Year: 1867

The system OF consentiots III poiiuSaA t'0i
ties is generally regarded with disfayor, but
il is at the same time difficult to propose
plan as an improvem snt, the merits Of which
will be so apparent as to commend the sys
tenn at once TO party as wise and ludicious.
Old stagers are afraid of innovations, and
thus parties follow in the rut of precedent
till change for the better is rendered almost
impossible. And yet improvement in the
government of political party should be
practicable; there should be party progress
in this progressive age. There are some
members of the democratic party who have
given the matter serious consideration, and
who 90 so far as to think they can suggest
system that will remedy in great measure
the evils of county conventions. How 1t has
been in other counties we are not prepared to
say, bn. we can certify to certainty that
there never was a convention in Tuolumne
county that did NOT engender intense dissatis-
faction. Those who have given their thoughts
to the subject have arrived at the conclusion
that the troubles Of county and distric: con.
ventions can be sensibly diminished by re-
mitting nominations directly to the people
A plan to that effect has been digested and
will be proposed in the next county conven.
ton for the consideration of the democracy.
We shall give the outlines of the proposed
change in order that no one in the convention
can say he is taken by surprise, and for the
T. II =. IL
portant a departure from precedent should be
thoroughly discussed aad understood by the
democracy. When fairly comprehended its
adoption or rejection will depend upon the
calm Judgment and not the hasty action of
the democratic party in convention assembled.
The plan to he proposed is this: hereafter
when the Central Committee shall call pr.
mary elections for the election of delegates to
county convention, they shall at the same
| time submit to the democratic voters of the
different precincts the names of all those
candidates seeking nominations in the demo-
cratic party for county Offices, to be voted for
Mt the primaries the same as at general
election. That each supervisor and his
clerks. at the same time that they certify the
credentials of the delegates, shall also cer-
tify up to the county convention the votes
cast for the different candidates for county
officers. The convention, when assembled,
would proceed to canvass TIE returns, and the
candidate having the highest number of votes
for any named office, should be the nominee
of the party for that Office. In this way the
whole county ticket could be made out, and
no one could possibly have any reason for
possessing a sorehead-it would be the will
of the people and not to be gainsayed. The
work of the convention in addition would be
the nomination of q legislative ticket, the
adoption of resolutions, and the election of a
Central Committee; and their work would
be done.


The results of the primary elections for
district and township officers, would have to
be certified up to the Central Committee,
who should meet within stated time to can
vass and declare the vote Thus the whole
ticket would be made out without the wrang.
ling and turmoil incident to county and dis
trict conventions. The system proposed
would render the primary elections more
complicated and the duties of the officers
more laborious, nevertheless it is believed the
great good which would result from its adop.
tien would amply repay those who have the
welfare of the party at heart for the extra
care required at the primaries. The protec
tion of the primary election law would be in.
voked, and thus an almost correct vote of the
party could be obtained. The plan will un-
doubted!y have its draw backs, as drawbacks
are incident to the plans of men. but it is
thought they will not approach those Of the
present system in number or magnitude. At
all events it will be brought forward in the
next county convention AMI the democracy
then and there called upon to decide as to its
merits