Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-11
Letter from n ON. 3. r. BrooIxs-ths Cinein-
natl Convention.

me in relation to the sending Of delegates from
South Carolina to the convention of democrats
at Cincinnati are not only unchanged, but that
they have been strengthened by repeated confer
ences with leading southern gentlemen, and
confirmed by the two last and glorious messages
Of the President. II the entire South fails TO
endorse, sustain and to demand the reelection
of Gen. Pierce, it will be guilty Of suicidal in.
gratitude.
The chief and only plausible objection which
has been adduced in our State to It's represen.
tation at Cincinnati is, that such conventions
are unknown to the constitution. The very
objection admits that there is no implied con-
stitutional prohibition of nominating conven.
tons. convention is but mn arrangement Of
convenience whereby suitable person is
selected the representative of certan political
principles, which principles are not confined to
any locality, but permeate the entire confede-
racy, and for the time obtain. or do not obtain.
In the administration Of the government, in
accordance with the success of the candidate
whichthe party representing these principles may
nominate. In country of the extent of ours
some arrangement of the kind is unavoidable
Ii the people refuse to nominate through their
delegates, the nominations are not thereby
prevented, but fall into the hands Of. aud are
dictated by, few prominent and sometimes
irresponsible individuals. Is this in conformity
with the theory of republicanism, or is Il
oligarchy? Formerly nominations for the
presidency we're made by a congressional eau
Gus, but the system was abandoned because of
its corruptions. Which plan, think you, is
most dangerous" to the interest of the South?
Should the electoral college fail to elect, the
constitution provides, in that contingency, that
the election shall be made by the House of
Representatives. This provision was made for
the benefit of the smaller States, as in this
election the representation fru,n each State has
but one vote, and by which arrangement
Florida, with her single representative, is IN.
vested with as much political power as New
York, with thirty-lhree representatives The
time has been when the South could i,ave
trusted the Lower House of Congress with its
dearest rights, but that time has passed away.
and may God deliver US from any President
who IS the choice Of the present House! Talk
to me about the strength Of the South when
the voting is by Siatesl Why, BY this rule,
Delaware should be counted n free-soi State:
for her representative (she has but one)
deliberately voted for free soil Speaker in the
late election. There are sixteen hireline States
and fifteen slave States. California now votes
with US, but Delaware is against us, i, that
free.soism has the strength in the House even
now, without putting into play, the mighty
levers OF money and promises OF Office Ii i
an ominous fact that Maryland east Que X now
nothing free soil vote in the election of Speaker,
and that three other Know-nothing votes were
withheld until it became manifest that Banks
would be elected without them and then given
to Mr.. Aiken.
With these facts in view, will our people
hazard an election by the House Of Represen
y.2SY 4 IL. u
eiecting II President can be surelT avoided only
by concentrating the united strength If the
South IN the nominating convention at Cincin-
natl.
There are. in reality, but two great partie,
to the presidential ,contesi--the Democratic
and Black Republican--which are respectively
the types OF the constitution and of anarchy.
Under one or the other Of these banners every
man in the Union must rally. He may call
himself by any name which pleases his fancy;
but he will be democrat or a black republi
can as he votes.
1t is fashionable in certain quarters in our
State to sneer at northern democracy, and some
would have us believe that deliverence and
liberty are to be found in the Know-nothing
organization. Well, in the last vote for
Speaker, the Know-nothng party dwindled
down to six votes, and every one of them a
free-soil vote. Mr.. Aiken, the Democratic pro-
slavery candidate, did not receive the vote of
single northern Knownothing, and he did re-
ceive the votes OF seventeen northern Demo
Gratis, and the cordial support Of Mr.. Richard.
son, who could not at the time vote himself nc
he had paired of with free.soiler. The cir
cumstances and facts connected with the recent
election OF Speaker must silence the sweeping
denunclations which sometimes are iuconsider:
ately and ipuorat,fly mad. ana; ~, a..
northern Democracy. The northern Demo
Gratis OF the House have shown that they care
not where man is from, if his principles be
right, by giving to Mr.. Orr the same vote
exactly which they gave 10 Mr.. Richardson OF
Illinois; and by voting for Mr.. Aiken, the
largest slave-owner 10 the House, they have
virtually declared that slavery is not incompa,.
ible with their principles. How will these men,
who have been true to Us, stand before their
own constituents, if they are deserted and re-
pudiated by US, whose battles they have been
6ghting7 With which party, the Democratic
or the Black Republicans, shall our State
affiliate? Which will IL aid and abet? II we
cast away our vote in the presidential election.
as did certain Know-nothings from the South
in the Speakers election, will il not he 10 do
precisely what they have done, that is indirectly
10 contribute 10 the poNeF Of iree.soilisni. aud
mid in the election OF Black Republican?
The meeting Of the convention at Cincinnati
is as certain as any human event cen be; and
the appearance or non-appearsnce of delegates
from South Carolina will ia no wise affect the
occurrence Of that event. In truth, what mat
tiers 1t II arguments against, and objections to.
the convention are AS plentiful ''as black.
berries" when We remember that il is the
established mode Of nominating candidate,
and trust Whatever candidate is named will re-
ceive the vote of every Democrat in every
State in the Union.
General Pierce, | believe, is more accountable
to our people than any man now living. i pre-.
fer him to anybody. But what would Il profit
us or him If every man, woman and child in
our State should nominate him, if he is not The
nominee Of the general convention? South |
Carolina will vote for any man who is nomi- |
mated by the Democratic party. / care not
who he may be-Buchanan. Douglas. Dallas |
Hunter, Pierce. or anybody ese--she will vote
for him, and just because anybody is better
than Black Republican. Every opponent 10 |
the Cincinnati Convention that have met |
with admits that the State will vote for its reeu-
Ia IL