Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-02-16


priations.
Would our ncighbor Of the Virgnian sustain the
election of Fillmore, or Crittenden without the
18th Section And il so. will they tell US what
are the positions Of either upon that section =
Republican.
We answer. that we care nothing for the 10Th
section. except as a means of testing those, of
whose orthodoxy aud reliability on questions Of
slavery we are not perfectly assured. For the
peace Of the Union and the welfare Of the South.
we demand that the candidate whom we support
shall have given satisfactory evidence that he
comprehend, sand will faithfully regard, the rights
of the slave holding section of the confedefacy.
Whether this evidence is furnished by his formal
endorsement of the 18th section. or otherwise.
so that it be salts fdciory,we care not. We would
not go into a National Convention and hold our.
seir,s bound 10 abide its action, that would not in
advance Of nomination. adopt the 18th section,
or its equivalent, as basis of action. and
guarantee of fair dealing aud good faith--but, if
this were not DONE and nomination otherwise
acceptable to were made. and we were Conyin-
ced that the nominee was in no way responsible
for the failure off the Convention TO take the pre-
vent our doing justice to him We have entire
confidence in the two distinguished gentlemen
named by tho Republican. We do not know that
either has ever opened his lips on the subject of
the 18th section, but as it is the substance we
go for, and not the form. and they have both
attested in other modes their appreciation
of, and attachmept to,the constitutional rights Of
the South, we would not think it necessary to de-
mand any new assurance from them. Acts speak
a more convincing language than word, aud they
have both shown by their acts where they
stand, and what are their principles
We will support no man for the Presidency whose
fidelity to the South is questionable. If we do
not feel assured of his position, shall demand
that the 10Th section test be applied to him. If
we do feel assured, there will be no necessity for
such an application. There is no need to meas
ure Il man whose proportions we know. In
plain terms then, we would sustain either Mr..
Fillmore or Mr.. Crittcnden. without any express
declaration of their opinions in regard to the 18th
section. believing that the former, by his course
a. President and the hitter, in his whole public
career, had laid down and stood upon Platform
IA. safe aud sound as that of the Philadelphia
Convention, and that they would continue TO
stand on it. DO not let the Republican imagine
that we are willing to ignore the 10Th section.
We insist that it shall be maintained and acted
on. rs the only condition on which we hail hold
ourselves bound to support the nominee of the
American Convention; but il, without its formal
re-adop,ion by that convention, candidate is
nominated who commands our confidence as
1
support him, without being "bound." Having
said thus much, in answer To our neighbours
query. we claim the right to PROFOUND one in
return: If it should turn out that the American
Convention should nominate Mr.. Dickinson Of
New York. and he should declare himself oppos-
ed 10 squatttr sopeeignty-and the Democratic
Convention should nominate Mr.. Dougas,o Hi
nois aud he should declare himself in fipor Of
squatier sovereignty, which of the two would the
Republican support for the Presidency