Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-07-03
= O T. T u Z O a l..
The Southern Delegates in the New York
Convention---..What Shall They DO?


We believe that the general impression in
the South is that our delegates should not vote
in tho nomination of a candidate until tho
Northern delegates have agreed upon the man,
and then to rutiIy their selection; or, in case
the delegates from the North should be una.
bic to agree, it has be4n suggested thut the
Southern d,lrgdts--::--.s;3sit decide tho question
by their votes.
There arc some serious objections to either
of these propositions, leaving out of view our
''yht md duty to vote if We take seats in the
Convention, and if, further, VIC shall be pcr.
mittcd to vote for electors. Tho Convention
will be composed of delegates representing
2t7 electors from the Northern States, lcoy.
ing out the three from Colorado not vet ad.
mittcd, and delegates representing 70 clcc-
tors from the South. Now, if the Southern
delegates arc not to cote, and tho two thirds
rule heretofore established shall be adhered 30,
it will be seen that no one Gun be nominated
unless he gets 2ll votes, or very near tho
unanimous vote Of the Northern States.
Now either the tYo-thirds only Of the Jal-
lots cast or the Southern States will bc com.
PEELED and ought to be, to vote, rather than
rcquircof the nominee that degree of strength
amounting almost to acclamation, which has
never been thought necessary herctofore.--
The enforcement of the two thirds rule under
such circumstances, will always and inevta.
Lly dcfcat tho popular choice, and fastcn up.
on tho party man whose chicfcst merit must
I be that lie was too little known to excite an.
Atagonism.
~ If the rulo be so modified as to REQUIRE only
'fwo, thirds of tho votes cast, then thorc may
gbc, indeed wo believe there will be, some pro
pricty in tho Southern delegates holding aloof
and compelling Northern friends to agree
among themselves upon some man who is
strong enough to get two thirds of their own
votes. Having secured two thirds Of tho bal.
lots cast or one hundred and sixty-iivo votes
for thicr candidate, thon the seventy votes
from the South can be thrown solidy for him,
which will make tho vote he receives twcnty-
four more than two-thirds Of the Whole mum.
bcr cast.
If this course be adopted and We hope it
will be--much trouble and difficulty may bo
avoided and harmony secured in tho dclibcra.
tions Of tho Convention.
The othcl proposition which wo wish to no.
tico, is that which has been generally CONGO.
dcd, and VIC think, without duo reflection, as
the best course for tho Southern delegates in
case tho Northern delegates oannot agree
among themselves-that wo should in the last
moment, and to secure a selection, join in the
ba)lotting by concentrating upon the strong
ost candidate, and thus secure to him tho re.
quisito yothirds majority.
To this wo have this objection: It would
weaken tho candidate thus selected in our own
party, and subjcct tho nominee to tho change
throughout tho Middle and Eastorn Statea.
He was defeated by Curtain for Governor In
1863, and his defeat was duo mainly to tho
false scbargos wlltoh woro brought against
.hinlof being opposed to the support Of tho
<tlnion soldiory, aud tho unfortunate invasion
$flthat State by the Confederate army during
{ VI campaign. These ohargcs would DO again,
y EapsYisA l9ss force, urged against Judge