The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-08-06

the hisI t}iailA ot the abtOtI III
adopted by the Democracy OF Har-
deman County. in convention az
sembled, on the 29th Of May last,
read as follows:
We believe in thorough party or
ganization, as the best and only means
of enforcing party principles. We
regret the chronic lack of unity In
Democratic party councils at Nash
vile and Washington, and earnestly
desire our nominees for representa-
tives In the Legislature, and IN,
Congress, to favor a party caucus,
and abide by, and support the
action Of the majority therein"
This was the first declaration, so
far as we are advised, upon this
question in Tennessee. in late years,
and we are glad to see such thorough
lY democratic papers as the Ameri-
can ADVOCATING the adoption, by the
state convention, of the policy
therein enunciated. This is demo
crazy, and is the only way in which
party principles, and party policies
can be enforced. A caucus is nDth-
ing more nor less than a convention
Of democrats, in which the minority
agree to abide the action of the
majority, 50 far as party questions
are concerned. Every member of
the Legislature, who is the nominee
of a party convention, submitted
his claims to democrats and demo
Gratis alone, IN convention, and why
should not candidates for state
officers selected by the Legislature,
and candidates for the United
States Senate, do the same thing.
We are told by the enemies of the
caucus system, and they are gener
ally the real enemies of democracy
and party organization, that when a
member of Congress, or of the Legis-
lature, goes into . caucus he surren-
ders his convictions and his con-
science. That he is no longer free
man, but is manacled by the action
of the caucus. If this is trne, then
every democrat who goes into a
convention, and abides its action,
or who agrees to abide the result OF
a primary election, surrenders his
CONVICTIONS.
Without these methods how can
there be such q thing as a pOlit ca
partyr In all popular Governments
as well as in all political parties, the
majOIity must control, and the
minOrities must submit to the com
bined wisdom of the majority. The
same principles control party eau
cuses. Individual members of q
party caucus, or convention, do not
surrender their convictions or con
sciences, but simply agree to subml
to the combined wisd ON of the ma
jOrity. There is a great deal o
pOppy-cock in all this talk which
we hear about the rig Ors of party
, caucus. It's simply the minority
: agreeing, voluntarily, for the gooC
of the party, to yield their individual
: views, upon party questions, to tn
combined wisdom of the majority
Minorities, in popular governments
are forced to yield to the will of tn,
$ majority.
When a political party has a ma
ljOrity IN a legislative body, tina
party has the right to control it
action, but it not unfrequently hap
: pens that small portion of the ma
jority party will combine with tn
minority and defeat the will of tn
majority. In such case the minor
i ty governs the majority That tn
= majority shall govern, is a rrincipl
; of democracy. and we are in favor G
declaring for caucus on party ques
tons in the next democratic platform
= We cannot expect 70 satisfy til
: enemies of democracy. We cOul
. rot if we would, and we would nc
if we could.