Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-06-15

only condition on which she would remain
She did not get it, and she went out. Ala
bama led the bolt at Charleston solely for
the reason that the majority of the conven-
ton adopted the Alabama ultimatum OF
1856!
recognize the right of the Democracy of
Alabama to change their opinions just as Of
ten as they please. Very few men live who
have not changed many opinions. Men who
have more regard for truth than consisten-
cy will change whenever convinced of their
error. Hence do not condemn Alabama
for boiling now for the very reason that she
assigned for going in the Cincinnati Con-
vention in 1856; but it is not to be expected
that we who accepted her ultimatum then,
and have ever since observed in good faith,
should be satisfied TO be denounced as enc
mics to the South, for holding fast to the
same principles which she then proclaimed.
I repeat, that am willing now to stand
by those terms and conditions that Alabama
prescribed as her ultimatum in 1856
must do this justice to the Democracy of
Alabama; do not believe the Democracy of
that State endorse or approve of this attempt
to break up the Democratic party of the u
MON because the party would not change the
platform. I believe the people of Alabama
are now as much attached to the principles
Of the Democratic party, as they understood
themselves and proclaimed them to the
world, as they were in 1856. do not be-
leve that Alabama will follow Mr.. Yancey
now in his mad scheme to break up the
Democratic party in quest of Congressional
Intervention any more than she did in 1913,
when he attempted the same thing.
So it appears that Mr.. Clay regards Mr..
Douglas as no better than a Black Republi
can, because he now adheres to the Alaba-
ma ultimatum of 1856 In continuation of
the same debate the next day, Mr.. Douglas
quoted the Florida resolutions of l847, and
the Georgia resolutions of 1854, and Mr..
Buchanan's letter, and Mr.. Breckinridges's
speech of acceptance as President and Vice
President in 1856, and said
Mr.. Douglas. It seems that the demo-
cratic party, in its whole organization, was
pledged to the proposition of non-interven
ton by Congress, and referring the question
to the people of the Territories. That is the
way [ understand it. Istahd upon that plat
form now | have great difficulty with my
political friends in harmonizing upon plat
forms. and have rendered them various pro-
positions. | have rendered them the Flori-
da platform of 1847, and they would rot
take it; the Georgia platform Of 1854, and
they would not take it; the Alabama ultima
tum of 1856. and they would not take IL
[ tender them now Mr.. Buchanan's letter of
acceptance in 1856; lett construe itself, and
see if we cannot harmonic on that; or l
tender Mr.. Breokinridge's speech of accep-
lance in Lexington, in 1856, and let it con-
strue itself | will not Diet an 1 or cross a
t. Gentlemen, will you take your own Ian
guage when you accepted and construed the
platform? | am willing to be accommoda
ting. | do not insist upon platform from
my speeches or my writings. [ can select
one all over the Senate, all over the coun
try, from the speeches and writings of those
who now arraign me as not being sound on
the slavery question. Applause in the gal
leries
But none Of these platforms we're accepta-
bic to his assailants. Douglas must be bran
ded as Black Republican because he per-
sists in standing ON the Georgia platform
and the Alabama ultimatum, and will not
repudiatc Mr.. Buchanan's letter of accep-
lance, nor Mr.. Breckinridge's Lexington
speech;