Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-07-01
Letter from Judge Douglas.

Letter from Judge Douglas.
The following is a letter from Judge
Douglas to j. B. Dorr, defining his posi-
ton on the vexed territorial question.
IT will be seen that the Judge is yer,
oondescending to the naughty Democratic
party. pats it on the back, and promise
great things, if it will only behave itself il
future. Indeed, he actually condescend
to intimate that Judge Douglas will receive
the nomination and be elected to the Presi
dency through the instrumentality Of tn
Democratic party. if we obstreperous fel
lows at the south will only consent to waiv,
our right to protection for our property il
the territories.
It is true, ye fre-eaters Of the South, tina
by compromising or conceding this qucs
ton, you consent to give up all hope Of &C
quiring another foot Of slave territory
is also true, that by so doing, you give W
all the benefits accruing to you from the
Kansas-Nebraska bill, for the refusal to lie.
gislate for the protection Of property either
In State or Territory is indeed and in fact
to legislate for its erclusion.-To be sure
this is a vital question, affecting your hon
or and interest materially, but by com
promise you secure the promise of Douglas
to besyour next President, and by refusal
you may anticipate his dreadful wrath.
If Judge Douglas will review the history
Of the Democratic party, he will perceive
that it has never since its foundation al
lowed any one Of its Presidential aspirants
to dictate its platform, and we hope that it
will not depart from its time honored usage
for his benefit.
"WAsHlNaroN, june 20, 1859.
My Dear Sir !: I have received your let
ter inquiring whether my friends are at lib
erty to present my name to the Charleston
Convention for the Presidential nomination.
Before this question can be finally determ-
ined it will be necessary to understand dis
tinctly upon what issues the canvass is to be
conducted. If, as I have full faith they
will, the Democratic party shall determine,
in the Presidential election Of 1860, to adj
here to the principles embodied in the
compromise measures of 1850, and ratified
by the people in the Presidential election Of
1852; and re-afirmed in the Kansas and
Nebraska act of 1854; and incorporated
into the Cincinnati platform in 1856; as
expounded by Mr.. Buchanan in his letter
accepting the nomination, and approved by
the people in his election, in that event my
friends will be at liberty to present my
name to the Convention, if they see proper
to do so #
If, on the contrary, it shall become the
policy of the Democratic party, which !
.connot anticipate, to repudiate these their
time-honored principles, on which we have
achieved so many patriotic triumphs, and,
in lieu of them, the Convention shall inter.
polate into the creed of the party such new
Issues as the revival Of the African slave
trade, or Congressional slave code for the
Territories; or the doctrine that the Con-
stitution of the United States either estab-
fishes or prohibits slavery in the Terrific
ries, beyond the power Of the people legally
to control it, as other property it is due
to candor to say, that in such an event, I
could not accept the nomination If rendered
to me.
Trusting that this answer will be deemed
sufficiently explicit.
DID am, very respectfully.
d8 Your friend
s a5e A4 S. A. DOUGLAS.
J. B. Dorr, Esq, Dubuque, Iowa.
We append the following, in explanation
of the letter, which we fnd in the morning
papers:
JUDGE DOUGLAS POSITION.
Washington, June 24.-Judge Douglas
stated to-day to very prominent Southern
politician that he intends to support the
nominee of the Charleston Convention; but
that what was meant by the letter to Mr..
Dorr, of Iowa. was that he will not himself
consent to run upon platform that he can
not endorse. In any event he will adhere
to his party against the Opposition.