Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-05-11
For the Standard.

MEsSRs EDrToEs: As am an old subscriber, and
have not been troublesome in this way heretofore
hope YOU will allow small space in your excel
lent paper for the purpose of elicting information
in reference to matter, involvnga Question, in which
we, as Southern men, are very ddefly interested.
MY attention has been called to editorial report
in the Lire GiraVe of the proceedings of our Con-
grcssional District Convention, held in Franknton
on Thursday last in which it is stated that Mr..
Bledsoe offered the following resolution:
Resoired, That we recognize the right of the
people of all the Territories, including Kansas and
Nebraska, acting through the fairly expressed will
of the majority of actual residents, and whenever
the number of their inhabitants instcs it. to form
Constitution, with or without domestic slavery,
and to be admitted into the Union upon terms of
perfect equality with the other States.
That motion was made to lay it upon the table
and that after the voting had commenced, and the
county Of Franklin had voted aye, Mr.. Blcdsoe ask
ed the privilege Of Withdrawing it, which privilege
was granted.
The action of the convention, as reported in the
Gimfe, if allowed to pass unexplained, is calculated
to iniure the Democratic party. Mr.. Bcdsoe may
have had good reason for Withdrawing the resolu-
ton, and the convention may have been influenced
by no improper motive in declining to adopt it as a
part of its platform, but their reasons unknown
to the public.
The action of the convention, unexplained, places
position to the the dOctnes of popular sovereignty
! and non-interventon by Congress with slavery in
the Territories, upon which the party, North and
! South, are almost unit
! | am, therefore, 10th to believe that there was
majority of the convention opposed to the resolu-
tion but if there was they certainly did not reflect
Nthe sentiments of the Democracy of the district
If it was important to define the position of the
party upon the questions of distribution the tariff.
! internal improvements by the general government,
and Cuba, it seems to me equally important in view
of the fact that we are all in favor of the acquisition
of Cuba, to assert the right of North Caronians to
go to Cuba after acquire it, and take with them;
4 and hold under the Constitution of the United
States, any kind of property they choose, until
Cuba shall be admitted into the Union as a sover-
eign State.
If understand the resolution, it presents no new
question: but simply enuncates the great doctrines
of popular sovereignty, and non-ntervention by
Congress with slavery in the Territories, which
were the basis of the Compromise acts of 1850;
endorsed by the national Democratic and Wing Con-
ventons of 1852; embodied in the Kansas Nebraska
act of 1854; incorporated into the Democratic plat
form by the Cincinnati Convention in 1885, in the
precise language of the resolution offered by Mr..
Bedsoe; and upon which Mr.. Buchanan and every
Democratic Governor and member of Congress
North and South, since 1856, was elected. Had
that resolution have been stricken from the plat
form, Mr.. Buchanan could not, as you very well
know, have carried single southern State. If these
things be true, why was notthe resolution adopted?
| Why was it withdrawn? Are there those in our
ranks in this district who are willing to subordin-
ate the rights of slave to the of the
party? Has the time arrived when motives of poll
cy alone are sufficient to prevent Convention of
one of the largest slavehoding Congressional Dis
tricts in the State, from asserting the rights of
Southern men in our common Territories?
l have no fear that the Democratic party will
abandon any of the great cardinal principles which
have thus far held it together and upon which the
government has been so successfully administered,
but eternal vigilence is the price of liberty" and
the people have right to demand the reasons which
control the actions Of their agents. And as l see
that Mr. Holden delegate to the Convention,
and know that he fully understands, and generally
expresses the views of the Democracy of the district
and of the State, hope he will explain to us why
it was that the resolution not adopted but with
drawn His attention will very much oblige
ONE OF THE PEOPLE
May Sd, 1859.
We know our correspondent to be a good Demo
crat and we have no hesitation therefore, in reply
ing to his questions.
Our opinion is that the resolution referred to met
the approval of large majority of Che Convention
We feel sure it was offered by Mr.. Bledsoe in good