Washington sentinel., 1856-05-24
CINCINNATI CONVENTION-HON.
JAMES BUCHANAN.

AS the time for the Democratic National
Convention approaches, the people, feeling that
the approaching campaign is an important
one--the most important, perhaps, which has
ever taken place-are casting their eyes toward
that Convention with solicitude never before
manifested, since the days of Jackson, for a
leader whose experience, integrity, statesman
ship, and unfinching devotion to the Constitu-
ton and the Union, inspire confidence in his
ability to pilot the great National Democracy
through the peris of fanaticism, sectionalism,
and prescription. The fearful progress of fac
tionism, imperilling, as it does, the perpetuity
of the Union, and threatening to dissever the
glorious bonds which bind us together as a
mighty nation, has reused the people, and
caused them to make anxious search for the
great statesman who should be entrusted with
the leadership of the Democracy-the only
party now in existence, with q distinct, firm,
national organization, which, ignoring all Sec
tional issues, recognises the inalienable rights
of the people to freedom of conscience, and the
right of selfgovernment, as guaranteed by the
Constitution. We give it as our solemn con-
viction, that this search Of the people has sin
gled out and centred upon the Hon. James
Buchanan, of Pennsylvania, as the man for the
occasion, whose nomination by the Cincinnati
Convention they desire above all others. And
this conviction we have arrived at the more
deliberately, because personally we have been
strongly inclined to prefer the nomination Of
Franklin Pierce, whose administration has
been in every respect Democratic, and who has
been the best abused President since Jackson.
But we cannot disguise from ourselves the un.
mistakble preferences of the popular voice. In
this Congressional district, we know of but taco
individuals whose first choice is not Mr.. Buch-
anan, and from all parts Of Ohio, so far as we
can learn upon careful inquiries, the people,
with a unanimity never before expressed for
any other man, desire the nomination Of Mr..
Buchanan.
And in our judgment the same is true of all
sections of the Union.
The extraordinary demonstrations of popu-
lar esteem which greeted Mr. Buchanan on his
arrival from foreign court-the uprising of
the masses to welcome to his native shares,
the great, good and experienced statesman,
who with honor and fidelity has represented
his country at the court of the prodest nation
in the world, cannot be mistaken. They point
out Mr.. Buchanan in thunder tones as the
popular choice for the Presidency.
Now, when American citizens are being
murdered on the Isthmus, as they are passing
to and from our Atlantic and Pacific shores,
by race of semi-barbarians furnished with
arms by nation who, with a shameless disre-
gard of her own honor, has broken her treaty
stipulations with us-now when internal foes
to the Constitution and the Union, are, striving
to divide the sylven cords of the Union, it is no
wonder thatthe people have aroused andselected
the man whom they desire to entrust with the
task of averting the threatened danger. We
have felt it our duty thus to acknowledge to
ourselves and to the Union the unmistakable
preference of the people in this part of Ohio,
and as we believe of the whole State. The
time is near at hand when choice is to be
made, and we believe it is the duty of the
press to enlighten the delegates as to the popu-
lar choice. No harm can result from discus
son the Democratic party is the party Of the
people; and our delegates TO the convention
desire only to know the popular will to respect
it. 1t is the duty therefore of the press to
enlighten the convention as to this matter.
When all are Democrats steadfastly adhering to
our glorious creed, it becomes a choice be-
tween men who, in the judgment of the people,
| are best qualified to carry out those principles,
and when choice is made all can cheerfully
support him, because in doing so there is no
sacrifice of principle. Let, then, the Ohio press
speak out--Lancaster Ohio Eagle.