Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-08-06

| forms of excluding slavery sfrom the territori
of the United States, mentioned in the resoll
TONS as being in violation of the constitution
and of the just and equal rights of the citizer
of the slaveholding States ...,.-t-.1..r
J "Resolced, That these resd utions be conside
ed as instructions to our delegates in the Bait
more Convention, to guide them in their vote
in that body; and that they vote for no men fc
President or Vice President, who will not unt
quivocally avow themselves to be opposed to e
\ ther of the forms of restricting slavery whic
are described in these resolutions" "s ~
l. Mr.. Yancey, in letter of April 14th, 1848, at
dressed to the Editor of the Alabama State Gs
zett, explained the circumstances under whic
his preamble and resolutions, known as the ga
ALBANIA PLATFORM were adopted by the Conver
tion. The following is an extract from that lei
ter: 81 addressed the Convention at length j
support of my proposition and quoted in 1ay n
marks from tile letters of Mr.. Cass and MI
BUCHANAN, and from the speech Of Mr.. Dalla
and from the resolutions and address of the lat
Albany Convention, to show that while they or
posed any federal action upon slavery, they a
the same time admitted that the people of a Tel
ritory Of the United ,States-the settlers Of 1T
could make regulations, TO exclude slarery iron
at, before they framed constitution preparato
ry to allmittance into the Union. y - si
81 announced my object to be to instruct on
delegates to oppose also the nomination of any
persons, who should not unequivocally avov
themselves to be opposed to either Of the form
of restricting slavery, which had commented
upon, and one of which forms-that of PoPULAl
INTERFERENCE WAS ADMITTED TO BE POSSESSED By
THE SETTLERS OF A TERRITORY, BY BUCHANAN
AND OTHERS" ,ar.ls.,) M r.,-fio s.ff li5If aoH
On the 29th Of Feb'y, 1848, the State Demo
cratic Convention of Virginia assembled at Rich
mond. John s. Caskie, chairman of the Com
mittee to report resolutions, reported series iI
substance the same as those of the Alabama
Convention. The 9th of the series is as follows
"That this convention heartily responds to the
noble resolutions of the Alabama State Demo
cratic Convention, and will UNDER NO PoLITI.
oAL NECESSITY WHATEVER support either for
the Presidency or Vice Presidency, any person
who shall not be the firm and ayowed opponent
of any plan or doctrine, which in any way inter
feres with the right Of citizens of any one State
to possess and enjoy all their property in any
territory which may he acquired by the union,
as completely and securely as citizens of any
other State Shall enjoy theirs except 50 far as
that, being unwilling to disturb the Missouri
Compromise, we are content with adherence to
its principles Before vote was taken on the
resolutions, "Mr. Millson, of Norfolk, rose and
expressed the apprehension that under the reso-
luton as il stood, the Virginia Democracy,
MIGHEBE PRECLUpED FROM SUPPORTING EITHER
JAMES BUCHANAN, George N. Dallas, Lewis Cass,
all of whom, said Mr.. NJ, were UNDERSTOOD TO EN-
TERRAIN OPINIONS SOMEWHAT IN CONFLICT WITH
TILE DOCTRINE OF THE RESOLUTION "'f55tt siT
Mr. yancey further testifes. in an address to
the South, as follows: "MR. BUCHANAN HAS
TOLD ME THAT HE COULD NOT APPROVE THE VIEWS
EXPRESSED IN OUR RESOLUTIONS, 1.-THE Alabama
resolutions just quoted, that he had taken his
position on the Missouri Compromise and could
not now change it."
Mr.. Yancey also states, that Mr.. Moore report
ed to him conversation he had had with Mr..
Buchanan, in which the latter said: What HR
COULD NOT COME UP TO, OR ENDORSE THE ALA
BAMA PLATFORM" e..,..r.,..-.e. a.
But this is not all the evidence we Fave on this
important subject: D. 5. =. a'~'n'4 si'' '..
Mr. Yancey enclosed the Alabama Platform to
Mr.. Buchanan, in communication, and the lat
ter made the following reply: t,c-., q.
.WAsHINGToN, May 18, 184S.
Hon. Wm L. Yancey, y,-SIR:-I received your
favor of the I'd inst, requesting answers to the
different propositions contained in the 9th, 10th,
18th, 18th, 18th and 18th Resolutions of the late
Alabama Democratic Convention on the subject
of slavery. pi'
On the 26th of August last after much refec-
ton, addressed letter to the Democracy Of
Bucks county, Pennsylvania, on this important
and exciting question, in whichI expressed the
opinion in favor of the extension ofthe Missouri
Compromise to any other territory which we
might acquire from Mexico. had entertained
and freely expressed this opinion from the time
the question was first agitated; and every days
experience since the date of my letter, has SEEM
ed to strengthen my conviction that the Missouri
Compromise is the best, if not the only, mode of
finally and satisfactorily adjusting this vexed and
dangerous question.
Under these circumstances, CANNOT ABANDON
THE POSITION WHICH HAVE THUS DELIBERATELY
AND CoNscIENTIoUsLY TAKEN, AND ASSUME ANY
OTHER THAT CAN BE PRESENTED. ~
/ have the honor Of transmitting you a copy
of my Bucks county letter.
With sentiments of the highest regard, I re-
main yours sincerely, JAMES BUCHANAN.
In 1S4S, in letter to Mr.. T. Sanford, he says !:
"What an absurdity would it then be, if,
whilst asserting this SOVEREIGN POWER IN
CONGRESS, which from ats nature must be EX-
elusive, should in the very same breath al
so claim this identical power for the population
of Territory in an unorganized capacity Pr -
With the evidence OF Yancey, Moore, and Mill
son, the letter above given, and Mr.. Buchanan's
letter OF acceptance, and that to Mr.. Sanford,
who can doubt that Mr.. Buchanan is in favor OF
and fully committed to the odious doctrine Of
..Sonatter Sovereiontv 2n The Alabama Resolu.
t;ons were desioned ss wa ore told bv Mr. Van.
cav to exclnde Mr. r from tbe nomination for
ths G Presidencv W in 1918 and The Democracv 'ot Of
Virginia Vii Inowino the obiect @ 20 Of those resoIn.
tons n,nhoded t5en in thar Platform declor.
inc ,bora;n tho, W,,n5a. nv soI;s;coI ,,s.sss;t,,
Ill ii o e,,nn"rt a;tber for Pras;Jent ~
oTS W;oa Im 0upv. % ho arterto;ned the
sant;arts ,vi nG ;ndoatad PU ,bo resolutions % ~
HOW non tho Dsmocra,;c 1 tic nsrtv of this State
INV Soh WV DSHiSSioiAS P"ANJ - l--',S