Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-07-03
Douglas Letter of Acceptance.
WAsH1NGToN, June %. l8f

Douglas Letter of Acceptance.
WASHINGTON, June 30, 1860.
GentltmeR:-ln accordance with the vcr-
bal assurance which 1 gave you when you
placed i'll my hands the authenticated ev-
ldencc of my nomination for the Presi-
dency by the National Convention of the
Democratic party, now send you my for
nal acceptance. Upon careful examina-
ton of the platform of principles adoptcd
at Charleston and rc-uffirmcd ut Baltimore
with an additional resolution, which is in
| perfect harmony with the others, find it
to be n faithful embodiment of the time
honored principles of the Democratic par
ty as the same were proclaimed and un-
derstood by all parties in the Presidential
contests of l848, '52 and '56. Upon look
ing into the proceedings of the Conven-
ton, find that the nomination was made
with great unanimity, in the presence and
with the concurrence of more than two
thirds of the whole number of delegates,
and in exact concordance with the long
established Usages of the patty. My in
| flexible purpose not to be q candidate, nor
accept the nomination under any contin-
gcncy, except rs the regular nominee Of
the National Democratic party, and in that
case only upon the condition that the
usagcS, as we'll as the principles of the
|
been proclaimed for a long time and be-
come we'll known to the country. These
conditions having all been complied with
by the free and voluntary action of the
Democratic masses and their faithful rep
lcscntativeS, without any agency, intcrfe-
renee or procurement on my part, feel
bound in honor ana duty to accept the
nomination.
In taking this step am not unmindful
of the responsibilities it imposes, but with
firm reliance upon Divine Providence, !
have the faith that the people will COM
prchcnd the true nature of the issues in
volved, and eventually maintain the right.
| The peace OF the country and the pcrpe-
tuity of the Union have been put in
jeopardy by attempts to interfere with and
to control the domestic affairs of the pco-
pie in the Territories, through tho agency
of the Federal Government. If the power
and the duty of the federal interference is
to be conceded, two hostile sectional par
| ties must be the inevitable result-the one
intiaming the passions and ambition of the
| North, and the other of the South, and
each struggling to use the federal power
and authority for the aggrandiZement of
| its own section at the expense of the
equal rights of the other, and in deroga-
ton of those fundamental principles-the
| principles of clf-government-whic were
| firmly established in this country by the
American revolution, as the basis of our
entire republican system during the mem
orahle period of our political history,
when the advocates of federal intervention
upon the subject Of slavery in the Terri
tories, had we'll nigh 'precipilatcd the coua-
| try into revolution, the Northern intcrven-
tioniSts demanding the WilmOt ProvisO
| for the prohibition of slavery, and the
Southern inlcrventionists, then few in
number, and without n single representa-
tive in either House of Congress, insisting
upon Congressional Legislation for the
protection of slavery in opposition to the
wishes of the people.
In either case it will be remembered
that it required all the wisdom, power and
influence of q Clay and Webster and IL
CAsS, supported by the conservative and
patriotic men of the Whig and Democratic
parties of that day. to devise and carry
out line of policy which would restore
peace to the country and stability to the
Union. The essential living principle of
that policy, as applied in the legislation of
| 1850, was, and now is, non-intcrvention by
| Congress with slavery in the territories
| The fair application of this just and equit-
able principle restored harmony and fra :
ternity to distracted country. If we
now depart from that wise and just policy
which produced these happy results, and
permit the country to be again distracted;
if Prccipitated into revolution by section
al contest between pro-slavery and anti
slavery intervcntionists, where shall we
look for another Clay, another Webster,
or another Cass to pilot the ship of state
over the breakers into haven of peace
and safety.
The federal Union must be preserved
The constitution must be maintained in
violate in all its parts. Every right guar
nnticd by the constitution must be pro-
tected by law in all cases where legislation
! is necessary to its engagements. The
judicial authority, as provided in the con-
stitution, must be sustained, and its deci-
sions implicitly obeyed and faithfully
executed. The laws must be administered
and the constituted authorities upheld,
and all unlawful resistance to these things
must be put down with hrmness, impair
tiality and fidelity, if we expect to enjoy
and transmit unimpaircd to our postcritv,
that blessed inheritance which we have
received in trust from the patriots and
sagcs of the revolution.
With sincere thanks for the kind and
agreeable manner in which you made
known to me the action of the Convention,
] have the honor to he
Your friend and fellow-citizen
S. A. DOUGLAS.
Hon. VIM. H. Ludlow, of New York, r.