Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-15

~-'----'
FRIENDS AND FELLOW CITIZENS: / thank you from
my heart for the honor of this visit l cordially
congratulate you on the preference which YOU have
expressed for Major Breckenridge and Gen. Lane as
candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency
OF the United States over all competitors. APP
pause.l They are men whose names are known to
The country they need no seulogy from me. They
nave served their country In peace and in war.
They are statesmen well as soldiers, and in the
day and hour of danger they will. ever be at their
post They are conservative men, and in the course
Of their administration they will be equally just to
the North and to the South, to tie East and to the
West EApplause.l Above all. and first Of all, they
are friends of the Constitution and the Union.
[cheers and they will stand by them to the delth.
IRenewed cheers.l But we ought not to forget that
they are also friends to the equality Of the sovereign
States of this Union in the common Territories Of
the country [Cries of 'Good."l They will main-
tain that principle, which should receive the cor
dial appreciation Of us all Equality is equity.
Every citizen of the United States IS equal before
the Constitution and the laws and why should not
the equality of the sovereign States composing this
Union be held in like reverence This is good DEM
ocratic doctrine. Liberty and equality are the
birthright Of every American citizen; and just as
certainly as the day succeeds the night so certain
will this principle of Democratic justice eventually
prevail over all opposition. lGheers.l But before
l speak further upon this subJect-and shall not
detain you very long-I wish to remove one STUN
bling-block out of the way.
1
tons have never struck political ticket in my
life Now. was there anything done at Baltimore
to bind the political conscience of any sound Demo-
erat or to prevent him from supporting Breckin-
ridge and Lane ["No, nop'l L was contemporary
with the abandonment of the old congressional con-
vention or caucus. This occurred long time ago
very few, if any, of you remember it. Under the
old congressional convention system, no person was
admitted to seat except the Democratic members OF
the Senate and House of Representatives. This rule
= ..N,1.- Al,
whoever he might be- would be sustained atthe
election by the Democratic States of the Union. By
this means it was rendered impossible that those
States which could not give electoral vote for the
candidate when nominated should control the nom-
nation and dictate to the Democratic States who
should be their nominee.
This system was Observation-Disclosures wisely or
not shall express no opinion. The National Con-
venton was substituted in its stead. All the States,
whether Democratic not were equally to send dele
gates to this Convention according to the number Of
their Senators and representatives in Congress.
A difficulty at once arose which never could have
arisen under the congressional convention system.
If bare majority of the National Convention thus
composed could nominate candidate, he might be
nominated mainly by the anti-Democratc States.
Thus the nominating power would be separated
from the electing power which could not fail to be
destructive to the strength and harmony of the De-
mocratic party.
To obviate this serious difficulty In the organiza-
q
leave all the States their full vote, the twothirds
rule was adopted. 1t was believed that under this
rule no candidate could ever be nominated without
embracing within the twO-thirds the votes of de-
cided majority of the Democratic States This was
the substitute adopted to RETAIN at least in great
degree, the power to the Democratic States which
they would have lost by abandoning the cOngression
al convention system. This rule was main pillar in
the edfce of national conventions. Remove it and
the whole must become ruin. This sustaining pill
IL. IL,
yentIOn which nominated Mr.. Douglas. After this
the body was no longer a national convention; and
no Democrat, however devoted to regular nomIna-
tons was bound TO give the nominee his support he
left free to act according to the dictates of his
own judgment and conscience And here, in pass
ing may observe that the wisdom of the twothlrds
rule may be justified by the events passing around
us Had it been faithfully observed NO candidate
could have been nominated against the will and
wishes of almost every certain Democratic State in
the Union, against nearly all the Democratic Sena-
tors and more than threefourths of the Democratic
Representatives in Congress. [Cheers.l
Ipurposely avoid entering upon any discussion
respecting the exclusion from the Convention of reg
ulary-elected delegates from different Democratic
States. If the Convention which nominated Mr.
