The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-09-05
Fyvm ele Sostl0n Broad Ass
Proceedings Of tAe Bsll-Everett Con-
yentiof 4 Baltimore.

Speeches Of he Deleg1tes--d. w. y. W0tsoA,
Ben EseotOr Of 1fisHsSigpi for he State
at Large; and Neil s. BSosOn Of Ten
nSsses, Ben Leader and lSpOkssmaa.
AT the Democratic meeting held ut this
place TO ratify the nominations Of brecdn-
ridge and Lane, Thomas l. Sharp, Esq, read
copious extracts from the published proceed
ines of the Baltimore Convention which NOM
mated the Bell and Everett ticket, and
brought to light some interesting develop
ments touching the feeling. purpose and ac-
ton OF that concern. It's feelings, as he show
ed, were fired up with intense hatred Of the
true Democracy, to be gratified At almost any
cost Its purpose IS apartV organization was
to "preterR,if' the expression Of any opinion
upon the vital issues Of the day; and thus II
possible, to ride into power, 70 simply adopt
the Constitution, the Union, and the enforce
ment Of the laws" - its platform Of princi-
pies, without any Interpretation Of that Con-
| stitution, 50 that il might be construed In diff.
ferent localities TO suit the demands Of either
section Of the Union The construction Of
the Constitution had divided parties since the
foundation Of the Government; and the Con-
vention, speaking IN the name Of the party it
was supposed to represent, had failed TO con-
strue that Constitution as an instrument con-
ferring co-equal rights upon different States,
in the Territories Of the Union. That it has
refused TO 2vow that construction of the Con-
stitutiOn in the following propositions:
LIST That the government Of Territory
organized BY Congress, is provisional and
temporary, and during is existence all citi-
zens Of the United states have an equal right
to settle with their property in the Territory,
| without their rights, either Of person or
property, being destroyed or impaired by Con-
| gressional or Territorial legislation.
I'd. That it is the duty Of the Fedenl Gov
eminent, in all its departments, to protect
when necessary the rights Of persons and
property in the Territories and wherever else
| its authority extends
| Sd. That when the settlers in a Territory,
having an adequate population, form State
Constitution pursuant to law, the right Of
sovereignty commences, and being consum-
| mated by admission into the Union, they
stand on an equal footing with the people Of
other States; and the State thus organized
ought to be admitted into the Union, whether
its Constitution prohibits or recognizes the in
stitution Of slavery.
All Of which the Democracy, and their
candidates, Breckinrdge and Lane, most
cordially endorsed, and would fearleSsly
maintain. ls4st la
Did not the Bell and Everett Convention
shrink from the performance Of high and
sacred duty? Had il no principles to an
nounce; and if not, why organize?
II it intended to give the country an assu-
4 rance Of truth, justice and the Constitution,
| why did it select as its President Washington
Hunt who, when Governor Of New York,
pardoned out Of the Penitentiary fugitive
| slave, to prevent his masters recovery Of him?
/ If it intended no evasion Of the Constitutional
issues Of the day, why adopt such course
as to preclude John Bell from defining his po-
sition favorable to the Constitutional doctrine
ofprotection, as enunciated in the Democratic
platform?
And Is he precluded? Let him answer
/ In response to letter Of Cpl. Echols and 9TH
ers, Of Alabama, enquiring If he endorsed the
principle ofprotection, and repudiated squatter
sovereignty, he replied, under date Of July
| 18th 1860: a'r4
@Haying been placed in that position (Of
Presidential candidate) by Convention Of
enlightened patriots, which deliberately re-
solved 10 adopt no platform or declaration Of
| principles, other than such as are implied in
the pledge to support the Constitution, the
Union and the lava consider that il would
be virtual repudistion Of their views, were
to give any NEW pledges, or to make any
nsiV declaration Of princiPle&n
Why adopt the Constitution, the Union
and the enforcement Of the LAVISH"
| Let Lsyerett Saltonstall, delegate in the
Convention, and Chairman Of the Commit
tee Of the Union party Of Massachusetts,"
answer In response TO letter dated July
| 9Th, 1850, addressed to Edward Everett, en-
| curing whether he would endorse the protec-
1 ton resolutions adopted as platfSrm by the
/ ITnfor, Convontsar n A1abovn, h. NJ C.l
t0nstaIl, Of Massachusetts,, chairman" agree
ably to the understanding in'which Mr.. Ev-
erett accepted the nomination, wrote as fol-
lows:
0-"We do not suppose that the National
| Union Convention intend 10 interfere with
the local conventions Of the States in adopt
ing platforms within theiroown limits"
What Adopt platforms within their own
limits! Win they not deceive and mislead the
tsS surely sus-c0uvsntloH, declared that 6W-
the effect Of platforms, which doubtless Is
true in the case Of this Bell and Everett par
| ty, but what matters It when voters are wan
ted, il Mr.. Saltonstall does say ''the Union
Convention did not Interfere with This .:IaCDSA-
| species Of deception. ~
He continues, 'the candidates, CBeU and
Everett) are precluded from endorsing any
OTHER platform" Than what The Con-
stitutiou, the Union, the EnGerccment of the
Laws. rg a.
