The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-30
The Struggle at Charleston.

In ships bags, 1t 6d, and 0ce bbis -four, part by
ship up town, at Is. lohd, the remainder II a.
The Struggle at Charleston.
Now that we have partially recovered from
the excitement caused by the fight for the
championship, people will naturally be in
clined to look towards Charleston, where the
fight for the Presidency has SGT ia with all its
usual severity.
The Convention has already been in session
one week, and has done just nothing at all to-
wards accomplishing the objects for which 1t
os Sensibly came together. The time has been
occupied in fruitless debate on the platform,
and the making of speeches, such as new mem
bers of Congress work off in Committee of the
Whole. The democracy has not been lamb
like at Charleston. The weather is hot, the
hotel charges are excessive, and as the bills
swell the temper of the delegates grows no
sweeter. Consequently we are not surprised
to hear of several personal rencontres on Fri
day and Saturday. No one was killed nor in.
deed harmed, SO far as we can ascertain. As to
the platform matter the Convention has not
advanced step. After very severe strug-
gle, all the reports were sent back to
the Committee of Resolutions, who worked
them over again, split hair here
and another there, but could not agree
upon either set. The whole matter having
given rise to very heated discussion. the Con-
vention concluded to sleep and pray upon it,
and adjourned till this morning, when, at ten
O'Clock, q vote will be taken upon the matter.
The Convention now finds itself in the posi-
ticn of the ass between two bundles of hay.
The committee has given the party too much
of good thing-two platforms at once. The
truth about the matter Is, that all the fuss that
is made about the platform is bosh, gotten up
to conceal the war that is going on between
the friends of the rival candidates. The peo-
pie Of this country know very well what the
distinctive principles Of both parties are. They
know that it has been the theory of the repub-
lican party to present the question of slavery
az the predominant issue in the canvass. The
republicans have forced Mr.. Stewards irrepres-
sible conflict doctrine upon the country, and
upon that platform they must stand or
fall. On the other hand, the democrats,
through their public speakers and writer's,
assume entirely opposite grounds, and
are too happy to protect the South
in ell its institutions, as guaranteed by
the constitution. The people have to make
their election between the republicans and
the democrats upon this issue. All the resolu-
lions about the annexation of Cuba, the iron
ippost, the Pacific Railway, are stuff and non
sense; they deceive nobody, and the time for
such unmeaning trash has gone by. All the
bair splitting over the platform is done by po-
litical confidence men, who are endeavoring to
gain time and favor some particular candidate.
Many people think, from the row which the
fire eaters have kicked up, that there will be a
bolt That, We believe, IL an error. There is
certain class of political adventurous in the
South who are always at the head Of some ire
mendous movement for secession, or bolt
ing, or something of the sort But the
movement, somehow, never appears on
The surface. The democracy will, in con-
sjderstion Of the spoils, become happy family
again. The sooner they stop speech-making
and go to ballOtiDg, the better 1t will be for
their nominees, who have still to appeal
to power higher than any party convention.
All that the democratic masses want from
Charleston are the names of the Candidates.
Every man will fix his platform according to
his own conscience, and the conduct of a hand
inl OF small politicians attempting to dictate
political creed for as many as two and half
millions of democrats Of every section in the
country, and swayed by thousand warned preju.
dices affections and inclinations, is utterly ab-
surd, if not extremely impudent- Neither he
candidate ror the party cares sixpeDce for the
platform, whatever it may be.