The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-07-04
SOUTH CAROLINA DEMOCRACY vs.
MR.. BUCHANAN,

| Din. DOC11ANAN.
The South Carolina Times, in commentin,
upon the course of the Charleston Mercury
takes peep into the Cincinnati Convention
lays bare the motive that Influenced the nomi
nation, and proclaims Mr. Buchanan's princi
Piles; and as the expose will doubtless be in
teresting to Southern Democrats generally
we publish it for their ediication:
The Charleston Mercury-This respected
journal, to which we have long been accus
toned to look as the answering advocate o.
the Constitution and State Rights, has nc
quiesced in the nomination of Mr.. Buchanan
for the Presidency; not, however, because ht
is the nominee of the Democratic party, moi
yet because it recognizes the authority Of the
Cincinnati Convention to bind it in matters Of
political faith. Were it n partizan press, held
in subservency by party ties, which It may
not disregard, we could readily account for ts
present course. But opposed as it has beer
to party organizations, because detrimental to
the best Interests Of the country and espe.
cially of the South, because subversive of The
Constitution and the rights of our section
and scorning, as il does, party dictatiou, be.
cause of the degradation il imposes, its nc.
ceptance of the nomination of the high tariff
and freesoil Buchanan, is wholly inexpicable
to us.
But not content to merely ncquiesce in the
nomination and to give its consent that South
Carolina shall vote for Buchanan and Breck.
enridge as the less of two evils, it must needs
go step farther and express the opinion that
they are the representatives of "the Constitu.
ton and the South" This declaration to our
mind appears very much like exhibiting a
disposition 10 assume and wear the livery of
party. 1t looks like the special blending of
an advocate. !,achanan The representative of
the Constitution and the South Will the
Mercury inform us in what way the man who
voted for the Tariff of l842, and declared in
1874 that he "fet strong repugnance 10 &c.
tending the Union Ouer any more slaueholding
territory" can ever be representative of the
Constitution? Will the Mercury inform us
how he can be representative of the South,
when it is notorious that the Southern dele.
gates at Cincinnati almost unanimously op.
posed his nomination, and gave in only when
it was apprehended his Northern supporters
would secede from the Convention and set up
for themselves! No, no. Mr. Buchanan is
the representative Of the North, ,oas nominated
by The North in opposition to both Pierce and
Douglas, the first and second and only choice
of the South, and, If the South shall vote for
him, it will be because the ties Of party are
stronger than the love of our section. He
was selected for his ayailabilty-chosen MS
leader, because more acceptable 10 Northern
FreesOil Democrats than either Pierce or
Douglas; for the reason that he can command
more Of the votes Of the high tariff Democrats
of Pennsylvania, of the internal improvement
advocates of the Northwest, and of the Free
soiers of New York and Ohio; because he
has none of the scars of battle upon his per.
son. Yet the Mercury calls him represen.
tative of the South, well knowing that these
were the reasonswhy he was preferred before
Pierce and Douglas.
We tell the Mercury, in all frankness and
friendship, that its course in reference to the
nomination has caused much surprise to the
sold line" State rights men of the State
When they confidently expected that it would
stand fast by the faith of its fathers, they
were deeply panied and chagrined to see it
"whce into line" with the national Democrats.
1t is now giving moral aid and comfort to
that party, which is seeking to nationaize
South Carolina, to make her vassal of De-
mocracy, and to subvert her whole domestic
policy. When the news reached the conven.
tionists of this State that Buchanan was
nominated, dismay and dissatisfaction were
depicted upon the countenances of every
member of the corporal guard" and bright
hope cheered the faces of the remnant of the
Old State rights guard. But no sooner did
the Mercury swallow Buchanan with all his
tari6fsm and Jreesoilism, than the gloomy,
dissatisfied countenances of The one party
were lighted up with hope and satisfaction,
and dependency filled the hearts of the other
party. Let the Mercury be assured of one
fact that its old enemies, the Federasts in
this State, view its present course with the
utmost complocency and the warm'st self.
gratulations. Who would have believed one
month ago, that State rights republicanism
would have received so fatal stab in the house
of its friends!