Daily national Democrat., 1860-07-18
"The Cause and the Result.''


would have been peace, and if the Seceders
could have had their own way, there would
have been no trouble in the National Con-
vention In other words, if an overwhelm-
ing majority had submitted to the dictation
of pitful minority. the piuful minority
would have been satisfied. The overwhelm
ing majority refusing to do this, the pitful
minority retired. And the Express pro-
claims, Behold, what perversenessW
In this connection, the Express, speaking
of DouGLAs. says:
"In States where a minority Of the dele
gates were opposed to him they were COM
PEELED to vote for him, whilst in others where
the majority were opposed to him, the mi.
nority were left free to cast their votes for
him. In other words, wherever n majority
of any delegation were his friends, they were
permitted to cast the vote of the entire dele
CATION contrary to the wishes of the minority;
but. when the majority were opposed to him
they were not allowed to control the minor
ity."
This is by no means fair statement The
facts are these: There came to the Conven-
tion delegates instructed and delegates unin-
structed The Convention ruled, by very
decided majority, that the instructed dele
gates should vote as instructed, casting their
votes as an entirety, and those who were not
instructed should vote according to their in
dividual opinion, il being presumed that they
were lef. to their own discretion, by the
very fact that they were uninstructed The
minority acquiesced in this decision, and pro-
ceeded to vote in accordance with the rule
laid down, thus acknowledging its authority
in its full force and effect 1t is too late for the
Express to complain of a rule which received
the full obedience Of the entire Convention.
The Express says:
again, the majority of the Committee on
Platforms, representing every certain Demo-
cratic State, reported a Platform, embodying
the principles which would be acceptable to
those States the minority. representing Re
publican States, reported platform also,
which was exceedingly distasteful to the
Democratic States. The latter was adopted
while the other was summarily rejected
This is very fimsy reasoning. In the first
place, it is piece Of assumption to say
which States are certain Den, ocratic and
which are not DouGLAs has shown himself
fully allie to carry Illinois for the Democrat
i, ticket and for himself He it was who
carried that State for Buchanan, in 1856
and we should suppose that, with DOUGLAS
as a candidate. or DOUGLAS as an advocate of
the Democratic Platform, Illinois might safe
ly be counted as certain Democratic State
now. With DoUGLAs as a candidate, or with
his platform as the basis Of the fight, New
York may safely be counted as a Democratic
State. So ,0ay Indiana and so may various
others. But, whether they can be or not,
it is the majority of the Democratic party in
| National Convention assembled, who are au-
thorized to make platforms, and it was an
overwhelming majority that made the plat
form of which the Express complains. The
vote Stood in full Convention, in favor OF
thus adopting the platform by majority of
twenty seven.
This outrage" says the Express, "caused
many of the delegates from the South to
leave the Convention"
Well, notwithstanding the Outrage" a
far greater number of delegates from the
same section remained. But, let us see
what this tremendous Outrage" was The
resolutions which embody this fearful "out-
rage" are MS follows:
l. RESOLVED, That we, the Democracy of the
Union, in Convention assembled, hereby declare
our affirmance of the Resolutions unanimously
adopted and declared Platform of Principles
by the Democratic Convention at Cincinnati in
the year 1856, believing that Democratic princi-
pies are Interchangeable IN their nature, when APP
piled to the same subject matters; and we re-
commend as the only further Resolutions the fol.
lowing:
q lnasmuch as differences of opinion exist in
| the Democratic party as to the nature and extent
OF the powers of Territorial Legislature and as
to the powers and duties of Congress- under the
Constitution of the United States over the inSti-
tuition of slavery in the Territories
RESOLVED, That the Democratic party will
abide by the decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States upon these questions of Constitu-
tional Law.
3. RESOLVED. That it is the duty of the United
States to afford ample and complete protection t.
all its citizens. whether at home or abroad, and
whether native or foreign born.
A. RESOLVED That one of the necessities Of
the age, in military, commercial, and posta
point ot view, is speedy communication between
the Atlantic and Pacific States; and the Demo
cratic party pledge such Constitutional Govern
ment aid as will insure the construction of u rail
road to the Pacific coast at the earliest practica
period.
3. That the Democratic party are in favor o
the acquisition Of the Island of Cuba on suct
terms "A he hpDpra la md inst
to Spain.
6. RESOLVED, That the enactments of State
Legislatures to defeat the faithful execution o
the Fugitive Slave Law are hostile in character
suoversye Of the Constitution, aud reyoutiona
ry in their effect.
Horrible outrage, WIS it not? The Con-
vention agreed to abide by the Cincinnati
Platform Of 1866, and to refer all differences
of opinion among Democrats to the Suprem,
Court of the United States, with pledge tc
Yield obedience to its decisions, whateve,
they might be. Horrible outrage! Tn,
majority entertained, upon an abstract poin
regarding Territorial Sovereignty, views d.
rectly opposite TO those of the minority
Yet, they did not insist on those views mol
did they require the minority to adopt them
but they simply left the question an oper
one, to be decided by the Supreme Court
and whether that decision should be in favor
of the majority or in favor of the minority
they stood ready to abide by it. So liberal
an exercise of power as this by the majority
was more than the minority could reason
ably have expected, and yet, SO far from ap-
preciating it, they absolutely left the Con-
vention in blaze of anger. for nretended