Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-09-07
Political.
LETTER
FROM HON. JAMES S. GREEN
CANroN, Mo, August 19, 1860

CANTON, Mo-, August IS, 1860
To r. Northcutt, Eaoch Hooten, and
others Merico, No.:
| GENTLEMEN: Since my return home |
have received your letter inviting me to
address the people on the political issues
of the day, and am sorry to say, in reply,
that the state of my health and numerous
engagements will prevent my naming
time at which can visit you; but, if it
be in my power shall certainly do SO
before the November election.
In the mean time, in order to prevent
all misapprehensions with regard to my
real position, l will take the liberty Of
making brief statement on the general
subject.
Like all true friends of our country /
exceedingly regret the division of the
democratic party, but it is perfectly use
less to waste time aud strength in i'm
practicable regrets, and it would be
equally Improbable to go back and heap
censure upon the different parties to the
division. deem it my duty rather to
take the subject up exactly as find it
pending before the country, and shape
my action Just as patriotism requires to
produce beneficial results, instead of stir
ring up excitement and ill-feeliug by at
tributing the separation of the ConVen-
ton to the one side or to the other-to
the cause or to the results necessarily
produced thereby.
From my intercourse and acquaintance
, with the friends of Douglas and Breck-
. inridge in this State | am satisfied there
are true patriots and sound democrats
5 supporting each of these candidates for
: the presidency. 1t would, therefore, be
the height of folly and the grossest in
justice to speak of such citizens in terms
of rcproach and abuse. Whilst shall
support Breckenridge, it shall be my pur-
pose to respect the predictions of 9TH
ers, and present for candid consideration
The motives and reasons by which am
Influenced.
The Democratic National Convention
divided into two parts, each of which has
9 presented candidate, but neither OF
them can claim to have been nominated
in the regular way, according to the rules,
uslges, and customs Of the party. Mel
thcr received two-thirds of the electoral
college, which was requisite to constitute
a nomination. Douglos never received
more than ISL votes, while 1903 was the
whole number, and two thirds of that is,
of course, 202. And of the 1873 votes
which were cast for Douglas many Of
them were spurious, illegal votes, brought
into the Convention merely for the pur-
pose of increasing his apparent vote. !
shall not stop to enumerate the spurious
votes, together with the evidence of their
irregularity, for the simple reason that
!. the highest vote he ever received, inclu-
ding all the bogus ones, lacked 205 votes
of making nomination by the rule of
the Convention. Hence it cannot be
contended that he received the nomina-
=. ton at Baltimore The mere fact that
Douglas received the majority Of the
votes does not amount to anything. OH
er aspirants have obtained large majorities
in National Conventions heretofore, and
yet were not for that reason declared the
, nominees need only name Van Buren,
and Cass in 1874 The fact is, there
can be no safety or conservatism in such
Conventions without the two-.hirds rule !;
and when it is destroyed, National Con-
ventions cease. If majority could nom
= mate, then twelve States, wholly in the
power of the black-republicans, and with
+ out a single democratic electoral vote,
e could force upon the party the most OBJ
+ ectionable candidate they chose to pre-
sent. But the propriety of the rule, and
its non. observance this year in the case
of Mr.. Douglas, are incontestable truths
which cannot be for moment doubted
Aud what is the claim of nominee
worth when so seriously and so generally
! controyerted as in this case IL is not
to be denied that large majority in near
y every democratic State in the Union
utterly repudiate the idea that Douglas
has been nominated. They are as intel
ligent, and we. are bound to believe as
honest, as any other democrats, and have
the same right to judge and determine
for themselves They win not support
him, and hence the whole moral force Of
a nomination is completely lost, whether
they are right or wrong in their judy
ment. They must and will cast five
sixths Of all the democratic electoral votes
for President, and surely every true man
; and patriot viii treat them with the con-
sideration due to brethren. They deny
) the nomination and all obligation TO sup
port Douglas, and, therefore, the whole
moral force and efficacy Of this so-called
nomination are gone forever. 1t surely
will not be claimed, or even thought Of,
by the most enthusiastic, that the pre-.
: tended nomination of Douglas will ever
3 induce the democrats, to whom | refer,
to extend their support under such cir
cumstances. No It's charm is destroy
edits potency gone. The facts of the
case have dispolled all doubt What.
then, remains to be done Shall we qui.
city submit to the election Of a black-re-
publican, witlou. an effort to prevent IL
or shall we indulge in crimination and
recrimination. and destroy the democrat.
ic party or shall we shape our course so
as TO take revenge on any democrat with
whom we differ Z? For myself, / say moi
thor If We have no regular nominee
We have time to concentrate public sen.
timent in Missouri, and, believe, in the
nation, on an available, true, aud worthy