Year: 1871

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DEAR JOURNAL AS the mode of making
nominations for the coming election is under
discussion by the Republican press of many
counties of this State, will ask leave, through
your columns, to say few words in reference to
our own county. The Republicans of Trinity
adopted the Crawford plan at the last conven-
tion which was held, with the view of securing
more direct expression of the will of the peo-
pie in regard to nominations than could be OBJ
tanned through the medium of convention, and,
at the same time, do away with the log-rolling
and corruption which is sure to find place in
the political management of any party, when
that party has become strong and powerful. 1t
seemed at that time, that ticket which should
be Placed in the field by the direct vote of the
people, would have greater claims upon their
support than one which had been placed there
through intermediate sources. The predictions,
however, of the friends of the new method were
not verifed-in several precincts some of the
candidates failed to receive as many votes at the
general election as they had received at the pr-
mary meetings. What object men could hope
to achieve by setting man up apparently for
the sake of knocking him down again. is diff
cult matter to determine. 1t may have been
done in the desire to select ticket that could
be beaten, if So it is, in ITSELF a conclusive ar
gument against the further adherence to the
Crawford County plan.


So far as my knowledge extends, know of
no Republicans who have the interest of the
party at heart that do not prefer q return to the
convention system. Such body, composed of
leading Republicans from the different precints,
can meet and consult upon what is for the best
interests of the party, bestow the nominations
upon those, who, in their judgment, are most
capable and deserving, and infuse life and
spirit into the Republican organization of the
county, which will lead it to victory again. |,
for one, look upon the chances of success as be-
ing better than they were two years ago, when
we had the prestige of a majority. We have not
got the everlasting "nigger" to pack through
this canvass, and if the Democrats undertake to
play on the Chinese string of their fiddle, we
can make it mighty hot for them. All we need
do is to point to the record of the last Legisa-
ture, whose members promised so much and
performed so little.


1t seems to me easy enough to get back to the
old convention system. We will soon be called
upon to send delegates to the State Convention.
For the position of delegates there will be no
strife that | am aware of, and they had better be
elected by County Convention. At the prima-
ries to elect delegates to this County Convention,
the Central Committee can direct vote to be
taken whether the Crawford system of primaries
shall be continued, or, perhaps it may be better
to have it thoroughly understood that the con-
vention will take the question under considera-
ton, and delegates can be elected who will carry
out the wishes of their constituents upon that
point also. In this way, it seems to me, we can
return to the old system of making nominations
if il is deemed desirable, and none can feel dis
satisfied at the action of the Central Committee
or claim that it has exceeded its authority.


have thrown out these suggestions to the
Republicans of Trinity, not from a desire to OBJ
trude my opinion upon them but in response to
to the invitation of the JOURNAL some weeks
since, requesting an interchange of opinions
upon this subject. If there are any who prefer
to retain the present system, should be pleased
to see their reasons for that preference in the
JOURNAL, as we will only be laboring in different
ways to attain the same end-the triumph of Re-
publican principles, and | would gladly relln-
quish my own opinion, If those of others can
point out a better way of securing the desired
result. IMpREsoR