The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-03-21
Resolutions of the Democratic
Senatorial Caucus.

= We copy below, from the Washingto
Union, an authentic copy of the resolution
recently adopted by the caucus of Democrati
members of the [. S. Senate. 1t will be 90
served that they are slightly changed from
the form in which they were originally intro
duced into the Senate by Col Davis. In sub
stance and in spirit thstKo series are identi
cal
The adoption of these resolutions as lint
Of conduct, and of concurrent action upon thu
important topics which they embrace, wa!
made necessary by the course of Messrs
Douglas and pugh-the latter ofwhom, early
in the session, re-opened the territorial ques
tion By the introduction of a resolution look.
ing to the repeal of certain essential provisions
Of the law establishing She territory q New
Mexico
The authors of this scheme finding them
selves injured by the mine which they had
laid for the destruction of Others are now,
through the agency of their partizan tools,
bitterly decrying the alleged "dictation" to
the Charleston Convention ; but their motives,
as well as their conduct from the beginning,
which created the necessity for the action they
now complain Of are we'll understood, and
they are heartily despised by all discerning
and honest men for their barefaced hypo-
crisy.
Apart from the justifying fact to which we
have referred, we find abundant reason for the
adoption of these resolutions. The Senate is
the branch of the Legislative department ofthe
Government in which are represented the
States as co-equal soyereignties-each being
entitled to the same vote, without regard to
population, wealth or extent of territory and
to the members of this body, who are pre-
sumed to reflect the sound sentiment of the
country, the people have right to look for
frank and manly declarations of opinion upon
all questions affecting the rights and welfare
of the States which they respectively repre-
sent. =.
Anxious to profit by the wisdom and the
patriotic inspirations OF the wise men who sat
IN this caucus, We are more than gratifed to
have before Us the resuls Of their patient de-
liberation and honest convictions. And this
feeling Of qualification is increased by the fact
that we fin1 in the resolutions everything to
approve and nothing to condemn In senti-
ment, they accord fully with the resolutions
unanimously adopted by the Democracy of
Mississippi. They declare that the territories
are the common property of all the States,
held in trust by the Federal Government for
their mutual benefit and enjoyment; that |
neither Congress nor a territorial legislature |
established by it, can exclude slavery there |
from and that the Government in all its de- |
partments is bound to afford adequate protec-
tons to slave property therein. This GREAT
PRINCIPLE is clearly, distinctly, unqualifedly
Differences may arise as to the
proper time for calling into exercise the
authority of the legislative department, but
such differences are unavoidable 1t is i'm
possible to anticipate the particular occasion
which viii demand Congressional interven-
ton. 1t is the duty of the approaching Con-
vention to declare the rRINcIHE, and it will be
.sft faF The ressr.~---s.-.ses e, "a. a. Con
gress to apply it whenever necessary. To their
several constituencies they viii be responsible
for the manner in which they may discharge
the obligations resting upon them. At all
hazards, it will deTolve upon the Charleston
Convention to affirm this vital doctrine, and
thus leave no room for doubt as to the true
meaning of the Democratic creed. The faith
full Democrat will not then be charged with
violating the principles of Els party because
he claims for his section the rights to which it
is entitled and traitors who, under cover of
the name of Democracy, have affiliated with
Seward and his followers since the Lecomp-
ton struggle (when it suited them) will be
branded and driven with disgrace from the
Democratic fold.
.v~1f the Charleston Convention is not pre-
pared to endorse the principles embodied in
these resolutions, and is too dishopest and
corrupt to clear up the doubts with which
Douglas and his mercenary followers have
mistifed the Cincinnati platform, the De-
of Mississippi will not stultify and
disgrace themselves by supporting its action
but in concert with their brethren Of other
Southern States, they will nominate ticket
upon a sound platform, to the support of
which they will rally with a zeal and enthu-
siasm never before witnessed in political con-
tests. II such course should eventuate in
throwing the election into the House Of Re-
where the large and the small
States are entitled to an equal vote, as we
have before said, it will not be result to be
lamented by the South.
But the example ofthe Democratic Senators,
and the visible current of events, do not lead |
us to anticipate the necessity for independent |
action by the Southern Democracy. Douglas
is down among the dead men-his Hessian |
crew will be put to slaughter at Charleston
the heresy of squatter sovereignty win be re-
pudiated-and the articles Of an orthodox |
creed will be inscribed upon the Democratic |
hss
i. Resoluel, That in the adoption Of the |
liiC OtdbCS dAOpblAS bilC |
same acted as free and independent sovereign |
ties, delegating portion of their powersto be |
exercised by the Federal Government, for the !
increased security of each against dangers,
domestic as well as foreign; and that any in
termeddling by any one or more States, or by
a combination OF their citizens, with the do |
mestic institutions of the others on any pre-
text, whether POLITICAL moral or religious, with
the view to their disturbance or subversion, is
in violation of the Constitution, insulting to the
States SO interfered with, endangers their do
mestic peace and tranquility - objects for
which the Constitution was formed-and, by
necessary consequence, serves to weaken and
destroy the Union ITSELF
2. Resozued, That negro slavery, as it exists
in fifteen States of this Union, composes an
important portion of their domestic institu-
tons. inherited from their ancestors, and ex-
isting at the adoption Of the Constitution, by
which it is recognised as constituting an I'M
portant element of the appointment of powers
among the States, and that no change of
opinion or feeling on the part of the slayehold-
ing States of the Union in relation to tn in
stitution, can justify them in open or covert
attacks thereon, with a view to its overthrow,
and all such attacks are in manifest violation
of the mutual and solemn pledges to protect
and defend each other, given by the States
respectively on entering into the Constitutional
compact which formed the Union, and mani
fest breach of faith, and violation of the
most solemn obligations.
8. Resolved, That the Union Of these States
rests on tho equality Of rights and privileges
among its members, and that it is especially
the duty of the Senate, which represents the
States In their sovereign capacity, to resist all
attempts to discriminate either in relation to
person or property, so as, in the territories
which are the common possession of the
United States-to give advantages to the
citizens of one State which are not equally
assured to those of every other State.
| 4 pas1I,.eI That neither Congress nor a Ter