Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-10-05

| lOnNGllliOu, III NV iS " WY
the Virginia delegates for staying in the rcsr-
lar Convention, but declares against Virginia'S
irving authority to her delegates TO attend the
Richmond Convention.
mrbe secsdIng delegations have appointed a meeting to
be held NJ Richmond. You have given me no authority TO
attend II rs your representative, and | do not recommend
that such authority be granted. Cutil We. or the sovereign
state. 10 which VIC owe allegiance, shall determine that
The obligations Of the Union ought 10 longer to be OBJ
served, we should, in Difference TO her policy and upon The
ulaInest ma4ims Of civic duty, attach ourselves TO none
bu, national Eartles-sueh parties rs, having ihnnence III
ali sections, will respect the rights Of Virginia, and, al me
same time, impart'ully promote me welfare o. q w nc ne
existence in the National Democratic party; and, II u be
destroyed, We cannot expect such another TO raise rom
its ruins. .:.; 8,
such affair. as specially concern the South; but It has de-
Tended In turn all rights Of whatever section, or STATE or
class Of citizens, When assaulted through the Federal power.
Its platform Is rcplrfe with principles adapted 10 The pre-
.crvatlon aud successful operation Of our system O. rrpu'-
Iiran Governments. II is an established party, with ade-
msnr, strength 10 reprcss wrong and defend the right. us
history is batter than nny platform. II has been Identified
with the most beneficial reforms AMI the most ulustrioHs
events in the progress Of our great Republic of Republics.
Its Justice, its courage, its Wisdom and It's PATRIOTISM haft
been often proved. Although now depressed 10 parts o,
the North, It Is mainly because the faithful Democracy
there have surrendered power rather ihan nDanuoh 'hs
Constitution. The party still has vigorous hi' In every
State, and cherisli.s everywhere the same sentiments. ira
Iitions, aspirations AMI principles, unless one fatal rxcep.
tion is now 10 re declared. Whether We regard the rights Of
VIRGINIA alone, or the common welfare Of the Eni cd States,
vr Should not rnshly contribute tn III. overthrow VI such u
marty. We should aim rather To e1tTicate II Gom emohr'
ras.nent which sectional difference. have produced, by
Inc moderation, fairnrss and magnanlni.ty Of our own con.
duct. lie. Us think OF our duties no less than our rights.
The regular Convention met in Baltimore at
,hr oppointed time. The States whose dele
rates lad seeded sent other delegates 10 The
Convention 'ior supplying" the vacancies IN
their respective delegations. These new Gelc-
rates were admitted to seats. The SeceulnS
delegates were excluded, and | have thought
rjriltlnlly excluded. have no disposition 10
argue this question. Let it suffice TO say that
they were excluded from the Convention, anu
npon this refusal on the part Of the Eonven.
ton to allow them to take seats, twehty'loIr" Oh
the Virginia delegates Withdrew from the Con.
%yen,ion. They seeded upon this question Of
organization, and mol UPON any question "l
"pRINClPLE.'
Tho REGULAR Convention nominated Douglas
and Johnson. The seeding delegates united
and nominated Breckenridge and Lane
never thought this question oil orSai'iza-
,;on of sufficient importance to break up the
Convention; and Douglas being its nominee ana
nnon n platform to which Virginia had commit
ted herself, not only before the Convention,
hut rs well in the Charleston rs during the re-
cess between the Conventions at Charleston
and at Baltimorc-thc past PLATFORM oil the party
Il supported his nomination TO preserve the iia-
~tionality Of the Democratic party, ana 10 pre-
serve the welfare of the United States.
have said / ~'supporfed' Douglas. ! hate
supported Douglas | noT support breckir'
ridge. ! sustained Douglas to preserve the
nationality of the Democratic party. ! now
sustain Breckenridge TO preserve the r'yh" I"
the States.
was for Douglas when he stood last upon
the Cincinnati platform, and standing thereon
sustained and endorsed the resolutions ana
report Of Us and 90; but when he stepped
thcrclrom and declared his purpose oil counsel
Ing and sustaining the submission OF the South
to Black Republican rule under ANY contin-
gency," could submit t" him no longer
When he acknowledged the right OF Il State
pcaceably to Withdraw from this lnlon, ac-
knnwledccd him As my leader; hut when he,
as he did in New York, refused to fuse with
those who held TO this right. which Is declared
in the very platform upon which no accepted
the nomination, then II was that refused
longer 10 fuse with him.
When | could aid in preserving the NATIONAL
ity of the Democratic party, sustained HIM
in so doing. was callel upon To sacrifice no
principle; but when he himself destroys that
nationality Ivy refusing TO give force and elect
to its platform Of principles, and in fact denies
them by claiming authority at the hands OF
the Federal Government TO preserve the Union
"n all contingencies" sustain him u" longer.
When he WAS the acknowledged leader Of the
States Rights National Democratic party. F.!
WAS content to do battle in his service; but
when he bctrays the standard OF his party,
and takes his march into the very camp OF
Federalism, endeavoring to secure to himself
the aid Of men who are in favor Of tho Con
s~titution, Union, and enforcement Of the laws,
by sacrificing States Rights to consolidation, !
sustain hin no longer.
Ever since the adoption Of the present Con-
~s,itution there has been a constant struggle
either in open warfare or inSidiOrS attack he
tween the great political parties which haze
divided the people OF the United States in IL.
lation to the nature, character, and powers 81
the government.
The federal party, under whatever name or
shape into which they have resolved them.
selves, have always represented and regarded
the United States as constituting ONE PEOPLE
and not as 4 Confederacy Of States. Their
opponents, on the other hand, whether is the
Republican or Democratic party, have ever re-
sisted this idea and contendcd that the Con
s~titution was n ~com1'act, an agreement between
the States; who retain their Sovereignty and
all the rights appertaining TO Sovereignty which
they have not transferred to the Federal H0T'
crnlncnt.
The position of the Federal party has been,
that 1.-THE Constitution Of the United States
was ordained and established, not by the States
in their sovereign capacities, but cmphaticaIiy,
MS the preamble declares, by the people OF the
United States And they have endearored TO
sustain this position ly asserting that the people
Of the United States were always our people,
This position has been most ably rcluted, and
it has been most clearly shown, from the ma
ture of the several political societies, and upon
principle as well as historical facts, that the
colonies we're not looked upon as our people;
not regarded eves by the statesmen OF Great
Britain rs constituting even 4 part of the body
polite Of British Government, but were dis
tinct dependent colonies, with different laws,
different systems Of government, different or.
ganization in all their parts, different revenues,
different assemblies in relation to their COLI
Germs as people and different local executives
and iudiciarics for the conduct Of their ailaIIS
and their administration Of their varied iuriS-
prudence.
The nature of their several political societies
shows they were not one people, but dlStlnct
from each other. They were different i'll origin
and organization, and settled at different times
and under different circumstances. Some were
conquered, while others were provincial, pro-
~prictary and chartered. They were not one,
but perfectly independent of each other in
their jurisdiction, entering separately into trea'
ties with Indians, with which no other colony
had any participation or concern, and each for
itself and by itself exercising indistinct indie
pendent acts Of sovereignty.
Upon principle the matter is no loss clear
"What is it that constitutes the nationality or
oneness Of people? a nation or people is a
political body united together by common law
and common institutions. To constitute one
people those who compose it must act together
as one people. 1t is unity OF action alone
which makes them one, who, without it could he