The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-06-27
POLITICAL
O1l ICAI.
SfEECH OF THE HON. II. " JOHNSON, AC
CEPT!NGTHENO NOMINATION FOR THE VICE
PRESIDENCY

PRESIDENCY.
WASHINGTON. June 26.-The following is the
speech of the Hon. Herschel V. johnson, of Geor
ga, last night, at the National Hotel on accepting
the n minatiOn for the Wee Presidency on the
tick with Hon. Stephen A. Douglas:
NJ Chairman, and Gentlemen of the Executive
U Imittee of the National Democratic party. and
te Iow-citizens: | was taken by surprise when /
cceived telegraphic despatch in Baltimore at
| rclock this day, announcing that the Hon. Benz.
Fitzpatrick had declined the nomination rendered
him by the Democratic Convention, and that twas
demanded OF me to accept it.. 1t is known to many
| OF you that my name freely mentioned in Bal
| timore in connection with this nomination, and
that persstently refused to countenance it, but
invariably urged that if Georgia were to be thus
honored, 1T was due to another of her sons, dis
tingushed for his talents and great public services
This was my earnest DESIRE apd the desire of the de-
| legation of which was member But the Conven-
| tiOn in its wisdom deemed it best to nominate
statesman OF Alabama. 1t was entirely satisfac-
| tory. Alabama is the child of Georgia, and the
mother cordially responds to any compliment be-
| slowed upon her daughter. These are the circum-
stances under which have been assigned this dis
tinguished position, and which demand that disin-
| cllnatlon should yield to the voice of duty. The
National Depocratic party is in peculiar condi-
ton. 1t is assailed in the house of its professed
| friends, and threatened with overthrow.
The country is in peculiar condition. 1t is on
| the eve of sectional conflict which NAV sweep
down all political parties and terminate in disso
luton of the Union. Il is the duty of patriots and
statesmen to unite in averting these threatened ca
amities. 1t may not be inappropriate to refer to
the circumstances which imperil the National De-
mocracy. The Alabama delegation went to the
Convention at Charleston instructed to demand the
incorporation into the platform of the party the
proposition that Congress should intervene for the
protection of slavery in the Territories, and to
withdraw if the demand should be refused 1t was
refused, and think properly refused. That dele
cation did retire. and with them large portion of
the delegations from the Cotton States Why
should they have retired ? The record shows that
if they had remained at their post they had the
power to have prevented the nomination of any
candidate who might be obnoxious to the South
Thus reduced by secession, the Convention ad-
Journed to Baltimore and requested the States to
fill the vacancies in their respective delegations
The Convention re-assembed on the 18th instant
The seeding delegations were returned, some ac-
credited to Richmond and others to Baltimore, by
way OF Richmond, instructed to make the same de-
mand and to withdraw if it should be refused
Delegates were appointed in Louisiana, Alabama
and Georgia by the National Democrats of those
| States to ill the vacant seats of the seceders-
| Those of Alabama and Louisiana were admitted
and the seeding delegations rejected. The seced-
ing delegates from Georgia were admitted to seats
but they all took umbrage at the decisions of the
Convention touching the various contests for seats
| They retired, organized a new Convention and
nominated candidates for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency, and they claim to be the National De-
mocracy of the United States. Now if they were
actuated by princpe-ifi it was their purpose, in
pie of Congressional protection for slavery in the
Territories, why not wait until proper time to
bring that subject before the Convention and then
according to their instructions, withdraw from the
body? The reason is palpable-they were waging
war, against distinguished man, not for the main
| tainanee of the principle They were willing to
Jeopardlze the integrity of the Democratic party
and the triumphs of its cherished principles rather
than its will proclaimed in the nomination of its
| fayorte. Admitting, for the sake of argument
| Mr.. Douglas to be as obnoxious they aege he
is, yet there never was time when the South
| united could not have defeated his nomination.
| Why, then, should they have seeded? Why not
remain at their post? Why seek to dismember and
destroy the party. | question not the patriotism
OF any, but the people will hold them responsible
sooner later, for all the ills that may flow from
| their errors.
