief matter is to act un- derstandingly. The practical difficulty will be in knowing who the men proposed favor. The politicians will know, but the unsophisti- cated country delegate is likely to be more or less in the dark Those in the habit of attend ing these conventions know each other, and know how. to manage matters in their own interest. New men have less influence, do not know how and with whom to combine, and act at more disadvantage in @ body that holds only few hours session, than in legis- lature where they eventually find each other out. Still, 1t is in this helter-skelter gathering that the important work of nomination is to be done, and the wishes of the majority will be regarded if they are bold aud earn est.
 Three weeks later, at Hartford, comes the gathering of the Democrats. Here every ef- fort will be made by Barnum and the machine to force delegation for Tilden on party which thoroughly distrusts and dislikes him 1t seems a herculean task, but MT. Barnum has accomplished more difficult political tasks before.
 The prime necessity of the present year, for both parties, is attention to the primaries. If Grant or Blaine can really count a majority of Connecticut Republicans in his favor, let the Chicago delegation be controlled by that majority. If majority of the Democrats of Connecticut really prefer Tilden as their next president Barnum, as their next U. s. Sena- tor: : let them choose delegates and officer their party machine in accordance with that prefer ence. If, however, what we believe to be the case is really true, that large majority of the Republicans want neither Grant nor Blaine 1; and large majority of the Democrats would prefer almost any other candidates to Tilden and Barnum; let those majorties so control the primaries that their wishes shall control their State Conventions. It is these small pc litical gatherings despised, and often contemptible-that are the fountains of politi, cal power among us, and they are first to be cleansed if politics is ever to be made