Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-05-10
CHARLESTON CONVENTION.

The following extract of letter written by
Hon. S. Colf,x, and published in the last Register,
contains some reflections upon the "irrcpressible
conflict which recently raScd at Charleston be-
tween the Northern and Southern Democracy,
worthy of consideration 10y Northern frccmen:
WASHINGTON CRY, April 81, fsGo.
The contest raging there is full of instruction to
the impartial locker on. One Of the chief argu-
mcn,s that we have heard on tho stump, from the
silver toned champions of the Democracy, has been
tlc unity of their principlcs-that the Democrat Of
Indiana and BIN OF Alabama, when they met, could
clasp hands together on the same platform-that
the New England Democrat and the Firginian
held the same principles and could rccitc, in
harmonious concord, the same oliticalcreed-tlat
North and South. the Nationality OF their party
rendered their profession and faith exactly III
unison, regardless Of the region in which they
lived. think this argument is exploded. utterly
and forever. by the record of the struggles and
strifcs at Charleston.
So too, nothing has been more snecred at by tho
orators of opponents than the doctrine OF the
"rreprcssiblc conflict" If they will turn their
eyes to the Convention Hall at Charleston. they
will the proof OF it, in the intestine dissensons
in their own party. on the very question. too, on
which they have loudly declared that their party
i'm perfect harmony
And again. 'Scctionalsm, ha. been one of
their battle cries asains the Republicans. And,
when we have proved from the record that We are
standing by the faith of the Fathers of the Rcpub
c With no desire to interfere in tie Slaves States,
but with dctermin ,tion TO preserve our Western
Territories for the same Freedom that our Faith
srs gave, by solemn Ordinance, TO their Western
Territories, the reply h,s been, "you have party
in the South, but small one at least; and there
fore you should be voted down" This very chal-
ice is now pressed to the ps Of the Northern Pop
/ ulsr Sovereignty Democrats at Chareston; and
they he,r their Southern allies revile them and
their views, in inst about tie same language as
they have been used to apply to US.
And again They have been crying "Peacc,
Peace" and asserting that this agitation question
was all settled, IL il we're not for the Republicans
But it conronts them, within tho ranks OF their
own prtv, and their Convention is stirred to its
very depths by the excitements growing out OF the
issue. There are no Republicans there, not one
and vet, in that band of Democratic brothers, the
only thing discussed is that very issue which they
themselves cen.inually agtatipg, and yet hich
they as constantly charge against the Republicans,
who are only acting on the defensive, maintaining
the rights of Freemcn.
But to view it from another standpoint. Thi,
conflict at Charleston shows the power and the use
fulness of the Republican party. But, for th 1t
ganiz,ton. standing calmly but infexibly by iti
principles, with its determined resistance to al
plots and aggrcssions of the Slave Power, there
would not be this resistance in the Democratic
Convention against the demands Of the Olgarchy
] The Northern Democrats know that If single
concession is made by them which will not bcal
the test Of popular discussion and investigation al
the North. their party will be overwhelmed IL
every Free State. Hence their stand is one, po
liticaly, OF Life and Death-to avert an utter ant
irrcvocable overthrow.
Judging from the past. these fratcrnal disscn
sons will be i,wmonzcd by political necessity, ans
some platform adopted, susceptible of Janus faced
construction in the sections of the Union. Bu
the fact of this "trcpressible conflict" still exists
And it will tend to enforce still more strikingly
the duty of all who lore Freedom and who do no
desire the Extension Of Slavery, to unite with tha
p,rty, whose banners glitter with its noble creed
'Free Homes on Free Soil for the Free Men o
America." s. G..