Year: 1861

If there is anything more Objectionable than
another in the uSages Of our latter day Demo.
cracy, it is the application Of the cramp to the
rank and file Of its party while the brand dcsig.
mated by the experts Of the Territorial COnven.
ton is affixed The cramp, in common parlancC,
means sort Of gate known to farmers and stock
raisars. 1t is so constructed as to shut against
a strong wall or fence, leaving very small space


into which bullock can be forced and secured
Then, while securely fixed beyond its power to
move or avert it, the herdsman applies the hot
brand Of the owner Of claimant. Now for the
sirnile in politics. The cramp means resolution
adopted at the primary conventions or precinct
meetings; the resolve usually reading thus:


Resolved, That We, the participators in this
convention, will support by our vote aud intu-
ence the final nominee Of the Territorial conven-
tion."


The herdsmen equally Illustrate the position
Of the small politicians wre-workers and whip
pers-n of the party, who on every occasion are
ready to do their masters bidding. They corral
the cattle, and prepare the cramp in primary
meetings, as do the herdsmen in the other in.
stance The bullock in the cramp represents one
Of the democracy after having committed him.
self by the above resolution, perhaps against his
will; but he has been headed off by the parlia.
mcntary tactics Of the wire.wOrkers from a free
expression Of that will hence awaits the brand
The character Of that brand is fixed by the lead.
ers Of the party in the Territorial Convention,
who haggle and dispute as to ther respective
Claims as might be the case with stock owners
with regard to the contents Of corral; but
eventually decision is had, and by its determi.
nation the brand is to be q, which results in the
complete discontinue Of such as have not been
able to force their claims. Some doggedly sub
nit; others Intellectually oppose; each deter.
mines to turn the tables at some future convention
by similar imposition. But the rank and fle
o: the party have nothing TO Say-for whyG The
destiny Of their vote was forecast by the adoption
Of that resolution in tho primary convention
like the bullock in the cramp, he has no choice as
to what brand he would wear, although il con.
sign him to the Iair fields Of the provdent farmer
or to the barren hills Of the improydent herds.
man.


Voters Of the Democratic party, are you pre-
pared to suffer yourselves thus ignobly to be
disposed Of year after year? DO you not realize
that the conventions, under the rule of political
huckstcrs, do not reflect your preferences, while
they have you hampered with this resolution
adopted in your primary conventions? 1t is no
credit to your manhood or intelligence to be thus
passvely driven, while protesting democracy,
into the party cramp, thereby giving into the
hanls Of party herdsnen the power to fix the
destiny Of your vote and steal your franChise-a
fact the very opposite of the definition Of the
great and popular name under which you enroll
yourselves: Democracy. 'Serf' is an appellaticn
more bciitting the man who dares not designate
his preference by his vote at the balIot.bOx be-
cause Of party uSagcs. But says one, it is
necessary in order TO secure the great principle
Of the party Secure BceizebuG! and il does
eiIrrtually where ii creates an oligarchy Of pOt.
icGl huckstcTs. We can scarcely have a better
defined form Of Ills Satanic Majesty than is fund
in the roaring politician, who is at the top Of
svory CehEenhon and At the tail Of svsry Once
hcIdcr