Then in the estimation Of some gentlemen.
especially the men Of Massachusetts. the
three propositions before quoted, giving q
construction to the Constitution as 10 the
Common Territories, and the rights Of ciIi-
zens therein, 50 cordially endorsed hy Breck-<
inridge and Lane, and fully sustained by the
whole influence Of the Administrator. as
wei as the Democratic Organization rallying
around them, are OTHER than the COnstitu
ton and Union platform, and hence their can
didates are precluded from endorsing them
And whore does this leave Mr.. Watson, the
Bel delegate and Elector for the State of
Mississippi? By the side Of that nobler set
Of men the Massachusetts, delegation, "com-
pairing views" and finding .'their views we've"
bis views, and his 'views were their yiews.'
With views compared ION the exciting topics
of the day Mr.. Watson Hcould not find one
point Of difference" How pleasant and how
sweet if is for brethren to dwell together in
unity. .,i3 - q
Imagine the scene A Mississippian. the
representative Of once proud and glorious
party, honored as delegate to the Conven-
ton, trusted as an elector for the State at
large, has the hardihood 10 announce in the
presence of the Convention claiming to adopt
the Constitution as its platform Of principles,
that he can find no point Of difference between
himself and the. free soil Massachetts dele
gationl s-t
Remel thou hast last thy breed of noble
sons! And who is John minor Botts-en-
dorsed by Mr.. Watson and voted for in Con-
vention OF all the politicians Of Va, he has
shown the greatest eagerness to be among
the first and to yield to the North on the
slavery issue. He sided with the Northern
wing Of the American party, in the great
struggle over the celebrated 18th Section of
their platform. So obnoxious was his course
to Southern Senators that the guns of even
the Richmond Wing were turned loose apon
him.
And what Of John Mclean, another net of
Mr.. Watsoni He, too was voted for in the
convention. What IS his position 'on tho
exciting topics Of the day Pr Like John
Minor Bolts he believes in the constitutional
power Of Congress to pass the Nilmot Proviso.
Mr.. Watson "has seen him do his duty, in
meeting out. justice. especially to the
SOUTH And this Is the identical John Nc
Lean. who dissented from the opinion Of the
Court in the bred Ccott ease. BE entertains
the view shat no authority can be claimed
under the Constitution Of the United States
or any law Of Congress" whereby "a master
may take his slave into free territory, and
exact from him the duties Of slave" So
'that a slave IS not properly beyond
the lecal law which naAlns HIM s1chf'
THAT . majority Of the Court have
said that slave may Be taken BY his master
into territory Of the United States, the same
as horse or any other kind Of property Il
is true, this was said by the Court as also
many other things which ARE OF NO AUTHoRI-
TY!p II do not says he, ''see ON what ground
the act missouri restnction) is held TO be
void, ItONLY prohibits slave r
And this, Mr.. Watson calls we suppose, me-
ting out justice, especially to the SOUTH
Surely the Bell delegate, and State elector
deserves well of his party friends for the pa
triotic service be has done them, in construing
their Constitutional Union platform.
And we now dismiss Mr.. Watson, and turn
to Mr.. Neil s. Brown, Of Tenn, who was
ieleuate TO the Convention and Gee fr;o,,5 -.