The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-05-25
The Minnesota Delegation at Charles
ton.

Editorial Correspondence ofe Pioneer and Democrat
NEW YORK, May s.
1 mentioned in letter from Charleston,
that unpleasant rumors met me at various
places on the route thither, which CON-
promised the integrity of portion Of the
Minnesota delegation. In noticing these
rumors, 1 thought it my duty, out prospect
to the characters of the persons implicated,
to accompany it with an express disclaimer
of my belief in what I thought to be a
SANDER as malicious as it was astounding.
You have seen, however, by the proceedings
Of the Convention, that my faith got the
better of my judgment, and that the
supposed libel proved to be a veritable
prophecy.
The proceedings which witnessed, and
copy of which have preserved for future
reference, show that during the preliminary
stages, Messrs. BECKER, FR1DLEY, and
EDGERroN, acted against the interests of
Judge DOUGLAS, and in concert with his
bitterest Misunderstanding out, by their
counsel and votes, the programme pre-
scribed by SL1DELL, BRIGHT & Co., for his
defeat and the dismemberment of the De.
mocratic party.
Upon the ballotings for the candidates in
Convention, the traitorous scoundrelism of
the minority exhibited itself in more
tangible shape. 1t was the design and hope
of the Administration intriguants, to pre-
vent DOUGLAS from receiving a majority of
the entire electoral vote. His first vote
was l451s, which was increased at the
eighth ballot to 1907. During the most
of the time consumed in these eight
ballotings, Messrs. FR1DLEY, EDGERroN,
and BECKER, were absent from their seats
in the delegation-leaving instructions to
the chairman, Gov. GoRMAN, to cast their
votes on each ballot for STEPHEN A. DoUa>
LAS. On the return of FR1DLEY and Ed
GERToN, after the announcement of the
eighth ballot, and with the probability
which that ballot showed that DOUGLAS
would have the dreaded majority on the next
which was about to be taken, these two
apostates returned for the purpose of chang
ing their one vote against the choice of
Minnesota. Gov. GosMAN, however, being
temporarily in another part of the hall, had
cast the vote Of the State as unit for
DOUGLAS before their wishes were commu.
nicated to him. When this was done, the
infamy of the demand so outraged him, that
he declined to make the desired change, tel.
ling the scoundrels that if they were bent
upon acting the part Of traitors, be should
leave it to themselves to proclaim their trea-
son. This, after some delay, and with
trepidation which showed how thoroughly
be appreciated the shameful step be was
about to take, was done by Judge EDGERToN
in announcing the vote of himself and his
colleague FR1DLEY, for JOHNSON, of Ten
nessee. Whatever pay these scoundrels
received for their prostitution was dearly
earned, in being compelled to brave the un-
disguised scorn and contempt which greeted
them from every quarter of tie hall.
"Knaves !" scoundrels v' prostitutes J"
|" thieves!'' were the merited epithets uttered
audibly and Indignantly on every hand.
Even those for whom the scoundrels had
betrayed their constituencies, turned from
them, and plainly showed that while they
loved the treason, they despised the traitors.
Unable to face the scorn of the Convention,
the prostitutes skunk back into corner of
the hall, where they remained during the
balance of the session.
This was the most humiliating spectacle
have ever witnessed, even amid the most
sickening scenes of political corruption.
Out of the seven Northwestern States, the
hearts OF whose Democracy all beat in har-
mony for DOUGLAS, and the Sovereignty
of the People, it was the notifying fate of
Minnesota to be disgraced before the coun-
try by delegates who were false to their own
honor and to the interests of their party.
need not call down upon them the maledic-
lions of the people; for these will follow
everywhere the knowledge of their treach-
cry. They will find that, whatever pecuni.
airy advantage they have gained by their
apostacy, such advantage is dearly paid 70,
,nhon the nriza ia the confemnt of fhei,