The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-05-30

Wee removed from tne OnbHmdHehlp VI tne
Committee on Territories in 1858, because
he uttered st Freeport the identical senti-
menis contsined in the letters Of acceptance
Of Messrs. Buchanan and Breckenridge in
1856. His heresy consisted in uttering the
ssme sentiments that he uttered in 1850, In
1864, ard 1856, and which he was known to
have held for many years. He did not com
plain OF the removal. II his opinions were
so hereticsl that he did not fairly represent
the opinions of the Senate, it was right
But when they displaced him for this reason,
do not charge him with changing, when the
fact is they have changed. At The end of
eleven years he was removed for holding the
the identical opinions he held when he was
selected as the Chairman OF that Committee,
ard he thought the facts ought TO be stated
truly. They should have said, 1--WE have
got tired OF the doctrine Of non intervention,
il didn't work 10 suit US. II has not yielded
such practical fruits on the plains OF Kansas
rs we anticipated, and we have concluded to
abandon it and go back to the old doctrine
proclaimed by Mr.. Yancey in lS4S, and re-
jected by an almost unanimous vote" 1t
was painful to find such differences between |
himself and friends. They were determined
TO make new tests to determine his ortho- |
doxy. He should not and did not recognize !
the right OF O caucus of the Senate or House !
TO prescribe new tests for the Democratic
party. Senators are not chosen for the pur.
pose Of making party platforms. Under
political system there has grown up an or
ganization known os the National Conven-
tion, composed of delegates elected from the
people, who or ce in four years establish q
platform and select nominees for the party.
The Cincinnati platform was the only au-
thoritative platform of the party until the
Charleston Convention met. He had stood
firmly and faithfully by the Cincinnati plat
form, looking confidently to see it atfirm-
ed at Charleston. They had all Ogreed to
appeal to Charleston ns the council to settle
the differences. The representatives of the
party assembled at Charleston, Ond after
three days debate the party determined by
nn overwhelming majority in favor of re-
adoption OF the Cincinnati Platform. No,
he was no longer hereto; he was no lon
ger an outlaw from the Democratic Party;
he was no longer rebel against Democra-
tic power, The Charleston Convention
Tepudiated this new test contained in the
caucus resolutions. by O vote Of 81 majority
TO offirm the Cincinnati Platform; so that
he was sustained by the pOrty so for as the
Platform was concerned. The question
now is whether the Senator from Mississippi
will ogain acquiesce in the decision of his
party, 0nd bolt its nomination to break it
up, because the party has concluded not to
change from its position OF 1856 ! Were his
friends around him going to desert the party
because the party has not changed as sud.
denly as they have! The country has Of
ten been told that he and his friends in L.
linois were not acting in harmony with the
Democratic organization. They had repl,
ed that they would appeal to the National
Convention 10 assertion who constitute the
Democratic Party in lllinois-Whether the
organization that sustained him or the Fed.
eral office. holders that acted with the Re-
publicans against him The office.bolders
sent their Delegates to Charleston, and the
regular organization sent theirs. The Con-
vention proceeded, with great Carefulness
and integrity, to decide, and they decided,
by unanimous vote, that the tffice hol-
ders of Illinois did not belong to he Demo-
cratic Party. Laughing and applause in the
galleries. So far, then, as these National
Democrats of Illinois are concerned, the
party has unanimously decided at Charles
ton that they do not belong to it. The par
ty also decided, said Mr.. Douglas, ty a
majority of the whole electoral college,
that was the choice OF the Democratic
Party for President OF the United States,
giving me fifty votes over all the other can.
didates combined, ard yet my Democracy
is questioned laughter.] So far as am
individually concerned, / want no higher
or further endorsement. have arraigned no
man, have intended 10 prescribe no man for
differing with me. have at all times |
said was willing to appeal to the great
council of the pArty when they assembled
in National Convention TO decide these
questions. They have decided them in my
tavor on all points, platform, organization,
and least of ALL the individual. | say least OF
all, for my friends who know me best, know
that had no personal design or personal de
sire or wish for the nomination. They knew
/ would prefer seat in the Senate for the
next six years to being President. They
knew my name would never have been ten
dered at Charleston except for the attempt to
prescribe me as a hereto too unsound to be
Chairman of Committee in the body where
/ sat. was forced TO allow my name to
~ bHeES' i VIII HuW eEy tul huo u"y GCH
tIemep, friend or foe, received majority in
that Convention over me, the lightning
would have carried the message withdraw
ing my nome before the Convention.
have not lust enough for Office to be the
nominee against the known wishes and first
choice Of majority of my party. In the
instant franklin Pierce had o majority o.
votes, the telegraph carried my message
congratulating him as the first choice of the
party; and it was read In the Convention
before the vote was announced. In 1856,
Mr.. Douglas said, when Mr.. Buchanan re.
ceived majority, he sent message 10 his
friends to withdraw his name and make the
nomination unanimous. He would scorn to
be the standard bearer of any party if he
was not the choice Of the party but he did
rejniee that the Democratic party determined
to adhere to the great principle OF non inter
vention by the Federal Government with
the domestic uffairs of distant Territories
1t was pleasant duty TO defend this glori
OBS old porty against those who would des-
troy it, because the party will not change
its platform to suit th,ir purposes. The
leadership Of this attempt to destroy the par
ty was we'll entrusted to approriate hunds,
for no man possessed the requisite qualities
in higher degree than the gifted Yancey,
who has right TO feel proud OF the achieve
ment he won at Charleston. In l848 he
proclaimed the same doctrine, but failed
He boldly and gallantly entered his protest
and Withheld his assent to the support of the
nominee, because he believed the South
should insist on the doctrine OF in,erven-
lion. In 1856 he concluded to submit, but
very soon he came to the conclusion tina,
this great Democratic party was not compe.
tent to preserve and maintain the rights oi
the South under the Constitution. and be
came to the conclusion it was time for
them to institute some other organization