, 1860-12-15

4 CONSERVATIVE r-tRTf GRoNlN6 IN
SOUTH CAROLINA.
A letter from Charleston to tho y. 7. Tribune
has the following interesting Developments Of
a sudden reaction that has taken placein South
Carolina:
Although upwards Of eighteen hours have
elapsed since the polls Of the election, held
yesterday (Dec. u, closed, the result Is not yet
known. his comes from no great labor III
the case, for anywhere else the votes could
hare been canyasscd in three hours hut It Is
the way things arc done here. Enough is
known, however, to render it certain that
Rhett & Co. have hat narrow escape from
defeat, and that even, if chosen, they will stard
pretty low down On the list Of delegates.
Tho country will never know throu4.l' any
purely South Carolinian sources the yery truth
Of this election. The important fact in the
case is the development Of a minority II It Is
not the majority sentiment on the subj jcct Of
secession il Charleston, and, 1t Is now believed,
throughout the State. THIS sentiment, while
It is not antl-sccession in its csseltial ctarac-
actcr, is ut the same time opposed to the POLICY
Ing sober second thought, which, while 1t has
not yet advanced so fer Us to forbid secession
altogether, demands that, If donc, when it is
done, 1t shall be with lecency, aud after time
has been taken to consult with the other cotton
States It demands that there shall be dclb-
If possible. 1t says that when the convention
convcncs on the 18th, it may appear to By the
soundest policy, instead Of rushing hcad1ong
to simple enactment Of the programme Of
the ultTas, to delaE first for weeks, then
months, or then years; aud that, If 60 the de-
lay shall be had.
ut is not difficult to sec that knch a scnti-
ment, having the power Of expressing itself in
notion, affords como grounds for the hope that
the coursc even Of South Caro- ina Is not en-
tircly predetermined as an additional evi-
dencc Of the existence Of such feeling,
| spartansburg district II few days previous to
| tie election, and which you will look for in
| vain In the columns Of tic -nsrrusy:
'Rtso@rtd. That according 10 cur opinion,
South Casolna is now acting father hastily that
GGnve9o1 e M gas s, tsat the
place until the middle Of January Or tic drst Of
February. 80 that the course The other southern
States will pursue might be known
"Of the successful candidates fur the Con-
EErath will stand ut the head OF the list Al.
though the Judge resigned hfs eeat on the
bench, and thereby placed himself at the head
Of the rebellion movement, apparently, 1e has
| hitherto been conservative man, prone to de-
I 4bcrate, opposed to precipitation in MI things,
: Rhett fre-eaterF. Notwithstanding that he
perslstently refused to allow his name to be
run for the Chnycntion, the solid men and
'f{hinklng classes, who, committed as they arc
10 secession, dreaded to commit the question
to the leadership Of the Rhctt party, took him
4 up. The fact TINT the Judge heads the lists,
and that Rhett, If not beaten ont-and-out, Is
chosen by 4 low majority, has its Significance.
It is what no one would hare dreamed of as
! possible In Charleston, ten days ago. Il is q
met which should hero be stated, that this op,
f.position to Rhett s. Co. had not developed it,
/ self In an organized form forty-cight hours
before tho opening Of the polls. Could there
have been a weeks time, will not undertake
10 SOY that = positive Union party would moi
have developed itself in South Carplina.
"Whcn the. real state Of things In Char3ez
J ton comes to be understood in tho country
portion Of the State, tho effect will be impo7'
/ tant,' It Is forcshadowcd already in the sur
p1tsc which gentlemen from the country now
| hfre express. They Ind been taught to believe
fthat ChArleaton wss unit In faTor Of tho ex
7 trene policy of psseiplsston; that The old