Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-04-20
ContcsIirir Delegations.

questions which will be before the Charleston
Convention, will hc that Of conteSting deles;l-
tious. In voluntary party conventions there can
be- no ared lac by which 10 test the rights of de-
lcgates to seats. There can exist no criterion by
which 10 determine this embarrassing subject,
save that OF pri"ciple, which, i'll the present
case, renders greater the very difficulty which
bcscts the Convention
The great State of New York presents two
sets Of delegates The one appointed Ly a
convention nf the party, and the other elected
by Cunmrcssiona Districts. To deny either
admission hecaiSt of the mode and manner Of
their appointment would hc Ia reflect upon
other States which appoint in the same way. If
the Cagser Cassidy delegates arc admitted be-
cause appointed hH :riIrrai convention, then
the Virginia delegates appointed by District
Conycntiuns are hot properly elected. Sothat
the difficulty oi tic New York delegation must
he determined hy questions of principle anters-
dent 10 their appointment. The convention
must, in other words. determine whe-
,l,er the Cagger-Cassidy delegates are De
nocrnts Vi as g""l standing rs Mayor
wood in which ease the precedent
of 1856 would admit h'.ii, equally, nr that the
Caggert Cassidy delegates arc in bcttcr S;;ll,iins
a> To principle, ani exclude the latter by The
prcre,len! Of lSji, with regard 10 the Benton
delegates from Missouri. Nnw, 10 Democratic
Convention would dare exclude Fernando
Wood, with his li!r-Io'rg consistency |" the
principles uf the Democratic party, his recent
brilliant triumph in New York city, and the
noble and gallant fight he conducted in Con,
necticut, in defence Of the principles oi the
Democratic party, as maintained Eiy the South.
We therefore dismiss the thought Of Mayor
Woods rejection rs prrpoSt"rous, and will con-
line OuIr remarks /" the ir"priciy Of his humll'
ation 10 the same level nS hat nj Cagger and
Cassidy
Will the harmony and union ot the party be
promoted by The farce Of compelling the halves
of the delegations t" occupy adjacent seats at
Charleston, Us MAS done in Cincinnati: Let
the history Of the last intIr years Ia New York
determine how long the bcIiigcrcnt parties re-
manned itI harmony after the ADJOURNMENT Of
the Cincinnati Convention.
We Witnessed the pouring together Of the
''oil and water" at Cincinnati; the world has
seen how they refused to mingle and become one,
because nt conflicting inherent rcpugnanccs
which forbid = union where no common prIn'
cple existed! Shall the same farce lc enacted
at Charleston lucrely that different aspirantS
may get the benefit oI the votes in Convention
Of the different delegations: We would suggest
different course. having tested the miri"g cX.
pertinent at Cincinnati and with il, if not by
and through it, been defeated in New York State,
we hope the Charleston Convention will test the
experiment Of pure principle, which can have
no worse result than ti!al which followed the
mixing experiment al Cincinnati, but which
We believe woud lie attended with most bcnc-
fetal and happy Consequences in the approach
ing Presidential election.
The course of the Sonlhcrn delegations al,
units Of no doubt. They WILL We hope, sustain
the admission Of Fernando Wool, and the re-
lection of Caggcr, Cassidy u Co. The election
of delegates by Districts, WAS Ole of tiirs"
cardinal principles OF Air. Calhoun, the rcicc,
ton Of which caused him to withhold his name
from the Baltimore Convention in lS4l, and
in the advocacy of District elected delegates,
Mr. Hunter aud other friends Of Mr.. Calhoun,
published an address III 1871 There can,
therefore be no doubt but that the District
delegates Of New York, will be sustained by
the Southern delegation.
In Illinois there is also IL contesting delega-
ton, and in Maryland aI''l Massachusetts con-
testing delegates from single districts Now,
as there is no fixed principle, no established
precedent Tor the determination Of the right ,n
seats hy these delegates. it will be impossible
to decide this question without beng NOR.
Or less influenced by the preference for this OF
that statesman 1t twould, indeed, br fur bet.
ter if the right of delegates could he determined
without any knowledge Of their preference;
but that is Impossible. Where only u single
district is disputed, the delegation from The
State will settle tie question: wiIhoat D. rom'
ing before the Convention but when u whole
delegation is: contested. the Convention must
itself tlpciric the matter, and 10 colnnillcc
sluuid be permitted IL Smother and cover up
this important matter Let no man he shor
Of his strength by the manipulating agency Of
an IRRESPONSIBLE committee, but in open tui'-
ycr4ol lc; all such questions be decided.
IL will hc impossible to prevent the question
Of the Admission. of lrc Illinois contestants iro.
being made IL tcst for or against Mr., D"nglaS The
Administration or Mr Douglas nuSt he reject
cd. The Convention alone il rsInrtrnt /" dcc;d:
question wliirh involves the condemnation n
the Administration n. tho rei"rli"n nf Senator
Douglas We knox lnhiag of the facts np"
whicl. either delegation bases rs claims to seats
that Senator Douglas ls liir c'luicc nrd pre-
irrel!ec nj the Democracy nI Illinois, We p'tsume
no rational ,nan wiil question.
These statements are sufficient 10 Indicate
tn1i lhc !it'''i''''l i">7'"'' w. N'''S''S>
-.ats is ,.nc of very great Importance, involving
matters Of principle as well as tests Of strength,
upou the decision of which will depend 10 a
very great extent the harmony of the Conven'
ZION.
The Southern Field and Fire-SiGr,
phlishcll by James Gardner ii Augusta,
Georgia, will Oh the 2Gih of May, reach lis
SECOND volume The proprietor makes his
cordial acknowledgements 10 the Southern pto'
pie, Gm the hau'I>omc support they have ex.
tended 10 this enterprise. 1t has already,
within the lirs, year of its existence, achieved
brilliant success. No Efforts will be spared
10 make IFS merits commensurate with that