Washington telegraph., 1856-08-27
The DUTY of Democrats

The following extract is from an article
In the Richmond Wing of the 10Th of
July. It is worth a careful and serious
persual:
Proof upon proof accumulates that the
contest throughout the Northern States
Is exclusively and emphatically between
/ Fillmore and Fremont! Buchanan is
hardly heard of in the race-his friends
are deserting him everywhere-the Free
solllsh portion going over to Fremont and
the conservative portion going over to
Fillmore In view of this now established
and solemn fact, what is the first great
duty of Southern Democrats? Will they
consent under the selfish instructions and
petty GictatiOn of their party leaders and
managers, to be driven to throwing away
their votes upon Buchanan, when it is ev-
Ident that every vote given to the Cincin-
nattl nominee is virtually vote given to
| Fremont? De they not see-is it not as
clear as the sun in the heavens-that
Buchanan is not inthe contest, and that, the
as patriots and lovers of their country, they
are compelled to choose between Fremont
and Fillmore?
That conclusion reached, as it must be
by all considerate and rejecting men, is
it not the bounden duty of Southern Dem
ocrats to sacrifice their party predictions
in this important crisis for the sake of the
Constitution and the rights of the South;
to rally, as one man, to the cordial and
enthusiastic support of Fillmore the only
man in the field who stands the remotest
chance of defeating the Black Repubi-
can candidate, and thereby arresting the
progress of Abolition fanaticism, and re-
storing peace and confidence between the
embittered and warning sections of the
Republic? In all candor, in all honesty,
and with full conviction of the gravity
of the present crisis, and OF the dangers
that menace Us, both as a nation and as
section, we put these questions to the
calm, thinking, patriotic portion of the
Virginia and Southern De nocracy, and
appeal to them to rise for once superior
to party passion and party prejudice, and
prove themselves equal to this great einer-
gency-an emergency that demands what
ever of patriotism, ability and energy they
may possess, if they wish to prererve their
Union which has conducted us to an emf
nence of national prosperity, power and
happiness, unequaled in the history of the
world
1t is factions it is weak, it is childish
for Southern Democrats to be wasting
their energies in doing battle for mere
candidate of ''straw for man who is
virtually not in the feld-when those ener-
gies should be directed to the maintain
ance of Southern rights and honor, and
to the upholding of our national constitu-
ton, in an earnest and vigorous support
of Millard Fillmore. We beg them to
consider well the consequences of their ad-
herring to Buchanan, when all hope of his
election is clearly gone-when the contest
is narrowed down, in the Judgment of all
candid and sagacious men, to Fillmore and
Fremont Should Fremont unfortunately
be elected President, his election will be
the shameful and alarming result of hav-
ing thrown away your votes upon Bu-
chanan; and the responsibility for the result
must necessarily rest upon your headsl-
We invoke you to be warned in time, or
you will have to endure the modification
hereafter of having been the principal
agents in the elevation to the Presidency
of of a Black Republican! Let not your
selfish and desperate party leaders drive
You to do that which you will regret the
longest day ofyour lives. Vote for Fill
more, and you will elect him and beat Ere
mont, and in that rejecting, if you are at
souls patriots, you will find consolation
that passeth all understanding.