Douglas was not a regular Democratic Convention
it be confessed that Breckenridge is in the
condition in that respect The Convention that nom
mated him, although it was composed of nearly ali
the certain Democratic States, did not contain the
feet liberty to vote as he thinks proper without
running counter to any regular nomination of the
party. Applause and cries of =" three cheers for
Breckenridge and Lane;'] Holding this position
| shall present some of the reasons why ] prefer
Mr. Breckenridge to Mr.. Douglas. This | shall do
without attempting to interfere with any individual
Democrat or any State Democratic organization
holding different opinions from myself. The main
object of allgOOd Democrats whether belonging to
the one or the other wing of our unfortunate divis-
Sc +o1 Of
date and shall never oppose an honest and honor
able course calculated to accomplish this object.
To return to the point from which have dgress-
| ed, am in favor Of Mr.. Breckenridge because he
sanctions and susains the perfect equality of all the
States within their common territories and the
opinion of the Supreme Court of the United States
establishing this equality. The sovereign States OF
this Union are one vast partnership. The Terrific
RES were acquired by the common blood and COM
! mon treasure of them all. Each State, and each
citizens or each State, has the same right in the
Territories any other State and the citizens of
any other State possess Now what is sought for at
present Is that portion Of these States should turn
around to their sister States and say, We are hO,er
than you are, and while will take our property
TO the territories and have it protected there you
shall not place your property in the same position
That Is precisely what is contended for. What the
Democratic party maintain, and what the true prin-
ciple OF Democracy IS that all shall enjoy the same
rights and all shall be subject to the same duties.
protection of life, liberty, and property They are
the objects for the protection of which all enl,ght-
ened governments were established But it is sought
now to place the property of the citizen under what
is called tie principle of squatter sovereignty, in
the power Of the Territorial legislature to cOnscate
it at their will and pleasure That is the principle
sought to be established at present and there seems
to be entire mistake and misunderstanding among
a portion of the public on the subject. When was
property ever submitted to the will of majority
md 6nal
you hold it independent OF Congress or of the State
legislature, or of Territorial legislature-it is
yours and your Constitution was made to protect
your private property against the assaults of legis
lGtiye power. [Cheers.l Well, now, any set of
principles which will deprive you of your property
is against the very essence of Republican govern
ment and to that extent makes you slave for the
man who has power over your property 10 cOnfis-
cate it, has power over your means and substance ;
and yet is commended that although the constitution
of the United States confers no such power-al-
though no State legislature has any such power
vet a Territorial legislature the remote eXtremi-
ties of the country, can confscate your property!
IA VOICE. They can't do it; they amt going to
do it'll
There is but one mode, and one alone to abolish
slavery in the Territories. That mode Is pointed
out in the Cincinnati PLATFORM which has been as
much misrepresented as anything have ever known
That platform declares that majority of the actual
residents of a Territory, whenever their number is
sufficient to entitle them TO admission as n State
possess the power to form constitution with or
without domestic slavery. to be admitted into the
Union upon terms of perfect equality with the other
States" If there be squatter sovereignty in this
resolution l have never been able to perceive it
If there be any reference in it to Territorial Iegs
ature it has entirely escaped my notice Itpresents
the clear principle that the time the people form
their constitution, they shall then decide whether
they viii have slavery or not And yet it has been
stated over and over again that, in accepting the
nomination under that platform, l endorsed the doc
trine of squatter sovereignty. | suppose you have
all heard this repeated thousand times
a VOICE. 1--WE all knew it was lie ~
Well, am glad you did
How beautifully this plain principle of constitu-
tona law corresponds with the best interests of the
people! Under it, emgrants from the North and
the South, from the East and West. proceed to the
Territories. They carry with them that property
which they suppose will best promote their mate
rial ntests they live together in peace and harmony
The question of slavery will become foregon con
cusion before they have inhabitants enough to en-
tar the Unis8 State. There will then be no
bleeding Kansas in the Territories; they will all
livso together in peace and harmony, promoting the
prosperity ofthe Territory and their own prosperi-