The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-08-31
What Ought the Charlestoa Convention
to do9 The Opinion q Northern
Democratic Journal

We understand political platform to be a
declaration of faith by which party acknowl-
edoes itself to be gnided, and compact by
which it's various members agf'ee to cooperate
for the accomplishment of even end in the
administration of the governinsnt The very
statement of the case suggests the Importance
of clear, explicit and uramhlguous form OF
EXPRESSION. There should be II the first place
distinct and cordial agrccnent upon the
pr;nciples enunciated and the measures to be
carried out and then TO AVOID all possibility
of future misunderstanding, hey should be
expressed so as to admit Of bat one construc-
ton. 1t is only in this way iii the Demo-
cratic party can preserve its unity.
What if the exigencies Ola Presidential
| struggle compel its members to hold in abey--
ance conflicting opinions and 10 avoid the clash
of opposite interpretations Of their common
platform, yet sooner or later, when it is to be
practically applied in the administration of the
government, the quarrel will come bringing
forth its harvest Of poisonous fruits
We have but recently had severe lesson
administered on this subject The Admins
tration and the Democrats North and South,
who adhered to its policy, believed that they
were carrying out in good faith, the commit
tails of the Cincinnati Platform, in the Kansas
controversy, while Douglas and his adherents
pretended to swear by that instrument even
though their construction had taken them into
affiliation with the Black Republicans. Is
the quarrel to be smothered until another
Presidential election is over to be renewed as
it certainly would. when occasion arises for
the application of the principles of the party
to the territorial question And is it not
best to settle the issue now to agree if we
can, but separate if we must before we go
into the contest Moreover, We put it to
every candid Democrat, is it patriotic, is it hon
est is it fair, fora party protesting to be Ma
tional and addressing itself to the intelligence
Of the people, to wear double face and to
speak with forked tongue Is it right that
we of the South should appeal to the people
here for support of our party upon set Of
principles and a line of policy totally different
from the principles and policy to which its
members are pledging it in Illinois or else
where Can such a game of deception, even
if it should achieve temporary victory for its
authors, fail to produce its train of curses in
due season?
We are glad to find ourselves sustained in
these views by Northern paper Of such de-
cided ability and unquestioned orthodoxy as
the Chicago Herald. In the course of con-
elusive article on the subject, it lorcibly says:
aWe hold that the Democratic platform
should be so written, in every particular, that
every member of the party could comprehend
it clearly-so that no dispute could arise as to
its intent and meaning" We want no eva
sive, diplomatic expressions in Democratic
platform-no lodging living issues-no dou-
BILE dealing but straightforward, honest and
perfectly plain declaration of principles.
That portion of the Cincinnati Platform re-
ferring to the Territorial policy of the party,
though the members of the Convention which
adopted it might have all understood it alike,
has been tortured and 5lsisted by interested
persons to mean "Squat4a' Sovereignty
mean that few squatters in Territory may,
through their Territorial Legislature abolish
or prohibit slavery, regardless of the Constitu-
ton of the United States and the rights of the
South-while the true Democrats of the coun-
try understand it, as the Convention under
stood it, to mean that the people of the Ter
ritories cannot prohibit slavery until they do
it in forming State Constitution. On this
point of difference division in the Democratic
party has been caused, which might have
been prevented had the Cincinnati platform
contained an explicit and distinct expression of
the Democratic doctrine on this point-such
an expression as would have rendered cavil
impossible.
Now, we maintain, it will be imperative for
the Charleston Convention to so define this
principle of Popular Sovereignty i'll the Ter
ritories as to settle the existing dispute and
determine for all time to come, what the
Democratic party understand by Popular Sow
ereignty. Any attempts to avoid this duty
by adopting mere ''glittering generalities''
would be dishonest and unworthy the Demo-
cratic party, and we believe the Convention
will not sanction any such attempts. 1t will
be necessary for us to know exactly what the
issue is, in the next canvass. And there is no
good reason why Democrats should be asham-
ed or afraid to avow their principles plainly. |
The true policy is to be plain and honest in
the matter.