New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-08-31
PLATFORMS.

The Breckinridge wing of the Virginia Democ-
raey lately met in grand council in the town q
Charlottesville for the purpose Of supplying yacah
cies in their electoral ticket caused by desertions
to Douglas, and for the further purpose of attempt
ing some adjustment of the difficulties existing ne-
tween the two divisions of the party. In the hrst
Of these enterprises they succeeded; IN the last
they failed The Douglas men nominated separ-
ate ticket. and bid defiance to the Breokinridgers.
And Mr. Douglas himself has now gone to Virginia,
thereby greatly encouraging his followers, and
confirming them in their determination to stick up
to the Little Giant through thick and thin.
But the Breckenridge Democracy Of the Old Do
minon did something more. Having little les-
ure upon their hands, they deliberately set to work
to revise, correct and amend the Cincinnati Plat
form. Said PLATFORM having been adopted at Bal
tlmore, became thereby the established creed Of
the party Rnt npon clese inspection, the Virginia
Democracy discovered certain plank in that plat
form which looked little suspicous-in fact. de-
fectiye-in short rotten. This plank, in the esti-
nation of the Virginia Democracy, would not do
to stand upon. And for fear some of the party, IN
attempting to stand on it, would fall through and
go to the bottom they proceeded to rip that plank
up, and to throw it contemptuously aside.
the National Democracy had no such plank in the
platform at all. Up to that time the platform was
large enough for the whole party to stand upon
without crowding or "scrouging." But, certain Of
the Democracy of the Pacific coast and of the Misss
sippi valley having demanded this Pacific Railroad
enlargement Of the platform, their wishes were
gratifed, although the thing did not sit very well
on the stomachs of some Of the old strict construc
ton Democracy of the Eastern States The Old
Public Functonary clinched the nail by writing
letter to the Pacific coast in appreciation of the
step, taking care, however, SO to time it that the
letter did not get back to the Eastern States until
after the election was over, and the O. P. F. had
been chosen President by the people.
But there is nothing inconsistent in this action
of the Virginia Democracy-b barring only the time
they permitted to elapse before they recorded
their protest. The resolution of the Cincinnati
Convention in 1856, endorsing the project of
Pacific Railroad, was in direct conflict with the
position always held by the Virginia Democracy
on the subject of internal improvements by the
Federal Government, and therefore they were en-
tirely consistent in repudiating it, The only won
der of the matter is that it had not been done be-
fore. Several special convocations of the party
lection was audible. They passed over this
aheresy'' Of the Cincinnati Convention, as if it
were all right, So long that the other side almost
had the privilege Of pleading the statute of lmita
tions in bar of its repeal. But the Virginia Demo-
cracy, after more than four years cogitation
the matter, at last concluded that it was not
exactly the correct thing, and so, taking good aim
at it, they knocked the Pacific Railroad plank out
of the Platform at one blow.
The circumstance raises new and interesting
question, which ought to be settled at once That
is, how far is it allowable for State Convention
of party to abrogate the acts of the National
Convention The rule heretofore, we believe, has
been that National Convention only could ae-
curately determine what party's principles were,
and that each individual member must wait for
that to speak before he could ascertain what were
his own opinions upon any particular subject Of
controversy or any particular issue of politics.
But there is danger now of divided allegiance.
When National Convention says that the prin-
cples of party require us to believe $50 and SO,
and State Convention comes in afterwards, re-
verses the decision and proclams an opposite
creed, what are we to do? Which one are we to
obey2 Which is Of the higher authority--the Ma
tional Convention or the State? And if one State
Convention may abolish one plank of Platform,
and another another, it may happen that there will
not be- after a while, single piece of timber left
for the Ancient Public Functionary to stand upon !
illustrate the hnmbug Of party plttfotisRe IiRdgt ItiRdgt
are not observed and respected by the politicians
even when honestly made by the Representatives
Of the people. The day for Platforms has gone
by. Those contriyances are played out People
are going to vote for the man in whom they have
faith and confidence, and trust to his honesty and
patriotism, il elected for a wise and benefcent
administration of the Government.