Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-06-27

II Z9-s-7-Z ss-a'sEs'
Reserving to the closing portion of this report
of caaes Of contested seats in the Massachusetts,
and Missouri delegation, we come at once to the
cases Of the delegates who withdrew from the
ChayiestiSfi convention This convention, on the
eve Of its adjournment at Charleston, and in the
great Cause Of The restoration of harmony to our
distracted party, respectfully recommended to the
democratic party of the several States to make pro-
vision for supplying all the vacancies in their re-
spectiye delegations to this convention when it shall
re-assemble" We call particular attention to the
wording of the resolution, Certain delegates had
withdrawn. They had placed on the convention
the reasons of their withdrawal.
Thew STILL however, were the representatives OF
the democratic party Of their several States Their
withdrawal was not a resignation. 1t was not so
considered by the convention. The vacancies re-
erred to had reference to the contingency of vacan-
ces dt the time Of re-assem6ling and the resolution
proposed to provide for supplying them. The con-
venten did not presume to touch the question as to
whether the withdrawal of the delegates constituted
a resignation, nor had in any right to interfere in
the matter A resignation must be made to the ap-
pointing power and to be complete and final must
be accepted by the appointing power. 1t was. well
known on the adjournment Of the convention at
Charleston that the Withdrawing delegates desired
the instruction of their several constituencies be-
fore deciding on their future course.
Such was the spirit and purpose of their deliber-
atoms at Charleston They consulted their respeec
tive constituencies In every case, except the case
of South Carolina their constituencies directed or
authorized them-the vacancies being filled as con-
templated in the resolution Of the convention-to
repair to Baltimore, and there, earnest efforts
with their brethren Of the convention to endeayor
once more to unite their party and promote harmo-
ny and peace in the great cause of their country
The resolution of the convention did not PREJUDICE
the question: since strenuously raised that their
withdrawal was a resignation, but left the whole
question to the said delegates and their respective
constituencies to the end that every State of this
Union might be represented in Baltimore.
The committee has passed resolutions declaring
by vote of 16 to that the delegation from Loui
siana headed by Pierre Soule by vote of IA to IL
that the delegation from Alabama headed by Par
sons and by vote of 10 to 10 that half of each del
egation claiming seats from Georgia, are entitled to
seats in the convention. The resolutions recon-
mended by the undersigned to the convention de-
clare the right of the delegations elected to Charles
ton, with vacancies supplied, as contemplated in
the resolution of the convention to which reference
has been made and accredited to Baltimore, to said
seats. The committee which thus recommend the
irregular delegates from these three States have
jected the irregular delegates from Delaware and ad
mitted the Charleston delegates.
1t has admitted irregular delegates from Arkan-
sas, and rejected portion of the Charleston dele
gates modified, by the filling Of vacancies. It has
admitted the charleston delegates from Missssip-
pi by vote Of % to 2, and the (Charleston) dele
gates from Texas by vote of - to 6. The fact
that delegations not contested does not establish
the right to seats in the convention. There may
be irregular delegates without contest, and there
may be contest between two sets of irregular dele
gates The right of persons to seats as delegates is
to be determined by the facts as to whether they
were appointed by the constituency which they
claim to represent and appointed according to the
usages of said constituency. Wanting these essen
tal prerequisites, they are not entitled to seats,
even if there be no contestants; and having these
their right to seats is not impaired or affected by
contestants.
The committee in deciding by vote of % to 3,
that the Charleston delegates from Mississippi are
entitled to seats in the Baltimore Convention, have
decided rightly, just because they were duly &C
credited to Charleston, have never since resigned,
and have received instructions from the State Of
Mississippi hAoeHResti0n called of the DEM
ocratic Executive Committee of the State to return
to Baltimore
The Charleston delegates, both from Alabama and
Georgia, stand in precisely the same position. They
were also duly accredited to Charleston. They
withdrew, and never resigned They returned to
their respective constituencies The executive COM
mittees in these States in the case of Mississippi
called convention of the party. The conventions
met. The delegates as in the case Of Mississippi
submitted their action to the conventions, and these
conventions approved their course, continued their
powers, and accredited them to Baltimore, Their
rights stand on precisely the same basis, and are
sustained by the authority in Mississippi The
| contestants were appointed BY no body authorized
meet according to the usages of the party in these
States and are not entitled to any consideration
| whatever.
In the case of Alabama, the convention assembled
on the call Of the democratic executive committee
addressed to the democracy of the State) very
largely attended nearly every county in the State
| having been represented. A small number of per-
sons, however, issued notice, which was publish
ed IN only three newspapers in the State-in two
papers the notice was without signers, and in the
third Mobile Regster) it was signed by John For
syth and thirty others. The notice in one pa
per called upon all democrats and all other persons
iii the second paper upon democrats and all con-
serpatiues, and in the third paper Mobile Register)
| upon the people Of alabama, to hold county meet
ings and send delegates to State convention to be
held in Montgomery or Selma, the 4th day of June,
to appoint delegates to Baltimore Twenty eight
counties only out Of ifty-two were represented.
1t was the coming together of persons from all
parties outside of the regular organization to strike
| down the democracy Of the State 1t was call
without any official authority whatsoever. We
thus find the democracy Of the State assembling in
convention according to the usages Of the party and
We find at the same time persons assembling at the
call of unauthorized individuals In the former case
the whole State was represented. In the latter
about half Of the State. Yet the majority Of the
committee have endorsed the action Of the latter a.
the action of the democracy of Alabama, and hav,
rePudiated, contrary to all precedent, usage righ
and justice the action Of the former not only this
they have repudiated the principles Of their own &C
ton in the case of the Mississippi delegation
But the action Of the majority Of this committe
in the case Of Georgia has gone one step further il
its disregard of the acknowledged principles of tn
party. The convention which the committee pu