Des Arc citizen., 1860-08-01
HoN. J. c. BREcKINRIDGE. {s...a

HON. J. C. BRECKENRIDGE. e ft4sl.F-. WASHINGTON CITy, July 6, 1860.
 DEAR SIR: 1 have your letter of the 23d ultimo, by which am officially in- formed of my nomination for the office of President of the United States by the Dem- ocratic National Convention, lately assem- bled at Baltimore. q
 The circumstances of this nomination will justify me in referring to its personal aspect.
 have not sought nor desired to be placed before the country for the office of President. When my name was present. ed to the convention at Charleston, 1t was withdrawn by friend in obedience to my expressed wishes. My views had not changed when the convention re-assem- bIed at Baltimore, and when l heard of the differences which occurred there, my l indisposition to be connected prominently with the canvass was confirmed, and ex- pressed to many friends.
 Without discussing the occurrences which preceded the nominations, and which are or soon will be we'll understood by the country, have only to say that l approved, as just and necessaryto the pre- servation of the national organization and the sacred right of representation, the ac- ton of the convention over which you con- tinued to preside; and thus approving it, and having resolved to sustain il, l feel that 1t does not become me to select the position l shall occupy, nor to shrink from the responsibilities of the post 10 which ] have been assigned Accordingly 1 ac- cept the nomination from sense of pub lie duty, and, as 1 think, uninliuenced in any degree by the allurements of am- bilion.
 I avail myself of this occasion to say that the confidence in my personal and public character, implied by the action of the convention, will always be gratefully remembered; and it is but just also to my own feelings to express my qualification at the association of my name with that of my friend General Lane, patriot and a soldier, whose great services Tn the field and in council, entitle him to the gratitude and confidence of his countrymen.
 The resolutions adopted by the conven- ton have my cordial approval. They are just to all parts of the Union-to all our citizens, native and naturalized-and they form noble policy for any administra- ton. hH
 The question touching the rights ofper- sons and property, which have oflate been much discussed. find in these resolutions a constitutional solution. Our Union is a confederacy of equal sovereign States, for the purpose enumerated in the Federal Constitution. Whatever the common gov ernmenl holds in trust for all the States, must be enjoyed equally by each. It con trols the Territories in trust for all the States. Nothing less than sovereignty can destroy or impair the rights of persons or property. The Territorial governments are subordinate and temporary, and mol sovereign; hence they cannot destroy or impair the rights of persons or property While they continue to be Territories they are under the control of Congress, but the Constitutionnowhere conlers on any branch of the Federal Government the power tc discriminate against the rights of the States or the property of their citizens in the Ter. ritories. It follows that the citizens of al the States may enter the Territories of the Union with their property, of whatevei kind, and enjoy it during the Territoria condition without let or hindrance, eithe
 by Congress or by the subordinate Terri torial governments.
 1 These principles flow directly from th'
 absence of sovereignty in the Terrtorla governments and from the equality of tht
 States. Indeed, they are essential to tha
 equality which is, and ever has been, th'
 vital principle of our Constitutional Union
 They have heen settled legislaiiNelyy-set tied iudicially-and are sustained by righ
 reason. They rest on the rock of th'
 constitution. They will preserve the con stitution-lhey will preserve the Union.
 It is idle to attempt to smother thes
 great issues, or to misrepresent them b,
 the use of partizan phrases. which ar' misleading and delusive. The people vii look beneath such expressions as Inter vention." Congressional slave code" an the like, and will penetrate 10 the req questions involved. The friends of constl 5 tutional equality do not nor never did de
 mand Congressional slave code, no :, any other code in regard to property in tn ss Territories. They hold the doctrine ( s non-intervention by Congress or by a Ter
 ritorial Legislature either to establish c
 prohibit slavery; but they assert (fortife , by the highest judicial tribunal in tn 7 Union) the plain duty of the Federal Gov
 ernment Tn all its departments, to secure when necessary, to the citizens of all tn
 States, the enjoyment of their property l . the common Territories. The only log
 cal answer 10 this would seem to be