The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-09
PRIMARY Eox CONGRESS.

portion Of the citizens be expressed.
If the nomination be made by con-
vention, the entire issue, III this
county at least, will be centered IN
the fight for two men : or that Is the
present indication. The contest Will
be as to which of the two candidates
in the field shall get majority OF
delegates in the county convention
which shall send delegates to the
congressional convention. The peo-
pie of this county can well imagine
what kind of contest that will be :
it will be bitter. The county will be
divided into partisan factions over
the two candidates, and in all proba-
bility the unpleasantness OF 1881
will be repeated Primary election
will obviate this.-Neecbe77y Observer.
We have no objection to the pri
mary plan Of nominating congress-
men if the people want it, and if it
be practicable in the present cam
paign. We find, however, that the
Constitution Of the Democratic par
ty of South Carolina provides only
for nomination by convention:
ARTICLE vi. The mode and man
ner Of nominating candidates for
county offices or for the State: ju
dicial and Congressional ConTen-
tions, shall be regulated in each coun-
ty by the respective county conven-
tions.
ARTICLE vii. The State Convention
shall be composed of delegates from
each county, in the numerical pro
portion to which that county is en-
titled in both branches Of the Gene
raj Assembly.
ARTICLE xiii. Representation in Ju-
dicial and Congressional Conventions
shall be on the same basis asin State
Conventions. A majority Of dele
gates shall be present at conven-
ton to constitute quorum Tor NOM
mating a candidate either for con-
gress or solicitor. y y rs
soon as a Congressional or judicial
Convention has nominated the party
candidate for congress or solicitor. 1t
shall adjourn sine die and whenever
a candidate to fill an unexpired term
of either office, has to be nominated,
it shall be done by a new convention
of delegates fresh from the people.
The executive committee OF each
congressional district or Judicial cir
cult shall consist Of the several coun-
tv chairmen Of the respective coUn-
ties and parts Of counties composing
such District or Circuit. y u .
It shall require the consent Of a ma
jority of the whole executive com
mittee in any district OF circuit to
call a nominating conventions.
This certainly shows that nomi-
nation of congressman and solicitors
by the primary plan was not contem-
plated when the Democratic party in
convention adopted the present Con
stitution. The only article Of the
Constitution that could possibly be
construed to give the congressional
district the power to change from the
convention plan Of nominating to the
primary is article Vi, quoted above.
And this evidently has reference to
the manner of electing delegates to
the Congressional, State, Judicial
and County Conventions. and Of nom
mating candidates for county offices,
which may be done by primary elcc-
ton. In Charleston County delegates
to the State, Judicial and Congress
sional Conventions are elected by
primary, and 1t is perfectly compe-
tent for each and all Of the several
counties composing the Third Con-
gressional District to call their Colln-
ty Conventions together and amend
their constitutions so as to conform
to the primary mode Of elccting del
egates, each county would have to
act separately in the matter and one
could adopt PRIMARY and another
continue the convention plan, but to
vote directly for candidate for Con
gress. We believe. Gas We stated on
April 2Sth in the HERALD AND NEwsy
that it would be necessary for the
Democratic party of the State to
meet and so amend the present Con-
stitution, as to give the Congrcssion-
al District the power. to vote by
primary in nominating a candidate
for Congress: the same would have
to be done to enable them to vote
directly for State officers. II this is
to be done the State Executive Com
mittee should call a convention at
once and settle the question. The
primary it seems is desired by ;Iie
people, and they certainly have Tie
power to control the machinery oE
the party if a majority Of them
agree upon a plan, but if a State
Convention was called and q ma 2jo,i-
tv of the delegates should vote 70