The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1890-01-09
Convention Del

egates.
Should q Constitutional Convention
be called by the present Legislature,
which now seems more than probable,
it will become the Democratic voters
of each county of the State to con-
slider well the character and attain
mcnts Of the men whom they will
elect as delegates to that Convention.
The advocates of Convention
all along in the discussion of the sub
.iect have assumed that the very best
Judgment and thought of the State
would he called into service in the
event Convention was held, and
that the delegates selected would he
the irst-class men of the State; that
no county could. or would, send as
it's representative even secOnd-rate
man, inasmuch as such an individual
would I've shockingly out of place.
Gen. George, perhaps the ablest adj
vocate of the calling of the Conven-
ton, comedies his inability to mark
out plan of action for the constitu-
tion makers, but urges the discussion
of the questions involved before the
assembled wisdom of the State in the
hope that from discussion light may
come. Who can expect light from
scrub or even second-rate statesman?
Men of character and men of brains,
men of integrity and men of con-
science alone ought to find their way
into the Convention. Candidates
who fall short of either should be
left at home.
No man should be considered in
connection with the place whose
character, capacities and integrity
are not entirely above question. No
citizen of the State ought to favor
any candidates aspirations on per-
sOnal grounds; but patriotic con-
siderations alone should govern in
making choice. In fact, no man who
is an open candidate, in the sense
of seeking the place ought to be
elected for his seeking the place
will evidence his failure to appreci-
ate the difficulties that will be en-
countered. No man fit to be dele
gate will ask support as a candidate
for the place on personal grounds.
Our very best men must be
selected or the Convention will be
failure. The selections must be made
without reference to occupations or
callings. No man should be selected
who is an extremist or who rides a
hobby. The delegates should be con-
sentative, clear-headed and reason
able; willing to listen, to learn and to
think on all subjects; and they
should be able to weigh and consider
argument and to draw clear and cor
rect conclusions, and also be able
forcibly to present their own ideas.
The political as well as personal
integrity of the delegates proposed
should also be a controlling factor in
their selection. No man who is
"tricky" in politics ought to be con-
sidered for one moment.
We have thus expressed ourselves
on this subject before the calling of
the Convention. In fact, before it is
absolutely certain that it will be call
cd, and before any man has been men
toned for delegate from this county
or section. What we have said there
fore can have no personal applica-
ton. We are opposing no one. If
the voters who are readers of this
paper agree with what we have said,
we ask them to bear these facts
in mind and when we are called
on to elect one or more delegates
from this county, let's go forward
periodically and enforce these
views.