The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-18
The CharleAton Convcntlon-Its Danger
and Its Chances.

oA0 AtS CAo0cees
The cars and hotels on the route to Charles
ton are filed with delegates, alternates and
lobby members, hurrying to the Presidential
Convention to be held in that city on Monday
next; and the universal inquiry among them is,
who 90 you think will be nominated, and who
will your delegation 60 fors
This marked peculiarly of the present ruling
sentiment among the delegates indicates the
danger which attends the candidate, and the
party whose representatives are now Fastening
to the Convention. There seems to be among
them no sense Of the appalling peril which is
startling the country, and rousing the conser
vative feeling everywhere to action. All their
thought is devoted to the personal claims Of
ambitious candidates, and all their desires
amount merely to a wish to be In the winning
clique. In this the elements of the Charleston
Convention exhibit strong contrast to
the feeling of the people, which, in
this moment ofpublic danger, has turned from
all contemplation of particular leaders, and
thirsts only for party combination on the
great conservative principles that sustain the
constitution and the Union. Called together
by the power of party drill alone, the demo.
cratic politicians are intent only upon securing
a vantage position in the spoils hunt comprised
in Presidential campaign.
Under these circumstances, the Charleston
Convention incurs the peril of shocking the
prevailing sentiment among the people, and of
consigning the democratic party to the fate
which has overwhelmed its old antagonist, the
wing organization. The country will not en-
doIse any ultra sentiments, whether they be
advanced by democratic or black republican
convention. The people will not accept any
candidate of extreme views, either Northern
or Southern, nor any purely partisan leader
whose antecedents are merely those of sue
cessful ward politician, or jolly, bottle-push-
ing demagogue, nor any expert in the art Of
splitting political hairs. Ultra men and keen
partisans must all give place in the
present emergency to those whose
broad views and sound principles will
command the confidence of the sober sense
which, in the present contest is determined to
bring Its voice and its votes to bear. The
violent pro slavery men of the South are as
repugnant to it as the fanatical abolitionists of
the North. 1t Is clearly perceived that the
question of slavery in the Territories is an
ephemeral question, which the advancing wave
of population will, of itself, hide in few years;
while the great question of the existence of the
constitution and the Union stands for all time
1t is evident that other and more powerful
principles than mere acts Of Congress govern
the flow Of population into the Territories, and
that where acts Of Congress conflict with these
principles, which govern the popular senti-
ment, they become dead letter and cease to
operate.
IT, therefore, the Charleston Convention, or
that of Chicago, or of Baltimore, think they can
Get mp their judgment against the principles
that govern our national growth, or the tide of
popular feeling, they will, by so doing, merely
write themselves down asses, and send their poll
teal organization to keep company In obli-
won with its old compeer, the wing party
The first care of the Convention must, there.
fore, be TO set itself in accord with the