The southern press., 1851-12-09
The Douglas and Hunter Ticket


fact that the Louisville Democrat, one of the
ablest and most influential papers in the West,
had run up the names of DouGLAs and HUNTER
as its candidates for President and Vice Presid-
emit. AS much inquiry has been since made of
US, as to the precise tenor ard language of the
editorial accompanying that nomination in the
Democrat, we have concluded to re-pubsh its
views % fully set forth in the editorial re-
fefred to:
From the Louisville Democrat, Nor. 25th.
Who is to be the next President! An i'm
portant question just now, and open to discus
sion. The States are now, preparing to send
delegates to the general convention With is to
make the selection of Democratic candid ties for
the Office Of President and Vice President OF
the United States. Many of our contemporaries
have indicated their preferences, and we have
concluded to follow the good example. We
have put up the names of Douglas and Hunter,
to stand until next November, unless they are
superseded by others nomi ated by the Demo.
cratic general convention. We shall not dis
parage any of the distinguished men who are
prominent for the Offices in question. Should
any Of them be chosen by the Democratic con-
yention, we snail give them a cordial support :;
and we believe the electoral vote of Kentucky
will be cast for any one OF them against any
Wing candidate likely to be nominated. Let
those who prefer others present their claims;
| with them We have 10 controversy. There are
several whose claims to nomination are en-
titled to Il candid consideration, and who would
do honor 10 themselves in the high stations to
be filled We think, however, the ticket we
have placed at our masthead has superior claims
in the present crisis before the Democracy of
this country. In preferring it, we consult no
local partialities or personal feelings. Neither
of them belong to our own commonwealth
nor ale they even personal acquaintance OF
ours. We take them IS they stand before the
country by their public acts, and their well
known character in the responsible offices they
have occupied.
The name of Douglas is associated with all
the stirring and important political movements
of the last ten or fifteen years. He has led the
van of progress. Although comparatively young,
his superior talents have won him a fame which
few, even of the elders in politics, ever attain.
1t appears to be the policy of some to select
candidate of merely negative character, who has
not been, as the phrase goes, mixed up with the
late issue before the country. We prefer
4 mai who has been mixed up with these
issues-who has walked boldly through them
who has maintained his integrity and consist
ency in the tempest of excitement, and who has
kept all impartial eye upon the interests of the
whole country in the midst of sectional con-
fcts. We prefer an active, working Democrat,
who has been untring and unequivocal in sup
port of the theory and practice of government
he deems best for the country. The Demo
Gratis have never succeeded upon mere negatives
No party by sucA policy can control the des.
TIMES OF this great republic and no man of such
ne Iatye pretensions should be placed at the
HELM The whole Union. and especially the
great West, know Stephen A. Douglas. On
The questions of a national bank, the independ.
ent treas ury, tariff reform, the settlement Of the
Oregon question, the acquisition Of Texas, and
REFORM. in the deposition OF the public lands, his
course has been marked, firm, consistent, dem.
ocralic: throughout the agtati IN of the com.
promise measures, he has been the liberal states
man, true t. the Constitution, and the nhaxible
opponent Of sectional ianatcism. He might
have made himself the idol Of a faction by pan.
iering TO sectional prejudice, but his talents
needed 10 such prop to SUPPORT him, and his
integrity has been proof against the temptation.
We can find no one Of the same active and
positive public life whose antecedens will bear
so rigid ,crutiny. lie is in the prime of life,
able TO endure the trials Of a station bch has
proved fatal TO three Presidents in the last ten
or twelve years Harrison and Taylor survived
only short time the perplexities and trials Of
the presidential office, and Polk lived only TO
the close Of hi, term
We have reason TO expect that the next four
years will be evCntiul in our foreign relations,
and require arduous Cuties OF the President OF
the United States. We need not commend the
abilities of Douglas. They are too well known.
| l.. T,ls - &
ton wherever talent, energy, bOldness, and in.
dependence were needed. lie is, besides, from
the great Northwest, the popular fayorite of that
region, and the South will feel confident that
they have in hiu a shield against aggression
upon State lights and the fana iCal Ggitatons of
the subject Of slavery in the councils Of the fed.
eral government. The favor with which his
name il mentioned North and South. is ominous
Of good The real friends Of the Union recop.
EiZc in him one upon whom they can safely
unite. Some States have their iavorites whom
tbey would prefer bot Douglas is their choice,
local partialities aside We regard these signs
as pointing TO him above all others upon whom
the voice OF his country will unite with most
cordially. IT We consulted our partialities for
some Older politicians, our choice would be diff
ferent but the signs of the times point TO the
young giant Of Illinois, and we say. LET him have
the track. His party can have no better candi-
date and his country no better President.
OF the second on the ticket, K VI. T.. Hunter,
Of Virginia, we cannot write at length. lie is a
popular and able senator from the old common.
wealth Of Virginia, and belongs to the genuine
Jeflersonian school-the strong advocate Of State
| rights, and the firm friend Of the Union. The
ticket viii have a significance about il that we
/ should be proud 10 see supported unpaatable
to none but faction to whom the Constitution
and its provisions are unpslatable
We put up the ticket that our readers may
examine its merits and Judge for themselves
now when delegates TO the general convention
are being supported and as we said before, il
is not our business TO condemn or criticise the
claims Of others. We don't expect our State
convention on the eighth of January will insist
upon any particular nominees, or give any pos.
tive instructions to her delegates 1t would
not perhaps be in good taste to do so. This
State has not cast her electoral vote for Dem
ocrat for long series of years; but.our dele