Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 July 1870 — How our Ticket was Nominated. [ARTICLE]

How our Ticket was Nominated.

A» there appears tu be a misun-1 demanding in regard to the change j made in the manner of imminnting 1 candidates for county officers by ■ the republicans of Jasper connty we have thought perhaps a review of the matter would not be irnproper at the present time. By referring to the Union of January Oth, 1870, it will be found that Messrs. Thomas Boroughs, chairman of the republican county central committee, nnd IL S. Dwiggins, secretary, issued a call for a mass convention of the republicans of Jasper couuty, to be held in the Court House in Rensselaer, on Saturday, February bth, for the purpose nf nominating delegates to attend the state convention at Indianapolis on the 22d of February and assist in nominating a State tiskeg “also, to reorganize the central committee of the county, and to discuss the propriety of a change in the manner of nominating our couuty ticket." Appended to and included with this call was an invitation for every republican voter in the county to be present and take part in the deliberations of the meeting. This notice was placed at the head of our editorial columns, in a conspicuous position and published four weeks successively, and we directed attention to the same editorially, dwelling particularly upon ths clause intimating a change in the manner of making nominations. Pursuant to this notice the convention nssemlded and the question was discussed at length. In the convention nine of the thirteen townships were represented. After a full and free discussion the question was put to vote, the result showing not less than two-thirds of the gentlemen present in favor of superceding the primary system by the delegate plan. It is proper to say here that wc were opposed to the change and spoke and voted against it. Besides this business, the convention appointed delegates to represent the county in the State convention, reorganized the central committee and adjourned. Full proceedings may be found in our issue of February 10th. Qu the 3d of March Mr. S. P. Thompson, chairman of the reorganized central committee, issued a call for a meeting of the committee to be held in the Court House March 28th for the purpose of “appointing the time, place and manner of nominating county officers.” This call was placed at the head of •ur local column and given four publications. The proceedings of this meeting were officially made up and published by us March 31st, from which we quote as follows: “The differeut towualiips are recommended to hold conventions oa the 28th day of Mny, at 1 o'clock P. M., for the purpose of appointing delegates to attend the county Horntouting convention, as tallows: Hanging Grove,3 delegates; Gillam, 6; Walker, T; Barkley, 6; Marion, 18; Jordan. 2; Newton, 3; Keener, 1; Kankakee, 1; Wheatfield, 1; Carpenter, 7; Milroy, 1; Union, 1. “On motion, it was ordered that the county convention to nominate candidates for the seven! county offices be held at Rensselaer •a the 4th day of Juuc, 1870, at 1 o'clock P. M. “Ordered that the chairman and secretary give the proper notice of holding the couuty convention and publish the number of votes each township is entitled to Mr. Thompson gave notice of the county nominating convention in accordance with the instruction of the central committee, and also, the recommendation for the several townships to bold their conventions for the purpose of appointing delegates, on the 28th day <Jf May.— The publication of this notice was given in our columns for eight successive weeks, and one-third sheet posters ot the same were printed which were distributed in every school district in the county, so there might be no mistake or misunderstanding in regard to the matter aud so that every individual in the county might have full and sufficient notice of the facts. The several townships held their conventions —or if they neglected to it was not the fault of the central committee—and appointed their delegates withoutinterference from outside parties. The men selected as delegates met in convention—according to published made their own regulations, and proceeded to nominate Fa county ticket after excluding from their deliberations all who were not regularly appointed, and who would be likely to create a pressure in favor of, or against, any of the •wdjdates aspiring for positions on tike ticket. The delegates to this convention were leading men «t their townships. They were men of intelligence ami honesty. Most of them have lived m the couuty for years and are welt acquainted with the rii»ta»nr., prejudice®, > tikes and

dislikes of their neighbors. They were selected spontaneously by the people, they acted honestly, and their selections were all good. To be mre as good men were defeated in this convention, as those who were successful, but that could not bo avoided where two or three aspired to the same office. Our personal preferences wore not nominated in every case, but it must bo conceded that those, who were beaten were fairly beaten, not byintrigue or chicanery, but because they lacked the numerical strength for success. We have given a truthful statement by which the method of nominating republican candidates was changed ifi this connty from the primary election to the delegate system. In doing this we have not been influenced by any other motive than a desire to have the whole history set plainly before the people. In our opinion the whole proceeding was conducted openly, fairly and after due and sufficient notice. No clique or ring controlled the matter or influenced ths results. And no man can truthfully say, either that he was not consulted in the matter, or that he was unfairly defeated for a position on the ticket.

It is currently reported that the democracy of Jasper county will present the names of I. M. Stackhouse for nomination as State senator, and Win. L. McConnell for representative, at the district convention at Remington on the 20th instant. These gentlemen have been residents of Rensselaer for a number of years and are well known to the people of this county as intelligent and thorough-going business men, Wc sincerely hope they may be nominated so that in the possible event our candidates are defeated—which, however, is very improbable at the present time—our local interests may still have competent advocates in the State legislature. Messrs. Stackhouse and McConnell have been so long and so recently identified with the republican party that they arc pretty thoroughly imbued with its active, wideawake and progressive ideas. We arc indeed pleased to see our political opponents moving to cast aside the old fossils whose counsels have so long restrained the energies of the young men of their party and take up for leaders men of broader ideas and sounder theories.

Mr. I. M. Stackhouse left Roussel acr Monday noon to attend the railroad meeting at Fort Wayne this week. Mr. Dwiggins went there last Wednesday. A letter received by Ml Stackhouse last Saturday evening, written by Mr. Dwiggins, reported the people of Fort Wayne warmly interested in the North American railroad and that they would secure for it a liberal assistance in money either by public tax or private subscription, as should be determined at the railroad meeting. Mr. Abbott and Col. Merritt were both there, and Col. Greene, Henry "Weston, and other moneyed men would be at the meeting to take part in deliberations. We hope in our next issue to announce to our readers the time and place where the work of grading, bridging and tracklaying will be commenced. Vice President Colfax has declined numerous invitations to speak in the Eastern States during the coming canvass, in order that he may devote all his time to Indiana. He will canvass the 11th Congressional District, after which he will speak in various parts of the State.— lndianapolis Journal. Vice President Colfax is the only prominent republican who has appeared to take a sensible view of the situation in this district. We are glad he is coming for we desire the triumph of .the party. We do not wish to discourage any body, but we may as well look at the prospect just as it is, and doing so, we arc of the opinion . that half a dozen of the best canvassers in the country can find active employment here for a couple of weeks or so.

There is a report to the effect that Dr. Norman Eddy will be withdrawn frorai the democratic State ticket, for "the ostensible purpose of running against Gen. Packard, of the eleventh congressional district, Mr. Eddy can take his choice of the two funerals. — Fort Wayne Gazette. PoisibiySf the republican papers keep on with the suggestion they may induce the democracy to commit the suicidal act. . .W . Dan. Voorhees has been renominated for congress by the democracy of the Terre Haute district— Moses F. Dunn is the republican cnildidah-.

It is said that the old wheelhoraes of the Jasper democracy look with distrust upon the movements of the younger element, which desires to ignore the claims of those w ho endured the heat and burthens of the battles and raids of former years, and put upon their ticket certain now acquisitions as candidates for county and district officers. They seem to >think that those who were faithful in times when democratic souls were sorely tried should be recognised for their fidelity by at least the honors of party nomination and that the newcomers are presumptive and slightly impertinent in counseling a “new departure” from “time honored” customs —in short, they should take back seats until thoroughly reconstructed. However our sympathies are with the young democracy and we arc glad to see the old wheel backs turned out to grass. It will be good for their windgalls" and spavins.