The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-02-13
(Ior the Ledger.

Mn. EDrroR Az you lave requested u,
] will now give, briefly, my views on the
propricty of South Cnrolina srnding dele
gates To the Democratic National Convention
to be held at Ciitinhat,i: ''''''
'' An effort was made, during the late ses.
sion of the Legislature, to get up a meeting
10 take that matter into consideration, but i,
Was unsuccessful. a day or two before the
Adjournment, understood that paper hsd
been signed by about fifty members, which
hhs since been published, Recommending the
pe pie Of the several Districts to mcct at
their respective Court Houses, Gu SaIeday
in March, and appoint delegates to meet in
Columbia on tho first Monday in May, for
The purpose of appointing delegates to rep
resent the State in the Cincinnaili Convcn.
tion. That paper did not see, butt sup.
pose the reason Was, that had expressed
nyself 70 q Senator who did sign 4, and who
ioqucsted my views ON the matter, as op.
posed TO the measure.
Since then, / have read a good deal that
has been otged in its fsvor, but have seen
40 susseisat reason to induce a change in
my opinien. But, on the contrary, the more
have reflected on it, the more thoroughly
am convinced that the policy heretofore
psrsued by the State, 10 keeping out Of all
presidential scramblcs, is correct. an, Cd.
posed TO the convention W cassus system
on principle. 1t supersedcs the mode point
ed out in the Constitution, " hich prefer, }
for the election Of q President and Vice.
President. l, Is unfairly eonx,isatcd, is ire
sPonsible, and is controlled BY a few .hsewd 4
and designing men, who are looking more
70 their own selfish ends and personal az.
grandisemcnt, than toaNholcscmc principles
and the rights Of the different sections ofthc
country. Now, what are the arguments in
favor Of the States charging her policy and
going into this Convention So far ~
can understand them, they are three. The
first is, that all the ot,.er States will do so,
and We might rs we'll do likewise. The
amount Of the argument is lhis, that il 9th.
ers do wrong, We must do 30 too. pass il by
mcnt, and one they seem TO think is "a crush.
ar, is, that this Convention is to meet and
lay down platform Of principles, which will
secure us all our constitutional rights. The
great question now ut issue, and paramount
TO all others, is the question Of slavery. The
hhti-slavcry sentiment predon,inatcs now, in
The popular branch of the Government, and
in fact, in all the Northern Stat.s, and is still
increasing every day. The idea, then, of 20.
ing into that Convention, q majority of
whose nc.abers will be from that section,
with the expectation Of making platform
that will secure our constitutional rights on
this question, is 10 my mind, the most pre.
posterous idea that ever entered the brain
OF n sane man.
il platforms would secure our rights, we
ought 10 have had them long ago. for we
have had platform after platform, but unfor.
tunately for US. We never hear any thing
more Of item. after they accomplish the
pnrpose for which they were intended, to
Wit That of making President and divid.
ing tie loavrs and fishes. For ~ part, !
want no more platforms, made by irrcspon.
siblc party conventions. We have platform
already made-the Constiluiion--in which
sur rights ARE guaranteed. Lat us stand on
that and not beg for our rights, but demand
and exact them. II we cannot get item in
this way, il is worse than folly to expect to
do so in cau"uscs and conventions, in which
we are in the minority. The third argument,
Is, that We ought to be represented in tha,
Convention, in order TO secure the nominn.
tion OF President Pierce. ! have no idea
That President Pierce can get the nomiua-
'ion in that Convention. The fact. that he
has done justice to, and is popular in. the
South, 10 the very reason shy he cant OF got
IT, ] contend, that We ~iA sKereise n great
ST ipftuepce r. SECURING Ills nomination, by
pot being, than IL we ~r,c represented in the
Convention. lam willing, however, that
the different Districts should send delegates
TO Columbia, for the express purpose. and
ponc other, Of announcing Franklin Pierce
M the nominee Of this State, for recollection.
TO the pres. Mt system of President max.
ing. by conventions and csucuses, may be
attributed. more than all "th.r causes put
} together. ti,- condition Of the South at thi.
time. ifull ,hc other Southern States had
followed our sxanplein this respect. We
Would have been united. and had all our
rigliisin the U.ion, or our independence out
9fit DIXON BARNES,