The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-02-08
Shall South Carolina be heard in the
Charleston Convention

We are pleased to see that meetings
have been called in several OF the districts
OF the State for sending delegates to the
Columbia Convention of April, for ap
pointing delegates to tue Charleston Con
vent'on. The question is often asked,
what good can It accomplish We only
ask, what good do our representatives IN
Washington effect There is never va.
cancy there without a strong competition
for it, even by aut convention men. The
competitors and their friends must of
course consider these positions rs of i'm
portsnce IN fighting the battles of the
South. a Slfort time since the Charles
ton Nercury, with great propriety and
unusual practitaIity spoke of this Con
Yention az The first erea, battle" for the
rights OF the South. 1t is SO, and in such
a battle we would not have : outh Caro-.
lima unrepresen'eJ In the contest for
Speakersh,p. her six votes have been
given with fidelity to her interest and
with effectiveness. If they had been ab
sent, Sherman would have been elected
StaiI worth, of Alabama, and Brown of
Kentucky, bad been present, Smith would
have been elected. these facts, oc recent
occurrence, illustrate how important
chenge a few votes Eav sometimes make.
Now, in the Charleston Convention.
South Carolina will have eight votes.-
Who can say but these eight votes NAV
exercise, AS in the instance OF Sherman, "A
preponGersting and determnotive intlu.
ence IN defeating some man who would
not he the first, second nor third choice
of South Carolina Who can undertake.
to assert that her eight votes may not
decide the nomination in favor Of some
man who will meet fully the appreciation
Of the people of our State Fad Butcher
not come up to the support of Yelling
ferentiy recorded in history. We regard
ita duty which we owe TO our State, to
the South, and 10 the constitutional men
at the North, to unite and counsel with
them in forming the plan, the prepare
ton, the text book Of principles, and the
other necessary arrangements for the
great battle Of next November. Ne re
gard it as not simply property, but an
absolute duty. to see that the cause of
huO Oo'St''u''o', ioi 'He support Oh
which men from the North and from
the South have leagued together in
party union, suffer no Getrirnen,, nor
be in any respect Weakened, bv the
absence Of the eight votes from South
Carolina. If Mr.. Miles, Mr. Boyce, Mr..
Mcqueen, Mr. Kett Mr.. Ashmore and
Mr. Bonham had held back from the
contest for the Speakership, how justly
would they have been he'd Up for dere
liction of n duty ,hev owe their State and
their constituency Ye, here is II Con-
vention whose action will decide, not the
third, but the first position under the
Government; and yet it is urged hy some
that, with arms folded, we should stand
aIoof and have no voice, no influence, in
i. With al due Difference 10 those who
oppose MS, we have never been able to
comprehend the praclicahlity or the
common sense Of the "do nothing" policy
they urge. We hope the friends OF the
policy Of participation in the Convention
will move in every district, and send del
egates to the Columbia Convention Of
April.-Souta Cdroliniqn.