The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-05-26
rhs, Democratic Messing on Saturday
zh *. =, Rd;tors of the ;Ns,es

To tie Rditera of tie Mascs ::
:, Since division Of ofsentiment Is especially to be
deprecated At the present time among the white
men Of this State, It is proper to inquire upon
whom rests the blame Of the incipient dis
cord which is more than threatening Us. The
complaint of those Of the Democrats Of this
city, who approved the proceedings at the Hi
bernian Hal on Saturday might, is, that they
we're not represented in the recent convention
held in Columbia We ask: Why were they not
30 representedp Theswant Of time, as alleged,
is not sufficient explanation, for it appears
that delegates were present from many sections
Of the upper country, to which information
was much less accessible, and from which
there was by no means the same facility for
travelling to Columbia. The telegraph 9nly
informed us Of the call, and the railroad, twice
in every period Of twenty-four hours, trans
ports passengers from the one city to the 9TH
er. We are not defending the action of those
who called the convention on the score Of
suficiency in the time, for we think the haste
displayed was calculated to prevent the full
amount OF good that may have resulted, and
that it was not warranted by any urgency in
the circumstances. But We do contend
that the people in this city. on acconnt OF their
superior facilities, both Of infGrmation and OF
travel, are precluded, to greater degree than
the inhabitants Of any other portion Of the
State, from urging this as the reason OF their
absence.
Again, while we are prepared to advocate, as
taking the lead in political movements on ac-
count Of the greater antiquity OF our communi-
ty and on account the fact that this city is the
Material and intellectual centre of the State,
we cannot acknowledge this to be sufficient
reason for our recusancy in case in which
others have merely been more active and zeal
ous than we have been in the beginning and
forwar ling Of good cause. Importance in the
councils Of the State is not q right to which
Charleston is entitled by prescription, but sim
DIV privilege which she ought to use OF her.
self BY virtue Of her inherent superiority on
the grounds stated above; and f we are an
ticipated in any movement by some other por-
ton Of the State, justice and common sense
demand that, instead Of peevishly objecting to
their forwardness, we should merely accuse our
own DELAY. We ask, why did not this move
ment originate here? And since, to
our shame-at least as it appears from
the resolutions of Saturday night-it had
its beginning elsewhere, why should sense
compliance with such action by our felloW-citl,
gems as, in itself considered, we are prepared
to endorse. Neither is pique generous emo-
ton; nor can any such narrow feeling be the
ground Of an enlightened and comprehensive
public policy. And in behalf OF those OF our
Citizens who, with calmer and more magnani-
nous consideration, are unwilling to be belt-
tied in the estimation Of the State and the
country at large by such an unworthy attitude,
we declare that, in our opinion, the ideas which
inspirited the proceedings Of Saturday evening
do not command the approval Of majority OF
the white people Of this place, and still less OF
the inhsbitants Of the districts along the coast,
whom, without authority, the recusants assume
to represent.
Moreover, il any individual, OF individuals,
-and it is merely possible that this article
brings % u us nearest Of al to the bottom of the
10 raatfsr~deem that, on account Of past servi-
Of fond estimate To- by yha them sg
sntaoes sS az Which would have resulted frofA
their s Concern in this movement they were emit
discussing this question at all, indeed even