Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1860-05-30

: -T
tropical areas that mgy h,rlgihr be Grygir,d-
The yast redundance al population In the Norll
ern States would furnish the material iur ais
liIiun emigHant aid societies, and the SGut
would nc once he overwhelmed in the Ierrlori,
by the vast numerical prepnnderance Of sectin
| whose majority Is hostile a. the productive II,
mcntS existing In Southern society, which con
stitute the sun and center of u widespread huI
! piness and civilization, not only in our Ow
midst, but throughout the manufacturing an
commercial world,
! The surrender by the South of the outplsts il
! the Territories. would imperil tho very oimdr
Of our strength in the States. We then NIGH
reaize-alas, too late-the fearful fruits Of pol
icy audaciously announced by our sectional en-
emies, " surrounded by Gordon Of free terri
tory, slavery like scorpion encirelcd by fire
would sting itself to death"
The foregoing comprehensive analysis OF th
fact and distinctive issues which constitute ia,
initial point Of divergence between the great
wings OF the party may not be inuppr0priatc,-
The issues with their remote results, were mp
parent TO our constituents before the assemblin.
of the Galveston Convention and the interpru
tation given TO the Cincinnati platform by oul
opponents was deemed by the Democracy OF Tex
as inconsistent with II just and logical construc
tion of that instrument, hostile to the most vi
-
ity of rights in the common Territories, ant
grossly repugnant to th" plain loti"r of tho jn'
dfclal decision authoritative pronounced upon
this identical question,
Hence the Democracy Of Texas, through their
delegates in Convention assembled ut the city of
Galveston, April .. 1860, whilst they rcai.
hrmed the principles contained in the Democrat,
ic National Convention, held at Cincinnati -
in terms Of significant emphasis, "denied most
yIa
hon gipen 10 Mat pIatyorm." They also resolved
that " it is the right of every citizen to take his
property of every kind, including slaves, into
the common Territories, and to have it protected
there under the Federal Constitution In ma
king this declaration of the right Of protection,
the Democracy of Texas enuncated in the Ian.
guagc of our venerable Chief Executive, in hls
last annual message, what had been, as we have
before stated, expressly adjudicatcd in the de-
cision of the Supreme Court; and in order to
show that this claim to Federal protection was
not designed to conflict with the accepted doc
trine of non intervention by Congress, it was ex-
prcssly resolved that " the affirmation of this
principle of the duty of Congress. simply to
protect the rights of property, is in no wise in
conflict with the heretofore established and still
principle, that Congress does not pos
sess the power to legisate slavery into the Terri
tories, or erclude ii Meretrom."
The undersigned delegates, accredited as your
To reflect the above clear and un-
mstakable expression of your construction of
the Cincinnati plattOrm-cOnvened Mt Charleston
in the Democratic National Convention, on the
23d April, 1860, with the representatives of the
Democracy Of all the soveregntiGs Of this Union
OfStates; and we felt instructed, in order that
the Cincinnati platform might hereafter be di
vested Of all ambiguity upon these great terrific.
rial questions, to insist upon the adoption by
The National Convention Of c1pLanGiOry result
hons, embodying your construction of that plat
orm. 1t is gratifying to state that after .aree
lays of earnest and lahorous enaGavor in commit
tee to reconcile the differences of opinion upon
The vital ISSUES of the iay-the majority of States
n committee-consisting of the fifteen Southern
md the two noble States upon the Western slope
If the continent-fnally signed majority re-
'ort, fully embodying the great principles which
'ur State Convention had so emphutically in
lorsed. After protratcd debate, motion of
Mr.. Bigler, the reports were again recommitted
or the consideration of the Committee, the
whole South voting for the commitment, still
earnestly hoping for an adjustment of the serious
differences. Whereupon seventeen States again
.eported this final majority report.
ReS0tred, That the platform adopted by the
Democratic party at Cincinnati be affirmed with !
he following explanatory resolutions
lst. That the Government of Il Territory or
,anzed by an Act of Congress is provisional and
and during its existence all citizens
If the United States have an equal right to set
lie with their property in the Territory, without
heir rights either of person or property, being
destroyed or impaired by Congressional or Terri
orial legislation.
Cd. That it is the duty of the Federal Govern
nent in all its departments, to protect, when
ecessary, the rights of persons and property in
he Territories, and wherever else its constltu-
ional authority extends.
3d. That when the settlers in Territory, in
pursuance, of proper legal authority, having. an
dequate population, form Il State Constitution,
he right of sovereignty commences; and, being
onsummated by admission into the Union, they
tand on an equal footing with the people OF
ther States, and the State thus organized ought
be admitted into the Federal Union, whether
IS Constitution prohibits or recognizes the in
tuition of slavery.
The majority and minority report were iden
cally the same in reference to the acquisition
Cuba. the faithful execution of the Fugitive !
ave law the protection of naturalized citiScns, .
I'd the construction of the Pacific railroad. But
lie minority report absolutely pretermitted any ,
.pression relative to the rights of the South to
in the territories; simply asserting d
affrmance of the resolutions. unanimously :
opted and declared as platform OF principles
the Democratic Convention at Cincinnati. ,
$50"
The only resolution reported in the minority
port, in reference to the rights of property in .
e States or Territories, was one declaring, that =
such questions judicial in their character" =
ID pledgirg the Democratic party " to abide by. =
d faithfully carry out such determination OF
ese questions as has been, OF may be made, by :
e Supreme Court of the Uuited States"
1t is a historical fact, of great Significance
at the Northern wing of the Democratic party :,
d pledged itself in 1854 and 1856, to abide by a
9 decision Of the Supreme Court upon these a
rrtorial questions and that after the decis- =
D had been rendered in the Dred Scott case, IN
,or of the Southern construction, the great lv :;
: embodiment of the doctrine of Squatter Sow h
gnty expressly repudiated that decision, vio- E
ed his own sacred pledges. and, in his cele- q
lted Freeport speech, affirmed that. . no mat 6
,phat NAV DO the decision Of the Supreme i
urt on that abstract question, still the right v