The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-05-26
S. G.
Sunday Morning. May 2e, 1879.


shel We Send Delegates to Baltimores
This is question which is exciting
discussion among the press and the lead
ing citizens of the State. We have ex-
pressed our views favoring the negative
side OF the question, heretofore. Fur
ther consideration has only strengthened
our former opinion. When such good
men. and such wise and experienced
statesmen, as the Hons w. D. Porter and
b. >. Perry, not to mention our honored
contemporaries of the quill. differ with
US. we are constrained to step cautiously
and consider we'll our position. But we
have strong leaders on the negative side,
too. Gen. Kershaw and Judge Aldrioh
are trusty men and true, and many of
our ablest County papers oppose the
sending Of delegates. Both the general
Democratic Conventions held since the
war, the fearful reunion OF Philadelphia
in 1866, and the big mistake at Now York
in 1868, are now conceded to have had
baneful effects upon the South: It had
been better for US in South Carolina had
We kept away from them. This, though
not convincing argument. for oiroum:
stances may and doubtless have greatly
changed the political field, is still q
prin'a .facie inducement against our par
tioipating in the Baltimore Convention.
In the second place. the Baltimore Con-
vention is general meeting of the De-
mooratio party. None but members of
the Democratic party surely arc entitled
to voice in the counsels there. We
have no Democratic party in this State,
and we are convinced that it is not the
wish Of the people to revive that defunct
organization in our midst! We have no
curse for the National Democratic party,
for we revere its principles and ere CRATE
ful for the sympathy it has shown to the
South.
Now. if convention meets under o
call for Democrats, and sends delegates
to Baltimore, is that not re-organiza-
ton and revivi6cation of the party in
this State2 If it is not, then what right
will our delegates have to seat in the
Democratic Convention? They must be
Democrats, and representatives of duly
organized Democratic meeting; other
wise, they cannot claim o voice in pure
Democratic Convention-such as the one
to be held at Baltimore on the 9th of
July. Furthermore, we we'll know that
the great question for the Baltimore
Convention is Greeley or no Greeley.
The main, if not the sole. object of party
conventions is to secure unanimity of
action among the members. To this
end, there is taoit. implied agreement
among those who take part in such con-
sultations.to abide the honest decision of
the majority. This must be so, or else
there is no need Of conventions at all.
They are mere shams. Now, we are
already determined upon our course.
We are all for reeley-unoonditional
unequivocally, convention or no conven-
ton. We are not going to consult, for
our minds are already made up. II
every delegation to Baltimore except our
own were to vote for a straight Demo.
cratic ticket, we could not be Influenced
to give it any practical endorsement.
We differ from our sister States of the
South at this time, in that they have
endorsed the Cincinnati platform and
candidates conditionally. They pre- pose
to vote for Greeley and Brown, provided
the general party convention so deter
mine. They prefer Greeley and Brown,
and will urge their endorsement, directly
or indirectly. by the party, but will be
governed by the final determination.
We are prepared to take no such alter
native. We mean to have Greeley and
Brown and nobody else. If we send
delegates to Baltimore, they go there to
dictate or advise, certainly not to con-
suit IF we have no Democratic party
If we do not mean to revive it-if We are
not going to acquiesce in tile decision OF
the Convention. and work as it shall d.
Ats