Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-02-06
THE MERcURYs ANr1-coNvENT1oN ARTICLES,

WE observe that some political resurrection-
list is bent upon exhuming (frcm the tomb of
the Capulr!s!) p certain articles of the Mercury
called forth Ly. thatquery Of ours, "What are
we to DO" Tho WinnsJero Register, at the
request of subscriber, is now passing them
through second edition. In doing so the Reg
ister gives expression TO the subjoined rciiee..
tions, which will command the attention and
respect Of every unprcjudiced man:
The Mercury objects 10 these Conventions
as Il. piece Of machinery, never contemplated by
the Constitution. Very true: But nevertheless
they had their origin in M imperiuus necessity,
aud were called into existence by the voice OF
the people 1t had become apparent that the
Presidential election was Il matter Of too much
Importance TO longer be permitted to remain be-
fore the lIouse af Representatives,. They were
long standing body, and so great were the
Temptations in The hands Of an aspirant, that
the spirit Of bribery and corruption was spread
ing. like, 4. dreadful cuniagion throughout the
representative body Of the people. With The
number Of Offices in The gift of. the successful
candidate aud tie small. numhrr among whom
they were TO be distributed, Alr. hlcDule de-
carcd that ile temptations were too great for
human integrity, that 'Slhe very angels fell from
Heaven with less leInptaii"n." We will moi
mention amy OF the memorable ocrlsions when
the American people hid their faces with shame
fur the conduct of their representatives. II WAS
noble and patriotic spirit, that prompted them
To remove from their legislative lmll> This cor
ruping election. The appDinlnlcnt uf Il srpar-
ate rlcrloralI college failed, bccansr, from the
number of candidates whom the electors came
pledged to support, the election lad again to be
returned to the House for Il final decisiun Who
has forgotten the circumstances unilrr which
John Quincy Adams WAS elected! lie, the
founder and lirsl parent of The party now called
Republican,, obtained lis elevation to the presi-
DENTAL chair BY The return of the election to
the House. A fact which should be remember
ed, particularly now when that,party Is Il pIu-
raIily it not Il majority, in The House, and are
now polling larger vote tnr Banks than is re-
ceivcd bv any other candidate. This circun-
stance warns Us that the CAUSES Which existed
for keeping The election from The House are rs
strong now as ever; and many times more dam
gcrous because The contest will now be. not
between Wings and Democrats. but anli.slarery
fanatics and the lovers of the Constitution; i'm.
placabc hostility to the South will fire the
hearts of one, the rights of the South and the
preservation of the Constitution animate those
of the other. Look To the Federal Capitol,
witness the scene that is being enacted there.
II it bc desired tn elect Seward, lets few Of the
Southern States withhold themselves from the
Cincinnati Convention and by so doing send the
Democratic candidate before The House, with his
party in broken AMI fragmentary confusion. We
have heard some of the opponents OF The Con-
veniion base their opposition TO it OIL the ground
that they wished TO see Pierce defeated and
Seward elected. and thus dissolution of the
Uniom accomplished. Such can most consiis.
tently oppose the tonrrnIion because to defeat
it Is to defeat The Democratic Party, and lis Il
necessary result, accomplish The election Of
Seward.
The objection to nominating Conventions is
Insufficient. Although not contemplated in the
federal. nor in any OF the State constitutions,
they have nevertheless grown 10 be part of the
machinery ofFgovernnent. and are rrsnrlcd TO
everywhere. They have been held in Columbia,
in Charleston, and in Winn>buro. Called into
existence by necessity, established by usage in
every State. County. or District throughout the
length and breadth of the whole country, it is
an error To ascribc our absrncr from the Nation.
al nominating Conventions TO constitutional
scrupes instead of to mere usage forced up.
Oh us by circumstances no longer existing. The
true position of South Carolina is 10 act with
those parties with whom she agrees: and il she
can agree with none, stand alnof from all. When
Internal improvements, and i protective tarIif
were The issues before The country. neither of
the two great parties carried out SOUTH CaloIrI
views, hence, very consistently, she held herself
aloof from their Party Conventions The only
oucs,ion 10 determine the course of the State
now is: Do we agree with the present position
of llle Democratic Party, and of their dlstln-
ruisIlrd head, President Pierce? If we di>lp.
prove of them, we will act consistently By re-
manning aIOof But if we approve Of tE'cn, We
will be- acting nconsisrntly, it we sill adhere
10 isolation, when the CAUSES for sn doing no
longer exist. A man who climbs :; post 10 cs-
cape from dog, would bn acting rcry.inconss-
trnlv ii he still adhered to his position ui
isolation after his aggressor had Disappeared
We can sec no reason for advocating Tic monk
ISL notion of preserving our purity and virtue
by sccluding ourselves from the rest "f the
Southern States. 1t is too well known that
Notwithstanding our habits Of federal >ecIu>on
there were As many applicants for Office from
this State rs any other in the Union.
1t is vain for the Mercury to attempt to con-
vince the, people Of this State, that those who
favor this Convention. are animated by mo
faith but in the spoiIs." When our great States
nar,. Mr.. Calhoun, went into the Congressional
Caucus that nominated Mr.. Monroe, will the
Mercury have us believe. that not the desire To-
elevate staesma and patriot 10 that high emf.
Hence, but "a fljlh in Tire spoils" animated him
When the Convention Of 1913 met and urged 4
rrpresrntainn of the Stale in The Baltimore
Democratic Convention, and was w;trmv part!c-
ipatpd in Lv the prominent men OF our Stale,
and by Buchanan, Palmer, and AlstOn, Of our
own District, men whose integrity have stood
above reprnarli, are we to believe that" faith in
the spniIs." tnund IL moments acceptance in their
hearts! Never Never.
ln conclusion, let us beg The Mercury to pom
der well the remarks Of Col. keitt They
come from disinere.ied source. tic proralnls
that the Democratic the only Constitutional
party now before the country, and the very
change, which has taken place in that party, com
stiluie, reasons change in our usage. Col.
kcilts splendid compliment t" the party, wo
commend to its consideration. whenever, togelh-
cr WIN llle hnow-NolhiIlG p'PeIH VI ihc St'c,
it indulges in unmerited abuse of the men be-
longing 10 it.
% -.
YuuGs TRuLY-Oiiver Aliilikin is rs much of
Il wag IN IL musician; and to make his waggery
The more successful, he affects the dress and
manner of Il clergyman" With bis while cravat
and sober black coat be makes not n bud imila-
,iDn. lie was ut one Of the hotels in SPRING
field a few weeks ago. and his decidedly clerical
appearance alt,acing the attention of the COM
pany as they sat down to dinner, he was called
upon TO- ask blessing. He did not refuse, and