The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-07-11
Rirbmonn Qispatrb,
MORN ING JULY II. 1860.

WEDNESDAY MORN INC. JULY II. 1860.
Acceptance Of the Hon. John e. Breekiu.
ridge of the Nomination for the Pr,.is
denct.
The following Is the reply of Hon. John u.
Breckinridge to the letter of Hon. Caleb Cush.
log, informing him of his nomination for the
Presidency
WARRINGTON CITY, July 6As6o.
Dear Sir Il have your letter of the 23rd
ult. by which am officially informed Of my
nomination for the Office of President Of the
United States by the Democratic National
Convention, lately assembled at Baltimore
The circumstances OF this nom nation will
justify me in referring to IT'S personal aspect.
l have not sought nor desired TO be placed
before the country for the Office of President.
When my name was presented to the Con ven-
tion at Charleston 1t was Withdrawn by
friend, in obedience to my expressed wishes
My views had not changed when the Conyen-
tion Ie-assembled III Baltimore, and when
heard of the differences which occurred there,
my iudisposition to be connected prominently
with the canvass was confirmed and expressed
to many friends.
Without discussing the occurrences which
preceded the nominations. and which are, or
soon will be, we'll understood by the country,
/ have only to say that approved, as just and
necessary TO the preservation of the national
aniZation, and the sacred rights of repre-
seNIatlOD, tDesdCtlO OF tDe OObStulOH over
which you continued to preside and thus ap-
proving it, and having resolved to sustain II,
feel that 1t does not become me TO select The
position l shall occupy, nor to shrinkfrom the
responsibilities of the post to which L have
been assigned. Accordingly, j accept the nom
ination from a sense of public duly, and, as
think, uninfluenced, in any degree. by the al
lurementS of ambition.
avail myself of this occasion to say that
the con fidence in my personal and public char
acter, implied by the action OF the Conyen-
tion, will always be gratefully remem bered,
and it is but just, also, to my own feelings, to
express my qualification at the association OF
my name with that of my friend, General
Lane; patriot and soldier, whose great
ser> ices in the field and in council entitle him
to the gratitude and confidence OF his country
men.
The resolutions adopted by the Convention
have my cordial approval. They are Just to
all parts of the Union to all our citizens, ma
tive and naturaiized, and they form noble
policy for any Administration.
The questions touching the rights of per-
sons and property, which have of late been
much discussed, find in these resolutions
constitutional solution. Our Union is a con-
federacy of equal, sovereign States, for the
purposes enumerated in the Federal Consti-
tuition. Whatever the common Government
holds in trust tor all the States, must be en-
joyed equally by each. 1t tcontrols the Terri
tories in trust for all the States. Nothing less
than sovereignty can destroy or impair the
rights of persons or property. The Terrific
rial Governments are subordinate and tempo
rary, and not sovereign; hence they cannot
destroy or impair the rights of persons or
property. While they continue to be Terri
tories they are under the control of Congress;
but the Constitution nowhere confers on any
branch Of the Federal Government the power
TO discriminate against the rights of the States
or the property OF their citizens in the Terri
tories. 1t follows that the citizens of all the
States may enter the Territories of the Union
with their property-of whatever kind-and
aniOy DIN a TprritOrial cOnli tiOu Wi tn.
out let or hindrance, either by Congress or by
the subordinate Territorial Governments.
These principles flow directly from the ah-
sence of sovereignty i'll the Territorial gov
ernments, and from the equality of the States.
Indeed, they are essential 10 that equality
winch is and ever has been the vital principle
of our constitutional Union. They have been
settled legislatvely-settled judicially-and
are sustained by right reason. They rest on
the rock of the Constitution. They will pre-
serve the Constitution-th will preserve the
Union
1t is idle to attempt to smother these great
issues, or to misrepresen' them by the use OF
partZan phrases which are misleading and
delusive The people will look beneath such
expressions as s"Intervention," Congressional
Slave Code,' and the like, aud will penetrate
to the real questions involved. The friends of
constitutional equality do not and never did
demand Congressional Slave Code" nor
any other code in regard 10 property in the
Territories. They hold the doctrine of nom
Intervention Dy congress OF Dy
Legislature, either 10 establish or prohibit
slavery; but they assert fortified by the high
est JUDICIAL tribunal III the Unlun) the plain
duty of the Federal government in all its de-
partme ts TO sec ure when necessary, to the clti
zens of all the States, the enjoyment of their
property in the Common Terri .orieS, as every
where else within its jurisdiction. The only
logical answer to this would seem to be to
claim sovereign power for the Territories, or
10 deny that the Constitution recognizes
properly in the services of negro slaves, or to
deny that such property can exist
Inexorable logic, which works its steady
way through clouds and passion, compeIs the
country to meet the issue. There is no eva
sive middle ground. Already the signs multi
ply of q fanatcal and growing party, which
denies that under the Constitution, or by any
other law, slave property can exist; and ulti-
mately the struggle must come between this
party and the National Democracy, sustained
nv all the other conservative elements in the
Union.
L think it would be impossible for a candid
mind to discover hostility to the Union, or a
taint of sectionalism in the resolutions adopted
by the Convention. The Constitution ana the
Union repose on the equality of the Sites,
which lies like broad foundation underneath
our whole political structure. AS 1 constrne
them, the resolutions simply assert this equal
ity. They demand nothing for any State or
section that is not cheerfuily conceded to all
the rest, 1t is well to remem ber that the chief
disorders which have afflicted our country
have grown out of the violation of S tate sq ual-
ity; and that as long as this great principle
has been respected, we have been blessed with
harmony and peace. Nor will it be easy to
persuade the country that resolutions are Sec
tional which command the support of a ma
lority of the States, and are approved by the
bone and body Of the old Democracy, and by a
vast mass of conservative opinion everywhere,
without regard to party.
1t has been necessary, more than once in our
history, TO pause and solemnly assert the true
character of this government. A memorable
ins .ance occurred in the struggle which end
ed the civil revolution of 1900. The Repnb-
licans of that day, like the Democracy OF this,
were stigmatized as disunionists but they no.
bly, conducted the contest under the Constitu-
ton, and saved our political system. BY
like constitutional struggle it is intended now
TO assert and establish the equality of the
States rs the only basis of Union and peace.
When This object, so national, SO cons titution-
al, so just, shall be accomplished, the last
cloud will disappear from the American sky,
and with common hands and hearts the States
and the people will unite to develope the re-
sources Of the whole country, to bind it to-
gether with the bonds of intercourse and
brotherhood, and to impel 1T onward in it's
great career The Constitution and the
eo uality of the States. These are symbols OF
everlasting Union. Let these be the raliying
cries of the people.
trust that this canvass will be conducted
without rancor, and that temperate argument
will take the place of hot words and passion
ate accusations. Above all, l venture humbly
to hope that Divine Providence, to whom we
owe our origin, our growth and all our pros
perity, will continue to protect our beloved
country against all danger, foreign and do
mestic.
am, with great respect your friend.
JOHN q. BRECKENRIDGE
Hon. q. Gushing, President Of the Demo-
cratic Convention.
FUSION REPUDIATED BY THE DOUGLAS
MEN.-A circular has been published by the
National Democratic Executive Committee"
at Washington, in which that body utterly re-