Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-11-20
An Appeal to the Eorshsrn Democracy


welhIeceived, and no doubt, spoke the views
of pisree majority of the meeting.
Itopens by saying that the best proof Of
the sincerity Of the Northern democracy, is
thatthey are contendipg for the rights ofthe
South against an overwhelming majority;
therefore, their admonitions and advice
should be heard and needed,
The South, it says, acts on the assumption
| hat the election of Lincoln is prohf positive
| of settled purpose on the part of the
! Northern people to deny to the Southern |
| States their equa1 position in the Union, and |
| for this it proposes to recede from the con- |
| federation. We admit the right of every |
| State TO secede from the Union, for cause, as !
| the fathers of it did from the King of Great |
| Britain, and have no hesitancy in saying, |
that whenever. any section of these United
States persists in cluiming for its institutions
| the superiority; and in using the common
Government for fixing upon the domestic
institutions Of the sister States the stigma /
of not being entitled to equal consideration
and protection for its rights and interests,
IL is a violation of the national compact and
a cause for that ultimate step, which alone
can restore them to their due independence
and honor. .. lqu.I5gb .-
And we would most distinctly announce
our conviction, that when the people tram
scend the powers granted in the COnstitu-
/ III,
these States, just as much through the bal
lot-box as the General Government through
its several departments. In fsGt, declaration
a of the people by VOTE that the domestic in-
| stitutions of one State IRE inferior to those
OF the rest is a deeper insult, than if coming
from federal sosfee f0rit is inflicted by
the principal, and not the agent. We admit,
also, that ostensiby the majority OF the voters
! North have so declared. But only ostensiz
bly,. an as.l
; ltdenies that the cnaat mass of tho Rorrb,;
9 cans e'~l intended wantonly to insult the
| people of the South. Many are only apparent
. enemies of the South, and they can easily
| be separated from the zealots
/ These, however, can be made enemies by
z injudicious management, or friends by a
proper course. -a "-
: The truce upon the subject of slavery
: from 1850 to 1853, was not permanent, be-
: cause the laws that made it did not rest
/: upon q well-founded public opinion. Mem
| tai reservations existed both North and
! South. The Kansas Bill was identical with
. theNew Mexico Bill, but neither party was
satisfied with it; both wanted legal protec-
! ton. But Northern Democrats used the
popular sovereignty. dodge, and feared to
meet the issue; and this was the cause Of all
t its troubles. Had it met the question
:. squarely, victory would have been sure,
after short relapse.
/, To Douglass lodging, the Republicans
. owe their victories In proof Of this, long
: history Of his course is given, after which
the address says: ~ ..' '
, Is it Just to accept, under such circum-
: stances, the election which has Just taken
! place, as a final verdict Does it show 'that
n long train of abuses and corruptions, pur
:. suing invariably the same object and eyinc
IN ing design to reduce the South under alb
y solute despotism2' We ask has the ques
" lNr baa,, NJ 10 tba;r IL
In few instances it has; but how few wher
= compared to the entire votel Has not the
Breckinridge cause felt itself compelled tt
= argue side issues rather than the main ques
d tion2 Was not the regularity of Douglas
& nomination much more discussed than tn
N | real issue2 And was not the success of thu
n | Democratic party admitted to be nearl,
paramount to the greater questionable con
+ | stitutional rights of -one-half of this Union
| Did not many of our citizens vote for Lin
a coin merely from opposition to the Demo
ID cratic party, and out of opposition to a
ar election by the House of Representatives, a
a it was in the North2 l..-... q.
= How often were the votes of Norther
y men, at the late election, asked for the main
no tenance of the rights of our Southern
y brethren2 Were they not chiefly asked 70
a man whose insincerity to those rights tn
of South and the North most justly question
,g Is it not an important inquiry whether, if
TX regular nominee of the party, he would nc
te have been triumphantly elected2 Upon ho1
Lr. many an eloquent tongue did the peculia
10, condition OF the Democratic party impos
&c silepce2 -
ns The Northern Democracy had alwaysbee
he too easily frightened. They had opposed tn
Wilmont Proviso, not as wrong, but merel
as inexpedient thereby giving the Republ
- cans an immense advantage.
Ia Southern Democrats nailed our commo
th principles to the masthead and fought ft
IT,. Them under the old Democratic flag an
es, they helped to tear from it that false co,
mt eriDg Douglas treachery had fixed upon
wo ard they stood bYit amid the jeers and jib
be of their deluded fellow citizensl VIII Il
1n, Sbuth not even stand long enough vii
BIZ these men to see this Democratic fight fairl
he made and honorably won2 Must cur PEE
aY pie be presumed to have voted against q
ng issue which has not even been stated 4
them, at least only for a avery brief perio
and then in the midst Of a preyiously-exis
R. ing excitement, when erroneous opinion
e's had been formed2 e. -rr
he is il not worth while to make fair effo
ice to turn back tire wave of error and supe
sy- iiciality, and to conquer in the Union q pc
ro- manent peace, such as that of $500 was, res
as ing upon the deep convictions Of the peopl
90 . The North has been frightenedby the ter
u slave-code; but how different will be the
en- action when they understand that the Sou
eet asks no new creation, nor even extension,
/. rights no more than legal protection due
the al rights ofperson and property, as they a
is ascertainGd and fixed under this Governor
act to-wit: by the rule of the common or writt'
ct law of the several States.
ny, No protection will even be asked, unle
vi needed end would never have been ask'
'ad had not q new-fangled theory, been start
yet, that slaves stood on different theory fro
ute other property.
oI- i A more fatal shot still was given to t
i5 u State-rights through the doctrine Of Po
III ular Sovereignty, and its correlative-t
oIe @ absolute rule of majorities.- All rights dis
,L- ia- pate into misty Eapors before this gigant
@ uoi sledge-hammer majority power to era
u u every ligament of our fundamental righ
ta Because Jefferson states the rule or majorft
% uei to be the vital principle of Republics, it
~ ~ tortured into a right to so rule outside Of I
uly limits Of the Constitution-as if the peop
lns when voting in makers of the General Go
en @ ernment, and not in their organic capaci
on oLS had greater powers than those fixed for t
gu, gu Government by the Constitution itself.
10 liS' The power Of the majority to rule is Iii
lia- I all otherpowers Of the Federal GovernmeI
uer q granted right, and it exists only to the e
@ W tent granted; and no where is the pow
! nf given to mere popular majorities to det
- mine public questions, and still less, to
.ins large by its WILL the scope Of the Cove
ree' @ ment. A majority can not even rule il
or erts State, nor rightfully any where else, exc
tba by common consent, and to be clearly ,