The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-04-20
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4 The Chorlssto9 Convenfiop foeets no nex,
MeSday, and ths eyept' of}its deliberations il
4 now Che snbjsetiof absorbing inteteststo busy
politicia1s Delegates have been sent from: the
sEyatiops Districts Of our Slate to the Columbia
Conversion, withethe exception Of Newber,y,
kerhaw. Orangeburg. Beaufort, SColletop,
williamsburg and Horny, and It remains to- be
seen how far tbese!reprcsent the popular win,
or to what,extent tho State willfeel bound Shy
their action. We do not suppose that Carolina
j willcontent itself with the re.affirmance OF
the Cincinnati platform, or that the State could
be induced to support Douglas as the nominee
ofthe Convention on any platform. From the
character Of the Delegates appointed, and the
nature Of the resolutions adopted nt some OF
the District meetings, we trust that lhe South
Caroline delegation will be prepared to stand
side by side with the Representatives from Mis-.
sissippi and Alabama. The resolutions adSp+s
ted at the Alabama State, Convention. affirm
the unqualified right of the.people Oft slave
holding States. to the protection OF their prop
erty in the States and Territcries,S and that it
is the duty of the general government 10 secure
TO the citizens Of the United States an entry
with their property Of every description, into
its Territories; and the Convention instructed
their representatives to. withdraw from the
Charleston Convention in case of the refusal
by the Convention to adopt the substance of
the foregoing propositions
There does nots seem to be any probability
of Douglas receiving the nomination at Charles.
ton-buteven in that event we do not see that
fboS Siofa ho
of choosing between him and the Republican
nominee. or that by refusing to vote for the
Democratic nominee, the State would contrib
ute to the success sof. the other party. The
fallacy of the argument is thus well exposed by
the Charleston Eeening Ners:
1t is a common and fatal error to suppose
that in the election of President the choice
should and must be narrowed down to two
Persons-the nominee of the two leading spar.
ties. If it7be SO. the party systems which thus
cut the people off from their free preference,
Is alike rotten and oppressive. 1t destroys the
value Of political suffrage and public opinion.
But the arch demagogue and his friends care
not a straw if it does, 80 his nomination aad
election are secured.
The States rights Democracy of the South
wifnot support Douglas, nor can they be forced
to do so, and stultify Themselves All know
that majority of the whole Electoral College
is necessary to an election, and if not obta in.
ed by any candidate. the elect,onimust 60 into
the House Of Representatives. If then Doug
las is the Democratic nominee, it is not neces
sary that the Southern States or any of them
should vote for him. in order to defeat the
Black Republican nominee. Their votes given
to any other candidate preferred by themselves
would be equally effective for that purpose
If there be no election by the electors. the |
Constitution provides that the three candidates
who had obtained the highest votes in the |
Electoral College. may be balloted for by the
House Of Representatives-eachS Staterepresen-
tation voting only one 1t thus becomes vote
by States umits. The number of votes would |
lie 33. Of these Is Southern States and it |
may be or 4 Northern Democratic States |
would vote-against Douglas. and the majority |
Of the Northern States would do the same, by |
voting for the Black Republican. The issue
would then be distinct and direct between the |
South and the North. aud as the Southern can
didate would probably have more Votes tllan |
the Black Republican, and each far more than |
Douglas the States of California, Oregon, In. |
diana, and it may be others. would Have to |
come over to the Southern candidate to save |
Democracy and the Union. The South could |
take up Joe Lane or Hunter, and beat Doug |
lass out of sight in the House of Representa-
tiyes