Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-04
The Finale Mt CharIcston-NO Sacrifice Too
uUf Great for Principle. .r

The Finale Mt Chnr1cstOn-NO Sacrifice Too
nIlG Great for Principle. .t
The first act of the regular Convention at
Charleston, after the secession of part of
the Southern delegates, seems to have been
to knock from under il what little shadow of
principle it stood on, by the adoption of a
resolution abandoning popular sovereignty
entirely, and declaring the same in substance
as the majority resolution which the Con-
vention had rejected, only il now declared
this as having been decided by the Supreme
Court The following is the resolution
adopted:
Resolped, That all citizens of the United
States have equal right to settle with their
property i'm the Territories of the United
States and that under the decision of the
Supreme Court which we recognize as a
correct exposition Of constitutional liberty,
the rights of neither person or property can
he destroyed by Congressional or Territorial
legislation.
The following is the majority resolution,
declaring the same thing as a principle, with
out reference to the Court
"Resolped, That the Government of Ter
ritory organized by an act of Congress is
provisional and temporary, and during its
existence all citizens of the United States
have an equal right TO settle with their prop
erty in the Territory, without their rights,
either Of person or property, being destroyed
or injured by Congressional or Territorial
legislation"
If the proposition is true, whether as
fundamental principle, or by the Constitu-
ton, or as established by judicial decisions,
it is Just as true when stated by itself, as when
accompanied by reference to the authorities.
This reference is all the difference there
is between the Southern and the Douglas
platforms, as to the rights of slave property
in the Territories. Both declare it as a settled
question that slavery has rights in the Terri
tories under the Constitution, which neither
Congress nor Territorial Legislature can
destroy .t....
Thisdisposes of popular sovereignty and ad-
mits all the constitutional rights of slavery
which the South have ever claimed. Then
the only question left to divide the Conven-
ton was the following, which was in the
Southern platforms
"That it is the duty of the Federal Govern
mcnt in all the departments to protect the
rights of persons and property in the Terri
tories, and wherever else its constitutional
authority extends"
The rejection of this is the only remnant of
principle that the regular Convention have to
stand on. Yet will any one of any party un-
dertake to deny the affirmation of this resolu-
ton? What are governments made for if not
oprotect persons and property? A govern
ment which refuses or neglects to do this is
nothing but anarchy, and has no claim to the
allegiance of its citizens. Disconnected from
the exceptional character of slave property, it
is nothing but governmental axiom. But
the regular Convention can claim nothing on
the exceptional character of this property, for
they have abandoned that in the resolution
which they did adopt, indorsing the decision
of the Supreme Court. Mr.. Douglas himself,
in his Dorr letter, admitted that slave prop
erty was entitled to the same governmental pro-
lection as other property, and no Democrat,
North or South, pretends that there is any
thing exceptional in slave property which
entities it to less protection than other prop
crty; but on the contrary, all admit that the
peculiar nature of this property entities it to
peculiar protection. This has been the uni
form practice of the Government, rs shown
by our fugitive-slave laws, extending into
free States and Territories.
The sole principle then, that the Northern
section of the Charleston Convention has to
present to its constituency, when it returns to
give an account of its administering on the
effects of the Democratic party is virtually n
declaration that it is not the duty of Govern
ment to protect persons and property wher-
ever its jurisdiction extends. We desire to
deal justly by the delegates who have been
intrusted with the interests of the Demo-
cratic party in crisis which called for a dis
play of patriotism and principle; but, really,
this negative position, which is nothing but n
declaration that Governments are merely es-
tabished plunderers of the people, with
out any reciprocal duties, is all of the
effects of the great Democratic party, that the
Northern Delegates will bring back with
them.
The next act of the Convention, after TAX
ing this high stand on principle, was to tic
ITSELF hand and foot, by the adoption of &
rule that nothing less than a vote equal t.
two-thirds of both Conventions, should con
sttute a nomination, thereby giving to q
body which had bolted from the Convention
virtually the control of its nomination. First
they adopted the principle which the South had
demanded as the condition ofreIhainingin thu
Convention leaving themselves no excuse o
principle for their part in the disruption o
the Democratic party, and then they placed thu
feet of the boilers Convention on their OWL
necks; and after these brilliant performance
they were about as well fitted for progress il
n nomination as a man with a milestone
necklace would be for swimming for wager
OF course there was then but one alternative
either to sit in Convention at price that ha
told fearfully on the sinews of the Demo
cratic party, with tether about their necks
held by keepers outside, who could wait o
not as they pleased; their control was al
the same, or to adjourn and come home an
recruit for another effort. Accordingly tn
regular Convention of the Democratic part
has adjourned to meet at Baltimore on tn
18th of June, and the delegates return Mort
with their banner flying the motto that tn
protection of persons and property is no par
of the duty of government.
THE RESPECTIVE PUNISHMENT OF SAVER