The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-08-09
D4RGAN AND MARION.

way, one of the Oldest and best papers
in the State, takes us to task thus:
The MANNING TINES, in its issue of last
week, in specializing upon the chances of
the candidates at the late Congressional
Convention for this District, said editorial
1y: 1.-TWO years ago the Marion delegation
withdrew from the Congressional Conven-
tion because they could not defeat Mr.. Oar
gan
This is an egreg!ous misapprehension es
TO the cause Of the. withdrawal Of Narion's
delegation on that occasion, on the part of
our usually accurate cotennporary and one
which, in Justice to that delegation, it is
to be regretted that the TINES should have
been laboring under for the past two years.
That delegation entered that Convention
ander positive instructions as to the method
of nomination which it should support and
without any particular candidate in view,
and probably, in the absence Of such in
structions, and had it remained in the Con-
ven6on, majority of the members CON-
posing it would have supported Mr. Darsan
on the first ballot aud every succeeding one
while. q chance remained for him, and would
have also supported him in aprimary had
such been ordered. It was in for fair and
epsn race in which Mr.. Dargan would have
had en- equal chance with any other proba-
BILE candidate. It represented thoroughly
primag County and was instructed to ad-
roeate primary nominations in the District;
but when it found itself in a convention in
which partisanship was stronger than con-
sideraion for the popular voice and saw
that majority Of its members were bent
upon placing nominee in the field at all
events and without regard as to whether or
not such candidate was the choice of the
people, the Marion delegation, rather than
be q party to such political outrage, with
drew from the Convention.
Such. was the reason, and not hostility to
Mr.. Dargan, or any one else that caused the
withdeawa of that delegation and its action
vas endorsed by this entire County.
We do not desire to do injustice to
any one, or to misrepresent any sec
ton We cannot now recall just how
we got the impression that Marion
withdrew from the convention two
years ago. to defeat Dargan, but that
impression is fixed In our craniurn,
the argument Of our esteemed con-
temporary to thecontrary. We shall,
however, take pleasure hereafter,
when occasion may offer, of saying
on the authority Of the Star, that all
OF Marion is not opposed to Dargan.
We are glad to see that the Star, in
another editorial, gracefully submits
to the defeat of Marion's candidates.
Clarendon likewise had the misfor-
tune of seeing her first choice defeat
ed, but ike brave soldier, she will,
under the leadership of the gallant
and noble Benbow, pile mp Dargan's
majority at the polls next November.
We confess to not liking the rea-
sonine contained in the third para
graph above. Suppose the Marion
delegation was instructed to vote for
primary, two years ago, that is no
reason for desiring to use COERCION to
influence the rest Of the district. The
majority of the district just as strong
" desired convention, and We be-
iisre It is an accepted principle in a
republican government that the mi-
norisy mua, right, or wrong, submit
TO the Will of the majority. But did
not Marion go into the convention
this time with similar Instructions? {?
Yet she Gid not withdraw when
convention was again adopted. Pos
sibly it was delicate compliment to
Clarendon, as We understand that on
the fifth ballot Marion would have
Given Benbow her ten votes. Yet the
act is there that under similar con-
ditions the action was different, ex-
cept in one respect: two years ago it
was certain that Dargan would go in
on first ballot; this year there was a
possibility Of Dargan's defeat. We
mention this as corroberative testimo-
ny that the Marion delegation with
drew because they could not defeat
Dargan. Almost any unbiased per-
son would have drawn the same con-
clusion. But we are glad to know
that our conclusions were wrong.
Dargan is a favorite with Clarendon,
aad personally we don't like to sup
port any man unless he has merit.
We are laboring under the impress
sion that Dargan is very popular IN
the entire district, except about
Florence and in Marion. Florence
and Darlington are rival towns, very
Jealous of each other, and this prob
ably accounts for that: but what is
the reason in Marion? We shall be
pleased to have our esteemed contem-
porary enlighten us on this question,
for we cannot conceive of any cause
in Marion for disafection. Dargan
has, in our opinion, made an excel
lent congressman-a record OF which
he may be proud.
rrho Tooobo,-c' ,,orr,o1 echO,,1 noyc