Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-05-05
THE CHARLESTON CONVENTION

THE CHslNLESot Wv JON ER fION.
We refer eur readers to the very full details
of the proceedings of the Charleston Conven-
ton, which we have carefully prepared from the
New York papers.
The proceedings Of this convention cannot
fail Of influencing the politics Of the country to
an extent not anticipated by those who went
there with the single purpose of nominating
candidate for the presidency. The democratic
party in its national conventions has hitherto
been enabled to escape the agitation and dis
sensions engendered by conflict of opinion on
the great and absorbing question of slavery
through the willingness of the North to concede
all that the South saw fit to demand The will
ingness of the northern democracy to make these
concessions was well illustrated by an incident
at Cincinnati in 1856. Gov. Magoffin of Ken
lucky, fearing that the committee on the plat
form would not take sufficiently strong ground
on the subject of slavery, prepared some reso-
lutions for presentation when the platform
should be reported, but Mr. Hallett, chairman
of the committee on resolutions, went so much
further than Magoffin had expected or even
asked, that he kept the resolutions in his peck
ct The question of slavery broke down the
Wing party nearly ten years since; it has di-
vided the Methodist denomination so far as
publishing books is concerned, and the Presby-
terrain denomination, and visibly affected all
other religious denominations and enterprises.
But up to the sitting of the Charleston Conven-
ton the democratic party has remained SO far
unaffected that common organization was kept
up in every State in the Union. 1t is true that
the party has on two several occasions lost
many of its prominent and leading men through
subserviency to the demands of the slaveocracy
but such men were at once read out of the or.
ganization, and the apparent unity of the party
was preserved.
A brighter day has at last dawned. The time
has already come, unexpectedly soon to most
of us, when northern democrats can stand W
and Indignantly refuse any new tests of fealty
and devotion to the slave power. Hencefortf
we may feel that whatever may be the relative
position of the two leading parties here at thu
North, there is one sentiment that, to some ex
tent at least, they hold in common, viz: hostil
ity to the encroachments of slavery. The de
mand for slave code for the Territories ant
for the recognition of property in human being
wherever found within the jurisdiction of tn
federal government, was the straw that brok
the back of the democratic party. Well TO
the country is it that that last load, small thougl
it may be, was laid upon it.
What will be the end of this division canno
at present be foretold. Present indication
render any attempts at reunion hopeless Tn
South will hear to no adjustment short Of
compliance with their demands. If Dougla
and his friends shall yield he and they will
politically laid under the sod beyond any poss
bility of resurrection. The thing seems in
possible.
"Who will be nominated P" is question e'
sier asked than answered. 1t is difficult to Sc
how Douglas can get the remaining fifty vote
he so much needs it is more difficult to sc
how any one else can get the requisite two
thirds. If Douglas cannot be the nominee b
has it in his power to say who shall and VII
shall not be. AT present we await further d.
veopments.