Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-02-14

the passage Of these acts, it was not inconsis-
tent with the dignity, safety and honor Of
South Carolina to go into Convention COM
posed of Northern and Southern Democrats,
it cannot now be so, when we have received
so many proofs of the faithfulness of the same
party. I cannot believe that the only rea-
son that induced so rany of the most promi-
nent men of South Carolina to engage so
zealously in the cause of the Convention of
1914, that they thought there was chance
for Mr.. Calhoun's nomination; but being
disappointed in this expectation, on account
of the opinions of Mr.. Calhoun on the sub
ject of Notification, became opposed to all
Conventions, as corrupt, unfair and chasing,
Time has proven the wisdom of the Conven-
tion, in refusing to endorse the doctrine Of
Notification; for whilst the right Of State
Secession, as advocated in 1888 by Judge
Cheves, has become the great cardinal doc
trine of State Rights, Notification is now
repudiated by most of its former advocates
and the danger, fallacy and untenableness
of its principles fully exemplifed by the late
action of the Know Nothing Legislature Of
Massachusetts, in nullifying the Fugitive
Slave Law.
If, however, the object that influenced
those gentlemen, in getting up the Conven'
tion of 1874, was the nomination of Mr.. Cal.
houn, regardless of all other considerations,
it would prove that they were more devoted
to an individual, than to principles they pro,
fessed to maintain, ,and no matter how great,
good or illustrious was the individual, ii
would be man worship, and unworthy those
high minded and honorable men who parti-
cipated in it, and of the State Of South Ca
rolina, who wheretofore has asserted, with
the fullest truth that, on memorable occa-
sion she sacrificed to her principles, by vo.
ting against him, one of her most illustrious
sons who was candidate for the Presiden:
cy of these United States Mr. Calhoun
great name has also been advanced as a rea-
son for not sending delegates to any Nation
al Convention; but if we are to judge of his
opinions by what he himself expressed, Mr..
Calhoun never was opposed to Conventions.
To q committee, from Indiana, he replied,
after stating that he was not a candidate, but
had been brought forward by his friends
"that he had no doubt that his friends would
cheerfully abide by the decision of any Con-
vention, fairly called and fairly constituted,
that would allow ample time for the full de-
velopment of political opinion, and represent
fully, equally, and fairly the voice of ma
jority of the party" I have thus, at some
length gone back into the history of the coun-
try, and shown what position the State of
South Carolina has heretofore occupied res
pecting National Conventions. I shall now
leave the subject and proceed to show what
benefits must and will proceed from South
Carolina, in common with all the Southern
States, sending delegates to the Cincinnati
Convention. The first action of this ConVen-
tion, before it proceeds to nominate candi,
dates for the Presidency and Vice Presiden-
cy, will be to construct a platform of prin-
ciples, which, when adopted by the Conven-
tion, will be the political creed Of the Demo.
cratic party, and all action emanating from
this party will be governed by this creed; no
candidate that is offered before it will be en-
abled to obtain its nomination, unless he
openly and freely responds that he will be
governed in his administration, if elected, by
the principles that have been adopted by the
Convention. In forming this platform the
South will be able to demand that such pro-
visions shall be inserted in it, as will not on
ly place her on an equality with the rest Of
the Union, but that her rights, property and
institutions, shall be secured and protected
by every guarantee that she may think ne
cessary, or may require; aud these pledges as
they are founded on justice and reason, will
no doubt be given willingly and freely by
the delegates from the Free States, for with
few personal exceptions, the Democracy Of
the North, as party, have, heretofore, been
true to the South in every emergency, al
though deserted by her in the election Of
General Taylor; but regardless of this de-
sertion the fugitive slave law was amended
and passed, and the Missouri restriction re.
moved but this abandonment of principle
by the South, carried with it its own punish
ment, for it is doubtful if California would
have been lost to her, if Taylor had not been
elected President of the United States. Let
us review the action of the Democratic party
for twenty years back and see if my assertion
is not sustained by facts. The tariff has been
repealed the United States bank abolished;
Texas has been annexed to the United States;
the fugitive slave law has been amended, and
the Kansas and Nebraska bill passed could
Texas ever have been annexed without the
assistance of the free State Democracy? and
to Douglass, of Illinois, more than to any 9TH
er man in the United States, is the South in
debted for the passage of the Kansas and
Nebraska bill.
But leaving this part of the subject, and
assuming for argument, that the Northern
and Western Democracy are unsound on the
slavery question, still there will be great ad.
vantage gained by South Carolina, in COM
mon with the other Southern States sending
delegates to the Cincinnati Convention, South
Carolina so long estranged from her South.
ern sisters, will again be brought into close
communion, and a free interchange of opin-
ions will be the natural result; the best plans
for the protection of the rights of South will
be there discussed, and some fixed and con,