Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-05-02
THE CHARLESTON CONVENTION.
Correspondence Of The Star. !


CHARLESTON, April 30, 1860
DEAR STAR: Well, we have had, to-day that
result for which l prepared your readers The
pIurder-Inongers, disappointed oftice-seekers and
desperate fishers after office under the Federal
Government during the next Presidency, here
assembled, have accomplished their errand to
Charleston. Shortsighted spectators as they
are, they were not able to perceive the extent
OF the mischief they have been so industrousIy
working here. Their aim was only to drive
from the Convention enough Democratic States
delegations to permit the nomination Of the man
under whose auspices they hoped to be able to
plunder the national treasury, as the people of
Maine, Wisconsin, and New York are now be-
Ing plundered under the auspices Of their Re-
publican party State governments. Not being
actuated by the pretense Of principle themselves
they foolishly imagined that with the rest of the
Democratic party-even with the Democracy of the
S1uth-poltics, 10, as in their case, simply a trade
in which there is license TO all who follow il to
essay aught that seems likely TO pay in hard dol
lars in the end.
Not man nOminally identified with the Democ
racy, known as regular attendant upon the ses
slons OF any State Legislature or Congress with
hand out TO clutch portion of anything that can
be hlched by improper legislation, fails to make
one Of this revolutionary crowd now here. Com.
bined as they have been, they have worked the
friends Of Douglas in the Convention I'D 10 the
point Of making Of him and his cause but a conn
terpart OF Cstalne and his cause in the affairs NJ
the republic Of old Their success has been. SO
lar, not whit more fortunate for them than Of
his prototype and their prototypes The latter
Were not more ingloriously defeated In the attain
ment OF their object than the former bid fair to be-
- ha a fialt ~
all who represent effective Democratic electoral
votes against them, and carrying off only the SEM
biance OF Democracy in the approach hing national
contest leave you to the telegraph for all the
particulars OF the occurrences In the Convention
to-day, through which you have doubtless learned
them all Though but eight States are known to
have already secedsd it is clear to me that the res,
OF the seventeen Democratic States as here repre.
sented, will, in forty light hours, participate in
the movement
The feeling Is to nominate General Davis, with
Fernando Wood as the Vice-Presidential candi.
date. l, however, trust that may not be done
first, the constitutional party in the convention
should await the effect Of sober second thought. ot
reflection on what they have broug ht about on the
minds of the delegations from the anti. Democratic
party States. yet hope that they will reconsider
their adoption Of a free-soil platform-for such
only is 1t, with the Interpretation Douglas gives 70
t1e Cincinnati Platform-and win agree to adjourn
the convention without any final action wha,eye,
upon anything; recommending the calling of an.
other National Democratic Convent on at Balu.
more, or elsewhere, IN June. regard the promo.
sition to nominate Jefferson Davis-whom wonld
rather see in the Presidency than any other mar
living, because he is the ablest, most seifrelant
and truly American statesman living-as being
an unfortunate step on the part Of the seceders;
simply because, being ofthe South, and best known
OF all living public men as the defender of the
constitutional rights Of the South, with him as th.
candidate, Cataline's demagogues would ring int
.oe ears OF The public that the movement resulting
IN nis nomination was sectional one, designed
70 s"a IN disruption Of the Union; whereas, it Il