The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-07-06
The Honorable, George L. Becker.

| language Ii lB plIauCy-iIS ucAlUuIty-
which permits to multitude of words and
phrases, various, and often utterly conflict
ing, Specifications. We wish this peculiar
ity of our tongue borne in mind, by the rea-
der, when he notices the use of the word
honorable as prefix to the name of
GEORGE L. BECKER. For we use it in its
lowest and most conve ntional sense-to sig.
nifty, simply, that the person has occupied
positions to which political and social GUS
toms have attached this designation and
not, in any degree, as meaning to imply that
Mr.. BECKER possesses high mind, or that
he is actuated by principles of honor, or by
a scrupulous regard to probity, rectitude, or
reputation, which are the legitimate signi6-
cations of the word. And to show that
we could not apply the title of honorable"
to Mr.. BECKER in any other than conven-
tional sense, we propose to review his course
as politician during the past three years.
When the Democracy of Minnesota were
casting about in their ranks for candidate
who should lead in the State canvass of
1859, their choice fell, with scarcely asingle
dissent, upon GEORGE L. BECKER. There
were conceptions of his character, and cir
cumstances attending his political career,
which called forth the warmest affection and
the deepest sympathies of the party. He
had frank and manly bearing; was believed
to possess noble and generous nature and
to be sincere in his convictions, as he was
earnest in their expression. He had lost
through the chances of fortune, seat in the
lower House of Congress, to which be had
been fairly elected, and for which he was the
favorite candidate; and this fact, coupled
with the fattering estimates which were
universally placed upon his character, led
the Democracy, with one mind, to tender
him the gubernational nomination, at the
convention of August, 1859. So earnest,
universal, and enthusiastic was this feeling
on his behalf, that all the usual formalities
we're dispensed with and when the Con-
vention came, in the order of business, to
nominate a candidate for Governor, Mr..
BECKER was chosen without ballot, and
with the according acclaim of every dele
gate present It was such tribute as is
rarely given even to the noblest and one
which, considering the qualities it was in
tended to recognize and reward, reflected
equal honor upon the party and the man.
The enthusiasm which was thus envinced
for Mr.. BECKER, was not based simply on
the supposed possession of attractive quail
ties of character as an individual, but also
on the supposed concord existing between
the party and himself as politician. AS
candidate for Congress, he had made gal
liant and successful contest in 1857, and had
proved himself an eloquent advocate of the
doctrine Of Popular Sovereignty, which was
at issue before the people in that campaign.
This doctrine was expressed in the Demo.
cratic platform Of that year, in the follow
ing direct and unmistakable terms:
RESOLVED, That the Union of the States is
now exposed to danger by the introduction of
slavery into National politics; and to avert
that danger, and thereby to secure future tri-
umphs Of Democratic principles, the Democra.
cy Of Minnesota avow the following grounds of
cooperation with their fellow.citizens Of all
the States:
First-That the subject of slavery shall be
wholly withdrawn from Congress, and shall
cease to be agitated by propositions in Demo.
cratic National Conventions, whether for or
against the institution;
Observation-Disclosures with slavery in
| the States where it exists, and strict obser.
| vance of all constitutional obligations to the
citizens of Southern as well as Northern States;
Third--That the people of the Territories,
through their legislative assemblies and con.
stitutional conventions, shall have and exercise
| full and exclusive power to legistate upon all
| domestic questions, including the relation of
| master and servant.
The Democratic State convention of
August, 1859, which nominated Mr.. BECKER
as candidate for Governor, had, before
such nomination was made, reiterated the
doctrines Of 1857, in the resolutions which
we here reprint:
We, the Democracy Of Minnesota, by our Dele.
| gates in Convention assembled, do affirm and
resolve:
F1RsT-That the States of the Union are SOY.
ereign and equal; and the powers not express.
| ~ delegated to the Federal Government are
retained by the people of the States.
SECoND-That the people of the Territories
are Justly entitled to the undisturbed regula-
ton of their local affairs, free from Intervention
| by Congress or by any State, and subject only
| to the constitution of the United States that,
on attaining the number of inhabitants equal
to the ratio of representation in the lower house
of Congress, such people have the right to or
ganize State Government, and demand ad.
| mission into the Federal Union and that, in
the organization of such State Government, the
people, by the will of the majority, fairly ex-
pressed at the ballot box, have the exclusive
right to adopt any constitution which does not
conflict with Republican form of govern
ment.
TH1RD-The Democracy of Minnesota reiter.
ate, and fully endorse the National Democratic
Platform adopted by the National Democratic
Convention at Cincinnati, in 1856, and further
declare that the institution of slavery, under
the constitution of the United States can only
become a pertinent political question within the
State or Territory where it is proposed to es.
tablish, retain, or abolish it; that the citizens
| Of such State or Territory. respectively, have
exclusive jurisdiction of the subject matter
!, within its own limits; and that, therefore, Con.
| gress has no power to establish or protect sla-
very in, or to exclude slavery FROM any of the
Territories of the United States.
This mort of tho Mo tEoryn Of 1880 which