Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-08-22
TO THE rpSDs OF DOUGLAS As; ses Johnson oanssss

NJ Fur the Standard
TO THE FB9fNDs OF DOUGLAS & JOHNSON,
The National Nominees Of the Democratic party,
in North Carolina:
FELLOW CITIZENS: I was guilty, in my former ad-
dress to you of the Tasness and indiscetiom of re-
buking, in somewhat plain language, the arrogance
and tyranny, shown by some Of the organs and lead
ers of the "Seccders ticket" towards you, because
you have dared to exercise the same rights which
they claim for themselves, and which are guaranteed
to all by our Constitution and laws. But it seems
that the simple fact of friend of the regular nom
nees Douglas and johnson, speaking his opinions
fearlessly and rebukng, in bold terms the intoler
ant and malignant spirit of den ancaton and perse
cution which has been brought to bear against the
great statesman of the Northwest, is an atrocious
crime-is high treason against certain set of poll
ticians, who think because they in the enjoyment
of all the honors and Offices Of government, they
possess all the political sagacty and orthodoxy Of
the day. and are entitled to the privilege of dicta-
ting opinions Of political faith to others.
What said seems to have aroused the ire of a
full pack, and "Tray, blanche and Sweetheart" all
opened upon me- But let them bark. shall not
permit the vulgar epithets they use, to divert me
from the object have in view, and that is, to i'm
press upon you the Importance of united and prompt
action on the part of the friends of Douglas and
johnson in this State. To secure this united and
prompt action, it is necessary that as many of you
as can conveniently attend either in person or by
delegates should meet in the City Of Raleigh the
seth Of this month. shall proceed to state, brief
ly, the reasons which urge you to this course. I
ask for them your candid consideration.
First: You believe Douglas and johnson are the
regular nominees of the national Democratic party
1t is unnecessary to state the reasons which have
brought you to this conclusion. If you honestly
believe they the regular nominees, then you are
bouad in good faith, in duty to the Democratic par
ty, and 20 your country to sustain them. The ad-
vocatcs of tile "Seceders ticket" do not claim for
it any regularity of nomination. 1t fact they ad-
init that Breckenridge and Lane were not regularly
nominated. This President Buchanan himself con-
cedes. They insist, however, that there was no
regular nomination at Baltimore, and that Democrats
have right to vote for whom they think proper"
Now, can understand how men who honestly be-
lieve this, can support either Douglas or Breckin-
ridge, but how those whose judgments have forced
them to the conviction that Douglas rds regularly
nominated-and that he stands before the country
the only chosen standarlbearer of the national De-
mocracy, can refuse to support him, or can give
countcnauncc and aid to an irregular nomination,
is to me, ncomprehensible. Are such acting in
good faith? Were they not pledged to their breth-
rem throughout the Union, to sustain the nominees?
Believing that Douglas was regularly nominated,
are they not violating their plighted faith, when
they refuse to support him? DO they not abandon
their duty and surrender their convictions of right
1t is of no consequence in this view of the case,
whether Douglas or Breckenridge be the stronger in
this State If Douglas has but an hundred friends
in the whole State, the question for them is of
conscience-of duty-of loyalty to their party-not
as local. sectional or State organization-bu
as a national party. Take the Union at large, and
Douglas is five or six times stronger than Breckin-
ridge, He is gaining every day in the Southland
it is universally conceded, that if Lincoln is to be
To- l,,xl
at the North, which is ralying, with an enthusiasm
and zeal unsurpassed around Douglas. Besides, if
it were conceded that Breckenridge is stronger than
Douglas in this State this would be no better rea-
son for you to 60 for Breckenridge than it is for the
Northern Breckenridge men to support Douglas
Yet they have refused to do So and their leader,
Danl S. Dickinson, proclaims unceasing war against
Douglas and his friends. No! you are not permit
ted by them to look at this as question of duty
of conscience fealty to party, or of obligation
to your country. They must hare your uncondi-
tionaI surrender or nothing. In the language of
an arrogant and tyrannical leader of the Seceders
ticket "-"Me Douglas men in this State must be
crushed out" "Brave words!' Now, is it your
purpose to surrender your rights as freemen, to
abandon your duty, to cover under such tyranny,
in this alarming crisis Of your country? God for
bid that you should! Act like men, and the truth
and Justice of your will carry you through tr
umphantly.
Secondly: You cannot support Breckenridge and
Lare ,cithout an abandonment Of principle. For
the last few years one of the cardinal principles of
the Democratic party-yea of the whole South
without distinction of party-has been nonsnter-
cention by Congress seh slaoery in the Territories
1t is the doctrine OF the Cincinnati platform, upon
which the Democratic party triumphed in 1885,
The "Seceders" repudate this doctrine, and pro-
claim that Of Congressional Intervention for the
protection of slauery This throws the whole SUBJ
ject of slavery into Congress,-opening again the
food gates of the slavery agitation. You wish to
stand on the old platform of Democracy. You
think the doctrine of noninerrentaon necessary for
the peace of the country and the safety of the South
How the can you support the "Seceders' ticket? ?"
Is it not your duty, under such circumstances to
hoist the old Democratic banner-inscribed with the
names of Douglas and johnson, and appeal to the
people to sustain you.
Thirdly: Justice and gratitude as well as policy,
demand that YOU should stand boldly and fairly by
the regular nominees. In all the struggles of the
South with abolitionism Judge Douglas has proved
your fast friend and fearless defender. No man in
the nation has done more to stay the mad progress
of fanaticism. In return for all this he has been
traduced misrepresented villified and loaded with
ndignities by many of the selfish and unprincpled
politicians of the South! 1t is the duty of his
friends in this State few though they be- to stand
faithfully by him! Let us do this, and returning
sense of justice will yet vindcate his claims against
the and heartlessness of that persecution to
which be has been subjected. In addition to this,
the Democracy of the North West destined to be
the seat of political power on this Continent-are
our truest friends Judge Douglas is their repre-
sentative their orpat statesman IF he is unwor.