Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-06-16
Gen. McGowan,s Speeoh

Gen. MCGOWAN, of Abbcville, one of the
delegates from the State ut. large to the
Charleston Convention, after the reputation
OF himself and others ~ the late May Con-
ycntion, remarked as follows:
Mr.. McGowan said that ne regretted the
loss of his voice, for he never needed it more
than now. The Convention has Just taken
the vote and sanctioned the acts of their
agents, the late Delegates in the Charleston
Convention. They have sustained both the
withdrawal of the Delegates, and the plat
form adopted by them, but from the test
vote Just taken, it is manifest that they arc
kind enough to repudiatc the agents them
selves
We are now united in principlc-even
unanimous, and to what arc we indebted for
itI Has not the action of the Delegates who
retired from the Charleston Convention had
much to do in producing that result If So
why this spirit, which is so manifest, of op-
position to those Delegates? Our princi-
pies being established, this is a mere scramble
about men, with view to effect the policy
to be pursued at Richmond, You go for
extreme men and extreme measures at Rich
mond, and we think the policy at Richmond
should be conciiatoly, and shaped by those
who inaugurated this movement.
He for himself personally did not desire
to go to Richmond. If he went he would
have to make sacrifices, personal and profes-
sional lie did not however, care for that
He was willing to make the sacrifice in the
hope of being able to contribute something
in carrying out the principles of the majority
platform, and in getting an acceptable can
G;d&tc f39 :!:o Prcsilcn"y lie wa- for har-
mony and cooperation of the Southern States
at Richmond, and he WAS not willing to go
there with men whose views were so extreme
as to damage cooperation. Besides, Sir, we
have feeling in this matter, not because we
desire the qualification of personal vanity
in going to Richmond, but because we feel
the impulses Of South Carolina gentlemen,
and as to honesty and integrity of purpose
at least, acknowledge nferiority to no man -
We do not consider that ii is Il contest upon
equal terms. AS we happened to occupy
these places at Charleston, and Joined in the
call for the Richmond Convention, we think
that all of us would be retained of course, un-
less there existed positive objection. 1t is
not merely to be beaten, but to be rcpudia-
ted
Thc delegates of the April Cor vcntion
retired from the Charleston Convention
Our Democratic Central Committee call an
other Convention of the Democracy of South
Carolina, aud when we come here to Colam-
bia we find the old Democratic ship in which
the Convention men have weathcrod so many
storms of ridicule, abuse and opposition, in
the hands of an entirely new crew. Fore
mast and mizzen, quarter deck and all arc
held by new comers, and what is even still
more wonderful, we find that the officers of
this band Of new recruits consist of those who
have, in times past, thrown many broad
side into that same old crafs. Those who
have been most active heretofore in denounc-
ing us, have been proposed here as officers of
the Convention, and it would seem for that
very service alone. Call you that backing
your friends Z"
He has heard it said here and elsewhere,
that the Delegates to Charleston only repre-
sented a Nero slip of South Carolina 1t is
q mere matter of opinion, but We believe the
allegation that we did not represent the ma
jority Of South Carolina is not true. You
have not only taken possession of our orgon-
isasien, but you have damned us with faint