The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-07-07
A Qsessssa Of IsdtvtduaI Right. sad u
Political Prepssssy.

tete Iettff WfhEu W 0uoko DoVoLAS "
Mr.. DoaR, OF Dubuque, on the ground that
il was uDcalled for, that Il 10 arrogant and
dictatorisI IN it, tone, yiolstive OF the Gus
toms Of political life, and foreshsdowing Q
determination to bolt the nominees OF the
Charleston Convention, In case be should
not be the successful aspirant. We have
been surprised, not that these papers should
prefer charges which are unjust against
Judge DoUGLAs, but that they should bring
forward accusations 10 maniiestly absurd.
The letter--which we have published, and
which was written 10 response TO the respect
ful inquiry Of friend whether or not he
would allow bis name to be used 10 the
Charleston Convention. a. candidate for
the Presidency--stated in the most simple
and concise terms the conditions upon which
be would permit his name to be 80 used.
lie said, in effect, that, according to custom,
before nominations could be made at
Charleston, Il platform Of principles would
have TO be adopted; and that if-as he
hoped aud believed--the Democratic party
should determine, 10 the Presidential cleo
ton Of 1860, TO adhere to the principles
embodied in the Compromise measures Of
1910. and ratified by the people in 1882,
aud resfIirmed in the Kansas Nebraska Act
OF 1884, and incorporated into the Cincin-
natl Platform in ls5G--ss expounded by
Mr.. BUCHANAN 10 bis letter accepting the
nomination, and approved by the people !:
in that event his friends might present bin
name TO the Convention ifthey should see fl
to do 80. II, on the contrary, Il should
become the policy Of the Democratic party
which he would not anticipaie--to repu.
date these their time honored principles,
on which the party has achieved 10 many
patriotic triumphs, and, in lieu Of them, the
Convention should interpolate into the creed
OF the party such new issues ~ a revival Of
the slsve-trsde, or Congressional slave
code for the Territories, or the doctrine tina,
the Constitution OF the United States either
establishes or prohibits slavery in the Ter.
ritories beyond the power Of the people to
control il rs other property--it was due, be
Nid, to candor, 10 say that be could not
accept the nomination il rendered.
We are totally unable to discover in this
letter any grounds for the charges which arc
made against Judge DouaLAs on It's behalf.
lie has certainly RICH. to BE- candidate
for the Presidency. II he desires to be. lie
Is . natural born citizen Of the United
States, over the pge Of thirty. five and be
inlRlls all the constitutional requirements
for the position. Tie has also right to
decline being candidate for the Presiden-
cy; for, although tho question has never
been judicially determined. and although no
case will probably ever arise In which II can
be 10 determined, yet il may be regarded as
a lact, on general principles, that no man
can he forced TO become President Of the
United States, against his will. And il To-
gicaliy follows that. II man has right to
be or not to he. u candidate ior the Presi.
dency, he has also right To determine and
express tho conditions On which he viii nc.
cept or decline such candidacy. Aud this
is all that Judge DopaLAs has done in the
letter referred TO.
We Acknowledge however, that one OF
the charges preferred against Judge Dord
LAS, 10 true. The letter is in violation Of
the customs Of political aspirants. And in
that consists one Of It's greatest merits. 1,
is the custom OF modern politicians, 10 con-
ceal rather than to ayow their sentiments
upon political questions-~,o sesk to gain by
,riekery aud stAtagem the support Of al
influences, however diverse in policy and
sen,imcn,--io mask themselves behind Janu:
faces. which shall smia, with equal favor
upon all constituencies. however antagonist
ic--and thus TO gain place and power b,
hypocrisy aud fraud. Judge DoroLAs ha,
violated this custom, aud has shown tho high
nobility of his character in doing so. II,
comes mantuIly before the Democratic party
OF the country. before delegates are ehoser
! IA the Charleston Convention. and tells then