Daily national Democrat., 1860-06-14
Stephen A. Douglas on the Charleston
Convention.


While replying to the speech Of jeff Da-
Wis, in the Senate, on the 10th Of May last,
Judge Douglas said;
He should not and did not recognize the
right of a caucus Of the Senate or House to
prescribe new tests for the Democratic party
Senators are not chos, for the purpose of
making party platforms. Under our political
system there has grown up an organization
known as the National Convention, composed
Of delegates elected fresh from the people,
who once in four years establish a platform
and select nominees for the party. The Gin
cnnati platform was the only authoritative
platform of the party until the Charleston
Convention met lie had stood firmly and
faithfully by the Cincinnati platform, looking
confidently to see it re-atilrmed at Charles
ton, They had all agreed to appeal to
Charleston as the council to settle differences.
The representatives of the party assembled at
Charleston, and after three days debate the
party determined 10y an overwhelming ma
jority in favor of rea1option Of the Cincin-
natl platform. Now, he was no longer
hereto; he was no longer an outlaw from
the Democratic party; he was no longer
rebel against Democratic power The
Charleston Convention repudiated the new
vote Of 27 majority to affirm the Cincinnati
platform so that he was sustained by the
party so far as the platform was concerned
The question now is whether the Senator
from Mississippi will again acquiesce in the
decision of his party, or is he going to retire
from the party and bolt its nomination to
break it up, because the party has concluded
not to change from its position of 1856 2
Were his friends around him going to desert
the party because the party has not changed
as suddenly as they have2 The country has
often been told that he and his friends in Hi
nois were not acting in harmony with the
Democratic organization. They had replied
that they would appeal to the National Con-
venton to ascertain who constitute the Dem
ocratic party of Illinois whether the organ.
ization that sustained him, or the Federal
office holders that acted with the Republicans
against him ? These Office holders sent their
delegates to Charleston, and the regular or
ganization sent theirs. The Convention pro
ceeded, with great carefuness and integrity.
to decide, and they decided, by a unanimous
vote that the Federal office holders of Illinois
did not belong to the Democratic party
Laughter and applause in the galeaies
So far then, as these National Democrats of
Illinois are concerned, the party has unani-
mously decided at Charleston that they do not
belong to it. The party also decided, said
Mr. Douglas, by majority of the whole
electoral college that | was the choice of the
Democratic party for President of the United
States, giving me fifty votes over all the |
other candidates combined. and yet my De-
mocracy is questioned. Laughter SO far
as | am individually concerned l want no
further or higher Endorsement.
| have arraigned no man, have intended !
to prescribe no man for differing with me- |
have at all times said was willing to appeal
to the great council of the party when they
assembled in National Convention to decide |
these questions. They have decided them in |
my favor on all points, platform, organiza-
ton and leost uf all, the individual. | say |
least of all. for my friends who know me best |
know that had no personal design or per-
sonal desire or wish for the nomination -
They know l would prefer seat in the |
Senate for the next six years to being PRESS |
dent. They know my name would never
have been rendered at Charleston except for |
the attempt to prescribe me as a hereto too |
unsound to be Chairman of a Committee in
the body where l sat. | was forced to allow
my name to go there, will now say that
had any gentleman, friend or foe, received
majority of the votes in that Convention
over me- lne HBhlnluB WOulu nave carried
the message Withdrawing my name before
the Convention. l have not lust enough for
Office to be the nominee against the known
wishes and first choice of majority of my
party. In the instant that Franklin Pierce
had majority of votes, the telegraph carried
my message congratulating him as the first
choice of the party; and it was read in the
convention before the vote was announced
In 1856, Mr. Douglas said, when Mr. Bucll-
anan received a majority, he sent message
to his friends to withdraw his name and
make the nomination unanimous. lie would |
scorn to be the standard bearer of any party
if he was not the choice of the party but he |
did rejoice that the old Democratic Party de-
termined to adhere to the great principle of |
non Intervention by the Federal Government
with the domestic affairs of distant Terrific
ries. 1t was pleasant duty to defend this |
glorious old party against those who would
destroy it, because the party will not change
its platform to suit their purposes