Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-06-28
Mr. BJjCHANAN,s LETTER OF
ACCEPTANCE
WHEArLAN1. near Lancaster,
Inne 16. 1856.

" \
June 16, 1885
GsSurArN-I have the honor to acknowledge
/ The receipt Of your communication OF the 18th
instant Informing me officially of my nomina-
ton bv the Democratic National Convention, re-
Gently held at Cincinnati, IS the democratic can
didAtc for the Office Of President OF the United
State shall not attempt to express the CRATE
6,I feelings which I entertain toward my demo-
cratic fellow citizens for having deemed me wor-
thy OF this-the highest political honor on earth
AN honor such as the people Of no other coun-
try have the power to beStow, Deeply sensible
of the vast and varied responsibility attached TO
the station, especially at the present Crisis IN our
atEairS, 1 have carefully reirAlned from seckhs
/ the nomination. either by word OF by decd:
Now that it has been offered by the democratic
marty. Iexeept It with difidence in my own
abilities. but with an humble trust that III
the event of my election / may be enabled to
discharge my duty in such a manner as TO ailay
domestic strife preserve peace and friendship
with foreign nations, and promote the best int
rests Of the public.
In accepting the nomination, l need scarcely
saw that I accept in the same spirit the resolu-
tons constituting the platform OF principles
erected by the convention. To this platform l
intend to conine myselfthroughout the canvass,
believing that / have no right, as the candidate
of the Democratic party, by answering inter
! rogatories. to present new and different issues
before the people.
1t will be expected that in this answer i
! should specially refer to the subject OF each oil
the resolutions; and / shall therefore contine my
self to the two topics now most prominently be-
fore the people.
And. in the first place, I cordially concur in
the sentiments expressed by the convention on
the subject of civil and religious liberty. No.
party founded on religious or political lntolcr-
ance towards one class Of American citizens,
whether born in our own or in a foreign land,
can long continue to exist in this country. We
are all equal before God and the Constitution;
aud the dark spirit of despOtism and bigotry
which would create odious distinctions among
our fslIow-citizens, will be speedily rebuked BY
n free and enlightened public opinion.
The agitation on domestic slavery has too long
distracted and divided the people of this union
and alienated their affections from each other.
This agitation has assumed many forms since Its
commencement, but it now seems to tie directed
chiefly to the territories; and judging from its
present character, | think we may safely anticipate
that it is rapidly approaching 81 ''iinality.' The
recent legislation of congress respecting dcmcs-
! tic slavery, derived, as it has been from the orlgl-
! nal and more pure fountain of legitimate poiiti
cal power, the will ofthe majority, promises ere
long to allay the dangerous excitement The
Legislation is founded npon principles as ancient
as free government itself, and in accordance with
! them, has simply declared that the people OF &
territory, like these Of a State, shall decide Tor
themselves whether slavery shall or shall not
exist within the limits.
The Nebraska Kansas act does no more than
give the force of law to this elementary principle
Of self government, declaring tito be 'thc true
intent and meaning of this act not to legislate
slavery into any Territory or State. nor to eX-
clude it thercfroIn, but to leave the people there
of perfectly free to form aud regulate their domeS-
tic Institutions in their own way, subject only
to the United States This drinciPle will sure
H. ,oR h, noutrovCrfo5 nv any individual of
party protesting devotion to popular government.
Besides, how vain and illusory would any other
principle prove in practice in regard to the Terri
tories. This is apparent from the fact admitted
by all, that after a Territory shall have entered
the Union and become a State, no constitutional
power would then exist which could prevent it
from either abolishing or establishing slavery,
as the case may be, according to its sovereign
will and pleasure.
Most happy would it be for the country if this
long agitation were at an end. During its whole
progress it has produced no practical good to
any human being, whilst it has been the source
of great and dangerous evils. 1t has alicnated
and ~estrauged one portion Of the Union from
the other, and has even seriously threatened its
very existence. To my own personal knowledge,
it has produced the impression among foreign
nations that our great and glorious confederation
is in constant danger Of dissolution. This docs
us serious injury, because acknowledged power
| GlilI SAdDliLJ dlhdlH Nh'AH S
nations, and are amongst the best securities
against unjust aggression, and in favor of the
maintenance Of honorable peace.
May VIC not hope that it is the mission of the
democratic party, now the only surviving con-
~servative party Of the country, ere long TO over
throw all sectional parties, aud restore the peace
friendship, and mutual confidence which prevail
I'd in the good old time, among the different mem
bers of the confederacy? Its character is strict
" national, and it therefore asserts no principle
for the guidance ofthe federal government which
is not adopted and sustained by its members in
each and every State. For this reason, it Is eve
rywhcre the same determined for al geograph-
ical parties, so much and 50 justly dreaded by
the father of his country. From its very ma
turc, it must continue to exist so long as there Is
a constitution and Union TO preserve. a con-
viction of these truths has induced many of the
purest, the ableSt; and most independent of our
former opponents, who have differed from us in
times gone by upon old and extinct party issues
to come into our ranks and devote themselves
with us to the cause of the constitution and the
Union. Under these circumstances, most cheer
fully pledge myself, should the nomination of
the convention be ratified by the people, that all
the power and influence cOnstitutionally posse
ssed by the Executive shall be cxerted in n firm
but conciliatory spirit, during the single term L
shall remain in office, to restore the same harmo-
nv among the sister States which prevailed be-
fore the apple of discord, in the form of slavery
agitation, had hccn cast into their midst Let
the members of the family abstain from inter
modelling with the exclusive domestic concerns
of each other, and cordially unite, on the basis
of perfect equality amang themselves, in pro
noting the great national objects of common in
tercst to all, and the good work will be instantly
accomplished.
In regard to our foreign policy to which you
have referred in your communication, it is quite
impossible for any human fo~reknowledgc to pre-
scribe positive rules in advance, to regulate the
conduct of future administration in all the exc
gencics which may arise in our various and ev-
or changing relations with foreign powers. The
federal government must of necessity exercise
q sound discretion in dealing with international
oueStiDns ne they NAV occur. but this under the