The southern press., 1852-01-05
The National Democratic Convention.

We publish this morning the official report of
the proceedings OF the "NationaI Executive
Democratic Committee" appointed at the last
Baltimore Convention to designate the time and
place for the Democratic National Convention of
1852 1t will be seen that Tuesday the fsrt day
of June, and the city of Baltimore, have been
selected accordingly
In that mysterious correspondence of August
last, between certain members of this cOmmi tee
and the undiscovered Messrs. DONALDSON and
GREER, contrariety of opinions were expressed
in regard to the time--the place being almost
unanimously agreed upon. But while some of
the National Executive Committee suggested
the month of May, according to established
usage, there were wiser heads who recommended
June as more advisable, in order that the De-
mocracy may not show their enti;e hand to the
adverse party in season to adopt their own ticket
and programme, the most effectually to check
mate the Baltimore schedule. There is some
thing in laying down the landmarks of the
campaign, of which an ingenious enemy may
take advantage, if he has several weeks of rehec
ton upon it, before he is required to proclaim his
own PHI of operations.
In l848, the Democrats at Baltimore acted in
advance of the Wings at Philadelphia. And
what followed is matter Of instructive history.
The Democrats nominated Gen. CAss, when, as
it afterwards appeared by the acceptance of
certain nomination from the South, they might
just as well have nominated General TAYLOR as
not. He was ready to serve them--he was at
the service of the people without distinction of
party. True. he was "a Wing, but not an ultra
Whig" and the Baltimore Convention of '4S,
sitting month later, would have probably dis
covered that he was good enough Democrat
till after the election. In any event, it gives an
important advantage to the opposition to act so
far in advance of their action, as to afford them
time to canvass the whole field, and discover the
weak as well as the impregnabe points of the
line of battle. 1t is Of the first moment TO be
informed, before moving to the assault, of the
ground occupied, and the extent of the wings to
the right and the left of the leader of the enemy
There is wisdom, therefore, in deferring the Bal
timore Convention till about the time that the
Wings will be compelled to take the field.
A still more important question to be deter
mined by the National Executive Committee,
was the manner of organizing the convention.
This they have done according to the recon-
mendation of the convention Of '48, by provid-
ing that the delegation from each State shall
be equal in numbers to, and no more, than the
representation of each State in the Electoral
College
Experience is the mother of wisdom. Her
lessons are the practical results of things at
tempted, things accomplished and things which
have failed. Her teachings are often disregarded,
but in the main they are the guide-book of man.
kind. Statesmen, diplomats and politicians,
though seldom among the fret, are not always
the la t, to profit from her monitions.
The past history of the Democratic party
abounds in matter of useful instruction, and es-
pecially to all aspiring disciples of the Demo-
cratic faith There is much of truth in the old
stories of wire pulling, and there is much of
power in n position behind the scenes. Who
does not recOllect the imperial regime of the AL
bany Regency and what more interesting ep-
isode in our seventy-ive years of political histo-
ry, than the chain of political events, by which
the Albauians were supplanted. Who could have
believed, had the prophecy been proclaimed by
an angel, in April 1874, that the Texas ques
ton would have accomplished the wonders, the
glories, and the disasters, which followed SO
rapidly the adoption of the policy of annexa
ton by the Baltimore convention The super.
seding of MARTIN VAN BUREs was but the com.
mencement of series of events which have sub.
stantially suspended the old doctrine Of an here.
ditary succession--a line of Presidents from a
line of precedents, running through all the infe.
rior grades ofpromotion in each case, and enter
ing the White House, according to priority o.
rank and seniority in the service. This line o
succession was broken off by the Texas ques
tion--but it WAS suspended rather than sup