The Yazoo Democrat. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1858-18??, 1860-07-21
ACCEPTANCE OF HON. JOHN c. BRECKIN.
RIDGE OF THE NOMINATION FOR THE
PRESIDENCY.
WASHINGTON, July 6, 1861


PRESIDENCY.
r WASHINGTON, July 6. 1860.
t Dear Sir: l have your letter of tho %,
, ult., by which | am officially informed o
my nomination for the Office of President o
the United States, by the Democratic Nation
; al Convention lately assembled at Baltimore
} The circumstances of this nomination vii
justisy me in referring to its personal as
pect.
} have not sought nor desired to be PLACED
before the country for the Office of president
Wien my name was presented to the Con
vention at Charleston it was withdrawn by +;
friend, in obedience to my expressed wishes
My views had not changed when the Con
vention re.assembled at Baltimore, and when
l heard Of the differences which occurred
there, my indisposition to be connected
prominently with the canvass, was confirm
ed, and expressed to many friends.
Without discussing the occurrences which
preceded the nomination, and which are, oil
soon will be, well understood by the coun-
try, l have only to say that approved, as
just and necessary for the preservation Of
the national organization, and the sacred
right of representation, the action of the
Convention over which you continued to
preside, and thus approving it, and having
resolved to sustain it, I feel that it does not
become me to select the position shall
occupy, nor shrink from the responsibilities
of the post to which | have been assigned.
Accordingly, | accept the nomination from
sense Of public duty; and, as l think,
uninAuenced ia a degree by the allurements
of ambition.
/ avail myself of this occasion to say that
the confidence in my personal and public
character, implied by the action of the Con-
vention, will always be gratefully femem
bered and it is but just to my own feelings
to express my qualification at the association
of my name with that of my friend, Gen.
Lane, a patriot and soldier, whose great
service in the field and in council entite him
to the gratitude and confidence of his coun
trymen.
The resolutions adopted by the Conven
ton have met my cordial approval. They
are just to all parts of the Union, to all
our titlzehs, native and naturalized, and they
form noble policy for an Administration.
The Questions tbtchng the rights of per
sons and property which have Of late been
much discussed, End in these resolutions a
constitutional solution. Our Union is a
confederac5 Of equal sovereign States, for
the purposes enumerated in the Federal
Constitution. Whatever the common Gov.
eminent holds in trust for all the States
must be enjoyed equally by each. 1t CON
trolls the Territories in trust for all the
States Nothing less than sovereignty can
destroy or impair the rights of persons or
The Territorial Governments are
subordinate and temporary, and not sover
eign; hence they cannot destroy or impair
the rights of persons Or property. While
they continue to &c Territories they arc
under The control of Congress, but the Con,
stitution nowhere confers on any branch of
the Federal Government the power to dis
eliminate against the rights Of the States or
the property of tbsEf citizt rs in the Terri
tories, il follows that HE citizens of all th,
States Ray enter the Territories Of the Union
Vita their property, Of whatever kind, and
enjoy it during the territorial condition.
without let or higdiance, either BIZ Congress
or by the subordinate Territorial Govern,
mcnt
These principles flow directly from the
absence Of sovereignty in the Territorial
Governments, and from tue equality of the
States. Indeed, they are essential to that
equality, which is and ever has been the
vital principle of our constitutional Union.
They have been settled legislatively, settled
tddcially, ard are sustained by right and
reason. They rest on the rock Of the Con-
stittticn: they will preserve the Consti
will preserve the Union
1t is idle to attempt to smother these
great issues, or to misrepresent them by the
use of partisan phrases, which are misead
ng and delusive. The people will look be-
aeath such expressions as Intervention"
9 Congressional Slave Code" and the like,
md will penetrate to the real questions in>
volved. The friends of Constitutional equal
ty do not and never did demand Con
yressional Slave Code" nor any other code
- GoiN w PioPOiVy ~ VnO ASliItOIltb,
they hold the doctrine of non-interVention
" Congress, or by Territorial Legislature,
ither to establish or prohibit slavery; but
hey assert Fortified by the highest judicial
tribunal in the Union the plain duty of the
federal Government, 10 all its departments,
0 secure, when Necessary, to the citizens of
IL the States, the enjoyment of their pron.
rty in the common Territories. The only
ogical answer to this would seem to be to
lain sovereignty power for the Territories
+ to deny that the Constitution recognizes
property in the services of negro slaves, or
o deny that such property can exist.
Inexorable logic, which works its steady
ray through clouds and passion, compels
he country to meet the issue. There is no
vasive middle around. Already the signs
multiply Of fanatical and growing party,
Thich denies that under the Constitution, or
y any other law, slave property can exist
nd ultimately the struggle must come be-
ween this party and the National Democ.
acy, sustained by all the other conservative
Al =