said the demand for Congressional intervention
| was properly rejected at Charleston. And why do
say so? Because it was the agreement between
the North and the South that the slavery agitation
should be removed from the halls of Congress and
the people of the Territories be left perfectly free
to regulate their domestic institutions in their
way, subject to the Constitution of the United
States. This was the principle of the compromise
measures of 1850, and practically applied in the
| Nebraska and Kansas act of 1854. 1t was adopted
| by both the great political parties of the United
States in 1852. 1t triumphed in the election of
| Franklin Pierce, in that year, and of James Bu-
chanan in 1856. 1t is, perhaps, the last ground of
compromise between the North and the South
which human ingenuity can devise. 1t is under
sJOOu Dy tue people OF all sections, ana by 1t the
Democratic party, at least, of all sections, should
| be willing to abide. 1t gives advantage to neither
section over the other, because it refers all ques
tiOns of dispute between them, either as to Con
gressiona or Territorial power over the subject Of
slavery, to the nnal arbitrament of the Supreme
Court of the United States. 1t is, therefore, safe
for the North and safe for the South. Its practca
working is not without satisfactory results
| Where the people of Territory desire slave
labor and the soil and climate suited to it, sla
very will go. Where these conditions do not exis
it will not go. This finds illustration in New
Mexico, where slavery is established, and in thes
territories where it is excluded, only few day
ago a proposition to repeal the slavery laws o
New Mexico were made and rejected. Mexico OIL
the one hand and the anti-slavery law OF Kansas
the other, were made and rejected in the Senate
| Suppose these propositions either of them hat
prevailed, is it not certain that the country woulC
have been thrown into the highest excitement
But by their rejecting non-interVention was practi
cally adhered to and the public mind is satisfied
and quiet.
Let us maintain it firmly and faithfully. We are
bound to it by every consideration of interest anC
obligations of compact; its abandonment vii
prove fatal to the National Democratic party, anC
ultimately to the Union itself; it will drive thu
South into intense secionalism and the North into
the ranks of Black Republicanism. / do not say
every man of the North, for know that the grea
body of the Northern Democracy will remain true
to the Constitution, despite the overwhelming tiooC
of its relentless cohorts; bat mean that the fre
labor States would be controlled by Black Repub
icanism and would not be able to return a single
member to either House of Congress friendly u
the constitutional rights of the South
l trust that such a condition of thing
may never exist but, if it should, l know of NJ
way by which the Union can be saved. Hence tn
doctrine of Congressional intervention, as advoca
ted by this new born sectional party, is fraugh
with peril to the country.
The question is distinctly presented to thu
people, whether they will adhere to the doctrine
| non-intervention, or whether they will abandon ii
I hath thauI vii tha sIava Oit tati h
requiring Congress to take jurisdiction it, o
whether they will give repose to the public min
and security to the Union by leaving it where tn
compromise leaves ito the free action of the pee
pie of the territories under the Constitution of th
| United States.
The issue is fairly made up-it is intervention o
non-intervention Its decision involves the destin
of this great Republic, and the highest interests
: the civilized world. Compared with it, the asprf
tiOns of men and the fate of political parties sin
into utter insignihcance Where shall we look to
deliverance from these threatened evils? 1t has bee
the mission of the Democratic party of the Unio
in thousand perils to rescue country from in
pending calamties. Its past career abounds wit
heroic passages, and is illustrated with the mos
glorious achievements in the cause of constitution
liberty. 1t is the party of Jefferson ard Madison
} and jackson and Polk, whose administrations col
stitute grand epochs in our national liberty. 1t
the party of the Constitution.
: look to it with confidence. Where else sha
the patriot look in these times of political defecto
manently destroyed and the doctrine of non.inte
: venton overthrown, and there the best hopes
, the statesman may we'll be clouded with gloom an
+; darkness. 1t is to maintain these that consent
take the position now assigned me, and WELDON
the consequences of personal good or personal il
+. which that position may bring. Nothing else cou
induce me to brave the detraction which it invite
/; and incur the heavy responsibility which it il
poses. have nothing to add but the expression
e my profound thanks for the honor unexpected
conferred upon me, and my cordial acknovledg
R ments for the fattering terms in which have bee
/ orably done shall cheerfully do to maintain Il
integrity of the party and the triumph Of its pri
ciples.
SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF II. V. JeHNsoN.-He
i schel V. johnson, who has just been appointed
the authority vested in the Committee of the Fro
Street Theatre Democratic Convention, AZ the ca
: ddate of the latter for Vice President, in place
9 Mr.. Fitzpatrick, who declined that honor, is n
tive of Georgia. He was born in Burke county,
that State, September 1Sth 1872, and is, therefor
| in the forty-eighth year of his age. He has T
, ceived liberal education having graduated at Il
University of Georgia in 1884, afterwards adoptil
! the profession of law, in which he achieved son
: success. MIR. johnson was Presidential elect
II in 1874, and in lS4S appointed to fill vacau
e in the United States Senate. In the year lS49
was elected Judge of the Superior Court of |
native State, and afterwards attained its Executi
Q Chair.
J PARTY Sp1RIr.-As if there was not enough