The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-02-13
Culllmllnirutiolls,
[For the Leaqer.


Senator and Representatives" in reference
to the proprcty of South Carolina being
represented in the National Democratic Con-
vcnton, to be held at Cincinnati.
| have no motive, whatcvcy, to conceal
my opiaions. II it will CRAFTY you. or any
portion OF my constituents, | will willingly
define my position upon the question. am.
then, utterly opposed TO South Carolina
sending Delegates to the Cincinnati Conven.
ton. And as it has become 40 fashionable.
in the discussion ef this question, to quote
men with high sounding titles, either in fav.
or or against the move, | wish il distinctly
understood, IN the outset. that am not on
posed 10 il because this or that Editor-this
or ,ha, Judg" or General, Is in favor Of il ;
uor have been influenced in making up my
opinion. 10y the mere fact, that this or that H.
!ustr"u' parsonage has opposed, or does
now oppose it.
| have bcon opposed 10 this Na'iona! Con-
vcntI"n system from i's very incpicncy. An
experience If fifteen wears has gained /, no
rvor With NE. Notwithstanding may be-
met with the remark, tina, it has Given us :.
POLK aud Pierce both good and true men.
Granted, and let me add, IN reference 10 the
latter, that he is, in my humble Judgment.
the most reliable President W. have had since
the "Fathcr Of our country" vacated the
Presidential Chair. This. however. is no ar
gnmen', in IIy orHion, in favor of this Ma
.tionnl Convention Systcm, for ,hcsc gentle.
men received their nomination n. this great
political gambling shop more hy accident
than otherwise; aud more particularly WAS
Tins tie case with The nomination Of Mr..
Fierce. The Convention that nominated Mr..
Fierce, baIlo,!cd time after time, without sue
cess ior other gentlemen, perhaps not one
tiine thinking OF NJ. Picrsc's name. When,
ih:s lucky thought occurred 10 the Conyen-
lion, that each delegation should retire, and
nominate, each, thrir man. Thi. being done.
were 1t not for the truth Of the saying. that
there is many slip between the cup and
the !ip, Mr.. kriti's Jupiter Of IA. Senate
Our own Judge Bu,icr-would have been
the nominee OF that Convention. aud, of
course, our present Chief Magistrate. The
Georgia delegation WAS Il little too slow.
h'wcver. When they arrived ut the door
with the name ot our good Senator. some
other delegation WAS proposing the name of
Vi. Pierce. The Georgia delegation guess
cd the nomination was good one. and not
wishing to disturb the then lucky shutting
of the cards, withheld the name { judo,
Butler. and Mr.. r.crce WAS nominated. They
guessed right that time, bu, who believes
they wouli CUES, so well again! We 10
not wish to ls very personal, but We do fear
that something cc this sort has na,ionaliE,d
our good Senator little loo murt,. u.c.r.
tsinly Ia, left, little al least, Of his we'll.
tried mo"ringS. As TO the cause. lac i. b,.,.
ter Informed ,han myself This /. digrcs.
sion. Let me return.
repeat, then. tha, the nomination of
Mrssrs. Polk and Pierce was accidental. and
that tbcsc n NI,ional, Political Conventions.
gotten up, as they are, are criminal usurp1-
uons-thcy GsuLp tbc. constitutional rigk = Of
the honest and uosaspee,ing people Of the
county. No enc, presume. will haze the
h'rdihood to deny, that the Constitution Of
the United States, in the spirit of its provi
'lons, contcmpla,cs that the election of prc,i.
dent aad Vice President, should be- by IN,
several States. And surely, Mr. Editor, no
"n"' when u" remembers that these Conyen,
lions are composed Of delegates who are thr
representatives OF mere fragments of parties
IN many S'Atcs, viii sontend for u moIarn,
that they conduec, in The least, to carry ou.
The spirit Of that sacred instrument but ON
The other hand, all except those whose iud1.
men's are warped by the shaekles If party ,
must admit that il,c tendency OF these Con.
ycntions is 10 dcfra, the aims of the Consti.
tuition "a this particular.
To Illustrate hat mean, when I say
these Conventions are composed of the rem.
rescnta'ivcs Of mere fragments Of parties in
mahy States, le; me take the Cincinnati;
'oas"nii"n as m example. Bysrule. I be.
I'eSe, adopted by the Democratic party. each
State is entitled to send to this Conyen,i.p.
as many delegates RS Il has member, on
joint ballot in Congress. Massachusetts.
where Whiggcry and Black Republ;eari,n,
relgns supremacy and where scarcely n eorno.
rarsguard ofrelable democrats can be found
will be entitled, according To this rule. 10
thirteen delegates in the Cincinnati Couyeu.
iion New York, where the Democrats mar.
ty is divided into Barn Burners, Hard Sbsll..
Sofi Shells, and probably as many other fac.
lions, is entitled TO ihiriy-fve delegatcs--
the representatives. Of fragments of parties
South CHrolin" is aImos, entirely Democrat.
ie I; bat If she sends delegates TO the Cincin.
na'i Convention, only a fragment Of the
State Will be represented; for o large mum.
ocr Of the people Of the State are opposed
to, 81 afe indifferent aboat, sending delegate,
i9 That Convention. We trust that what we
have said, will sufficiently islusyrate oar
meaning on ihis nnint H. - -