Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-08-23
Letter from VIM. b. Rodman. Esq,


That circumstance IMPOSES on me the duty of making
publicly known what my will be in case OF my cleo
ton. have delayed doing in the expectatIon that
State Convention might assemble and declare authota
lively the position of the party that seems now mproba
and Vice President In nv opinion North Carolina owes to
them firm and united support In case however shall
them will be thrown away and if given to Douglas Bell
would defeat Lincoln reserve myself right of voting
posed that the which propose myself would not
the general approval CO the Democrats of the District
would retire from the position they have assigned me
But have to suppose. To this statement OF
my position will add some reasons in support of It,
We cannot conceal from ourselves the fact that the only
there can be no peace until that is settled We may rore
it may shut eyes the fact nevertheless it exists
fact The different ways which parties propose to
treat this question: constitute the difference between them
The Republicans call slavery barbarsm and SIN which
ito Give the slaves freedom and dagger Some of them
are for doing it Immediately.
within the Constitutional powers of Congress- is to hem in
the with free territory Thus outlet will be
allowed to the slaves and thus in few years the
ing numbers ofhe two races confined within limited area,
will first render the slaves useless then bring on struggle
for existence, and finally, conflict of extermnaton
Southern State thus situated would pass through scenes of
horror which the eye of day would close would be
pandemonum of which the black hole in Calcutta was
feeble type The ultimate result OF TIE plans OF all OF them
is the The only difference between the plans OF Gar
rison and Lincoln, is of time and means
Such the designs of the Republican party openly a.
vowed and they have every prospect of eecting
President pledged and willing carry them out Are they
sung the honor and dangerous to the and safety
of every Southern State Oh these points there can be no
difference of opinion There three parties claiming
and so far as their adherens concerned
doubt sincerely clamngto be opposed to these designs
They propose different methods OF meeting them the diff
in these methods constitutes the difference and the
only important difference, between the parties OF which
Douglas Bell and Breckenridge are the respective represen
tatiVes.
will briefly state these different methods of opposition
leave the people of North Carolina to decide which
is most likely to be ehectua They were never called up
on to answer more important question.
The position of Douglas is that although Congress has DO
power prohibit slavery in territory yet the Legislature
of the territory may rghtuy do either directly or ndi
recty, by unrendly legislation. Such position, in my
opinion has warrant in the Constitution and IS subject
to the absurdiy of giving to the Legislature which the
delegate Of Congress- power which the Prncpa has
not. will answer this position by the mastery argument
of Mr.. Calhoun. He says:
"Ihave shown trust beyond controversy that Congress
emgrang with their property into the territories
the United States, give exclusive monopoly to the
neither the inhabitants the territories their legislatures
for of all positions TAKEN hold that which
claims the for them the most absurd If the
sovereignty them Union then neither
ce any but What is subordinate to but the
could be Which hold be oW6 be Tod 6 o
Congress and for the reason whatever power they
ooastituon and Controlled by the
political institutions But the reverse be trae the dominion
United Saesthey would indeed in that have
exclude whom they pleased they pleased in that
required them and permitted them to be inhabited
half dozen of quater would become the soveregns
e S4 po o OF Meow aHd an Would
scveregn of the country as soon as they the
their conquerors."- Works Of Calhoun Vol " 49o
But urged that however weak absurd this propo
sition as Constitutional doctrine yet 1t ought to be
ceped compromise and for the sake OF peace, because
takes the slavery agitation out of Congress- where is
dangerous and transfers it to the territories where is not
indeed transfer the agitation to the territories to
be fought there by emgrans armed and sent out by
patricda strife and the whole country is stunned by the
but then the question back to Congress-
than Experience shows this to be Witness Kan
The agitation carried there but did the country
gain Did not the agitation return to Congress more
envenomed than ever? The proposition has as little to
commend it, matter OF eNpedency as 1t has as Const
tutOnal doctrine
The Douglas plan at beet but compromise and
promise which, in effect, gives CUR claim Looking at
from the tide of foreign population constantly flowing into
itenough annually to make Sate-who can expect that
any territory which may hereafter acquire, no matter
how situated be settled as slave State under the
trine of Mr.. Douglas?
solution of this question at all they shut their
to the fact that the agitation exists in their party platforms
together They go, they say for the Constitution the
Union, and the Execution OF the Laws Vague phrases
to hide disagreement among themselves but which means
nothing All parties profess to stand the Constitution
But the question what does the Constitution say What
the United States? May their citizens settle there
equal terms with those from the Northern States! Shall
| STATES,
to the inevitable results THESE the grave questions
which compelled now to sove under pain of having
Constitution and the Union is not to answer them but to
evade answer it is not to defend Southern rights 1t Is
not TO claim them, DISTINCTLY Lincoln Sumner, Sew
ard, and Wilson, all claim to for the Constitution anc
have repeatedly sworn to support it and they declare
that the Union shall not be dissolved.
IT, by shutting eyes upon advancing fOe could
annhate him. then the policy of the Southern supporter
of Mr. Bell would be ineligible and wise. If were no
that this respectable party by its course practically dene
it, 1t would to be proposition too plain to require
argument that before the South expect obtain from
the North admission of its policy these questions
should have policy and plainly and distinctly declare it
The South has policy unanimous opinion, as to how
slavery ought to be dealt with all parties share 1t nde
pendenty Of party Influences there nc difference OF opn
ion whatever that point Yet strange to say notwh
standing views have been assaed and our denied
by nearly the whole North have united in claim
ing, much less in defending them 1t is the strongest
of seabnegaton the world has ever seem any won
der that have succeeded in procuring rights
be recognzed2 Who to blameour Northern brethren
: or ourselves!
Ignorant they of social condition and wants
how expect them to volunteer and search up
rights, and come forward concede They
naturally expect that will claim rights and if they
valuable, claim them earnestly That is their course
Knowing what were, and from what stock we have
descended, they believe that afraid to CLAIM
/ our rights lest they should get mad:
This policy of silence and is failure it argues
tmidy for which there is cause and which is unworthy
of brave people Besides we have tried it long enough
is blind who does not the issue is forced on
In January, 1921, Mr. Jefferson, writing to Mr. Adams
he h OF 5
wish but they parleyed and will parley longer
At the last session of Congress- Mr. Seward h
day of compromises is past; henceforth stand tn
Constitution - what that MEANT those who know that gen
emans construction of the Constitution well understand
repeat these great questions must be met and settled
noac while it may be done honoaby and peaceaby Their
danger in delay In opinions therefore, the policy
the Bell party which consists in ignoring these questions
and putting off their settlement is fatally erroneous
How does the National Democratic party of which Brock
nrdge the representative propose to zeal with this ques
ton Of slavery By declaring, CORDS free from eguu
ocaon possible the plain rights Of the States, sder tn
Constitution, and claiming Men. Jtrny We intended
ed now need not copy our platforms only refer to it
All that claim in that clearly ours the Supreme Cour
/, have said SO, no Southern will deny it.
Is wise to claim clear rights in this solemn manner
think think must claim them now, or give then
up forever.
BY this solemn Declaration of RIGHTS appeal to tn