The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-09

the Democratic party is instituted, and to
wiiich II owes its origin and strength;-the
principle that the people should govern,
ana not the representative OF the people.
mat lien. Polk maintained this Demo
cratic principle Of the government by the
people In his letter, az read before the
convention, is seen from the fact that he
refused, so far as regarded him, to allow
the representatives OF the people to usurp
a power belonging to the people, the
power to say who should represent them
In the United States Senate, power de-
rived from the people and belonging to the
people.
The convention was delegated under the
call made upon the Democratic voters Of
Maury and Lewis only to select State
senator, and to do no more than this, and
TO instruct this senator to vote for anyone
IN particular was to make him machine
oil that convention, and not representa-
tive OF Maury and Lewis.
II the people Of Maury and Lewis had
desired that Harris representative should
be nominated they should have so in
structed their delegates; but Us they did
not do so, the convention, in requiring the
nominee to pledge himself for Harris,
clearly usurped apower never delegated
to them. But the convention did more,
and lar more, than the usurping of a
power belonging to the people; they be-
traycd sacred trust committed TO them,
a duty imposed by the people, when they
violated those votes cast insructing for
Gen. Polk.
Does any one doubt the first duty Of
those delegates who came instructed for
PolkY Can there be any doubt? Did
they come TO cast their vote or the vote Of
the people whose representatives they
were? Tho question needs no answer.
To every one imbued with Democratic
principles the duty OF delegate is known,
and that duty Is TO carry out the instruc-
tons OF the people.
1t was the duty OF that convention 10
respect the wishes Of the people OF Maury
and Lewis, and not TO act until that wish
was known, and 10 ascertain that wish
was their first duty. In instructing the
nominee for any particular candidate for
the United States Senate, pray when did
they ascertain the preference Of the peo-
pie? They never did. The wish OF the
people could only be asccrtained at the
polls, and they refused TO allow the peo-
pie 10 speak-they did more: the people
OF Maury and Lewis spoke-their choice
was Polk; his sentiments were well known,
and the convention refused 10 obey, even
when Gen. Polk asked that the matter he
referred TO the people on November 0.
Do the people OF Maury and Lewis re-
gard the convention rs representative Of
their wishes? Did the convention assem-
BILE solely in the interest OF Harris or At
kins, or any one Democrat, or did il as
semble in the interest OF the people OF
Maury and Lewis counties and the entire
Democratic party? Was il 20 be conyen-
vention Of the people or contention over
the candidate for United States senator?
But let us proceed further. Should a
convention permit its actions TO be dis
turbed by one whose home is in our dis
trici but whose interests he within the
borders Of another, however honest may
be his motivesP Can one consistently adj
vocate that in our county the people
should govern their representatives and in
another county the representatives should
govern the people and still call himself a
Democrat The very name Democrat is
derived from the people, and all the
powers Of the party from the same source,
and hence it Is called 'the party OF the
people,
by the stand taken in the convention Of
the 9th, Gen. Polk has proven himself 10
be a Democrat imbucd with Democratic
principle, AMI he will always be regarded
in iho future, rs lac has been in the past,
by the people Of the State as a true Demo-
crat aud a man Of convictions.
A DENOCRAr.