Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-08-10

an outrage during the tendency fthe Char
lesion Convention If it was not, then they
occupy the position of justifying theirseccs-
sion by introducing fact Of minor -impor-
lance, as grave and serions objection to
the fairness and honesty Of the deliberations
of the Convention.
The second objection we have already con-
sidered, and only desire to add, III addition,
that the power and propricty Of every delb-
erative body, passing upon the qualifications
of those claiming membership, is universal
ly acknowledged and adopted by every as
sembly congregated together to determine
questions of grave and serious importance.
The convention at Cincinnati considered
the claims Of the delegations of Hards and
Softs, from New York, and admitted both !,
each casting half of the vote-the Conven-
ton at Charleston refused to adnfit the Wood
delegation, and admitted the Richmond and
Cagger party, representing and casting more
votes than Alabama, Louisiana and Arkan-
sas combined. sna yet those favorable to
the Wood delegation mover limited at a with
drawal in consequence.
The House of Representatives of the Uni
ted States, against all the rules Of fairness,
and in direct defiance of the votes of the peo-
pie, rejected the delegate returned from the
st Louis District, Missouri, and installed
in his place that notorious freesoiler, Frank
Blair, and yet no effort was made to secede
from Congress by Southern members, sud
NO recommendation TO that eject was heard
from Southern representatives. This vas
done under the general power of Congress,
as granted by the Constitution, to determine
the qualifications of its own members. If
the Convention cannot decide as to what
members shall constitute it. why have a
committee On Credentials, and how determ-
inc the Application for admission?
The objection to the nomination Of Mr..
Douglas comes with bad grace from gentle
men who participated in the proceedings of
body in which a rule was adopted requir-
ing "a votes to make nomination.
BY an examination of the facts from TIE
record. it appears that the unanimous NOM
ination Of Stephen A. Douglas, gave him
the endorsation of 210 electoral votes fairly
represented in the Convention. The subse-
quent action Of the National Convention, in
its adoption of the explanatory resolution
OF the Cincinnati Platform, recognizing the
power of the Supreme Court to decide the
measure Of restriction which shall be placed
upon Territorial Legislature in regard to
the domestics affairs of Territory, is famil-
lar to alias is also the action of the sece-
ders' convention in nominating Breckenridge
and Lane, with the international plank
dashed on to their platform.
Thus. in as concise manner as Justice to
the grave questions involved would permit,
we have alluded to the prominent points 10
connection with the late Democratic Ccnven-
ton. 1t is hardly necessary to add, that in
submitting the foregoing statement, we have
by no means intended to reflect upon the
honesty or motives of our colleagues-ac-
cording to them the same purity of purpose
which we claim for ourselves, aud regretting
most sincerely that we have been compelled
to differ widely from gentlemen of SO much
intelligence.
AS for ourselves, sustained by the senti-
ment of the District which we represented,
as we firmly believe, by the non intervention
al policy of the Democracy Of the State, by
the glorious traditions of our party, by the
acts of the q. S. Congress, by the speeches
and votes of many Of the wisest statesmen
OF the day-above all, sustained by our own
sense Of right, we have no emotions than
those of regret in the realization of the fact
that the hitherto invincible Democracy pre-
sents no longer solid, undivided, opposing
front to the advocates Of sectional fanaticism.
The banners of four opposing candidates are
now Haunting in the breeze, among which
flaps the dark ensign Of piratical abolition
lsln, and it remains to be seen whether the
people of this country, by refusing to sup
port Stephen A. Douglas. will consign the
executive power Of the government to the
hands of a traitorous faction, and thus con-
vert the glorious Union, with the star of peace
and happiness Illuminating every point of
our social surface, and the God of Plenty
presiding at every board, into several de-
tached fragments, convulsed with the throes
of civil war, anarchy and want. Citizens
of border State, which must suffer evils
that no eloquence can portray, in the event
of dissolution of this Confederacv, our
voice is still for the Democratic party, with
its old landmarks Of principle, and for the
everlasting perpetuity of the American IT,
MON, under the Federal Constitution.
s. M. YOST,
S. III. MOFFETT