Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-09-26
The Presidential Election.

country from the dangers of black Republican rule
For the first time the Democratic party is divided
The great conservator Of our Constitutional rights
is no longer equal to the task of rallyng its forces
as of old from Maine to California, while at the
same time the field is occupied by two opposing
factions, the Bell men and the black Republicans
What should be doneY 1t would be alike impolitic
anc Improbable to trace the causes which produced
our present divisions, or to dwell upon the causes
themselves. We must deal with things as they
are and do the best we can under the circumstances
by which We are surrounded.
We assume, as fixed fact, that the Douglas men
cannot in any contingency carry North-Carolaa.
The State will vote either for Breckenridge or Bell.
united Democratic vote would ensure the State
for Breckinrindse by ten thousand majority. Why
may We not have this united vote? Mr.. Breckin-
ridge subscribes to and warmly advocates the prin-
cples which have always been held by the Demo-
cracy Of the State He is able faithful and true to
the Constitution and the Union; and that his asso-
cate on the ticket is equally faithful and true no
one will deny. On the other hand Mr.. Douglas
does not agree with the Democracy Of the State in
his Interpretation Of the Cincinnati platform; nor
can the State rights Democracy, some of whom are
his supporters, by any stretch of devotion to his
interests find it in their judgments their hearts
to concur with him in the language which he has
used in relation to the means he would employ as
President, and which he says he ariU employ as
Senator to coerce and subjugate sovereign Southern
States. Mr. Breckenridge is much devoted to the
Constitution and the Union as Mr. Douglas can be-
All the interests, the fame and the future prospects
of Kentucky, no less than those of Illinois, are
most intimately identified with the existing Union
He could not be disunonist, if he would HIS
own neighbors would dscountenance and disown
him if he were to lift his hand against Constitu-
tional Union. We will not insult the Douglas De-
mocrats by asking them If they would submit to
any but Constitutional Union Wherefore, then,
this opposition to Mr.. Breckenridge, and this perss
tent purpose to cast few thousand Democratic votes
for Douglas? What good can it effect?
But We are told that though John c. Breckenridge
and 10 Lane are not themselves disunlonsts, they
are nevertheless supported by persons IN the "cot-
ton States" who are. WE'LL what of that? We
admit the fact-but does that change the character
of the ticket? Suppose Lincoln should be elected,
and before any overt act is attempted by the black
Republicans some of these cotton States" should
20 about to secedc frcm the Union, what would be
the course of Breckenridge and Lane? They could
not and would not go with them. Their platfornA
their antecedents their declarations their localities,
to say nothing of their nclinatons under the cir
cunStances which have referred all against
a sudden and violent rupture of the federal bonds.
| won Sfatp
The evil which would drive them into the melstrom
of revolution must not be imaginary, or ordinarily,
probable, but imminent. They must despair Of
justice and equality under old forms before they would
acceptth hazards ofattempting establish ones
We say justice and equality, because We entertain
fears any event for the safety Of the slavehoding
States.
But if few disunionists per Sc in the "cotton
States" are supporting Breckinridge and Lane, who
are numbered among the supporters Of Douglas and
Bell? In the first place, Mr.. Bell obtained consid-
cradle vote for President in the black Republican
Convention which nominated Lincoln; and in the
second place. he is supported by thousands Of anti
slavery men in the Northern States His record.
almost from the moment he entered Congress, is
more decidedly freesoil than that of any other
Southern man, Henry Winter Davis excepted. He
has, therefore, number of bad supporters, and he
has bad record. As for Mr.. Douglas he is the
chosen champion of Forney, who was elected Clerk
of the House by the black Republicans; and in ad-
dtion to this, thousands of his active supporters in
the free States are the very who deserted Gen.
Cass in lS4S. and rallied to Mr.. Van Buren on the
freesoll Buffalo platform. Admitting then, all that
is charged against Mr. Breckenridge to be true,
what advantage over him in this respect is possessed
by Douglas and Bell?
But what are the chances in November? We
claim with confidence for Mr. Breckenridge the fol-
lowing States: Alabama 9, Arkansas 4, Florida 8,
Georgia 10, Kentucky -, Louisiana 6, Mississippi
Z, North Carolina 10, South Carolina 8, Texas f.
making in al! 70 votes. California, Oregon, Missouri,
Tennessee, and Virginia we consider doubtful Ma
ryland we give to Bell, and Tennessee, Virginia,
and Delaware may vote for him. Now, what are
Mr.. Douglass prospects? With thedlvision between
him and Breckenridge, we fear that Lincoln will
carry every Northwestern State, Illinois included.
His recent tariff speech will, we fear, not carry
Pennsylvania for him. That State will probably
- vote for Lincoln. The proposed fusion IN New
York has failed mainly through the obstinacy Of
Judge Douglass friends in that State; and as mat
ters now stand the thirty-6ve votes Of New York
may be put down for Lincoln. Mr.. Breckenridge is
certain of from fifty to seventy votes but there is
no certainty that Judge Douglas will obtain single
vote. What then? What say you, Douglas men
of North Carolina? We may be in error you may
be in error, all Of us may be in error so far as De-
mocratic usage and organization are concerned; but
the great question: is hoo shau ace defeat the enemy
The events of the past cannot be changed. Let us
take care of the present and the future. Can We
defeat Bell by dividing in the South ?-can we de-
+ feat Lincoln by dividing in the North /? Such re
suit is impossible. The more We divide the more
we strengthen the hands of our enemies,-the more