The Van Buren press., 1860-06-15

rial Legislature has any power. under the
to abolish slavery in the Ter
ritories. or tc enact any law impairing tn;
value Of slave property therein. Here is
decision Of the highest judicial tribunal in
the Union, upon the very point in contro
versy. The decision is in favor Of tho south
ern construction of the platform. What
other construction do the Southern Democ-
racy need, therefore, than the passage of
G resolution by the National Democratic
convention. adopting this decision and bind
ing the Northern as well as tho Southern
Democracy to abide by it and sustain it . IL
the decision Of the court is adopted rs tho
interpretation of the platform on the very
point Of dispute, and the northern Demo:
r3cy arc cotnmitted to it, wkat further OBJ
lection can be made to the platform Oh tbs
ground of difference Of construction /,
it not made sufficiently certain
1t may be said, however, that the resolu
tions passed by majority of the Charles
ton convention, are not sufficiently explicit
on this point and confess that l should
prefer resolution of less equivocal import
The resolution which is understood to have
been rendered by the New York delegation.
after the greater portion of the Southern
delegates from the cotton States had scced
ed, and which is believed to have been sat
isfactory to the delegates from Virgins.
Kentucky and Tennessee, in my opinion
contains all that is necessary to clear un.
dcrstanding OF the platform.
Upon this resolution. the South can,
think, unite without any sacrifice of prin-
clple, or OF honor.
The resolution is in these words
9" Resoired, That the citizen OF the Unit
ed States have an equal right to settle with
their property in the Territories OF the
United States and that under the decision
Of the Supreme Court OF the United States
which we recognize us the correct exposi
tioE Of the Constitution of the United
States. neither the right OF persons nor
property be destroyed, OF impaired by con-
gressional or territorial legislation"
1t is understood that this resolution is
the ultimatum of the Southern States which
remained in the convention. Ny opinion
is the convention. My opinion is that it
may be atop.ed at Baltimore. and that the
whole party, North and South, may unite
upon it.
In the hope that this may be- done, and
that the convention may nominate a safe
man, l think Georgia. and all the other
Southern States, should be represented ia
the Baltimore convention.
In the present emergency, on account Of
the diversity Of opinion which prevail.
among different members Of the Democrat =,
ic party, rscommcnd the Immediate call
of State convention, by the executive
committee oil the party. as think it nee
cssary that the party meet together in
counsel, and in II spirit of reconciliation
and kindness, do all in the powers of its
members to adjust an amicablc manner, the
difficulties which now distract it. The
convention should be composed, so far MS
possible, of the grey-hcadod men of the
party, who have, for many years been look
cd up to as the standards in their respect
counties. They should deliberate with that
dignlicl composurc which the occasion re
quircs. Neither elimination nor re-crimi-
nation should be indulScl in nor should
any strife for the mastery Of one wing Of
the party over the other be permitted to in
fluence the action OF the convention.
The fate, not only Of the Democrats
party. but OF the Union OF the States prob
ably hangs upon the decision Of the States
which seeded from the Charleston conven-
ton 1t is proper, therefore, that the con
vcntions soon to assemble in these States
approach this question with all the modcr
alton and caution which its importance de-
mands. While we should yield no neces-
ry rights for the sake of harmony, Wa
should throw no unne ,cssary obstacle ia
he way.
If the Democratic party will stand upon
the Cincinnati platform, and the resolution
rendered by the New York delegation At
Charleston, adopting the decision Of tho
Supreme Court as the proper exposition of
the platform, see no advantage which tn,
South can gain by refusing longer to OPP
crate with the party. What other party.
able to contend with the Black Republican,
party, has adopted a platform as sound {. 1t
is true the Opposition party in Georgia, i'll
their late conventions. took high southern
grounds upon this question, but they wore
unable to maintain and cngrait it upon the
national platform oil their party. The only
way left by which they could maintain any
thing like nationality was to ignore the
whole question, and to adopt, virtually No
platform gse ...i .ssa
The phrase 50 the Constitution, the Union
and the maintainance OF tho laws" which
the telegraph has just informed is their
platform, is susceptible of as many differ
ent constructions as there arc different shades
of opinion among the different sections and
persons composing the organization NY
advice, therefore. is to send delegates to
Baltimore, to insist upon the adoption of
the Cincinnati platform and that sound
man be placed upon it as the nominee q
the party. Should this be denied. th,ro
will then be time cnongh to meet at Rich
mond or elsewhere, and adopt q platform
and nominate candidates upon it. with
view to a sectional contest. am. very re
spcctfully, your fellow citizen and obcdient
servant, JOSEPH BROWN.
Messrs. Robert Collins, John j. Grssh-
am, James w. Armstrong, and others.
Macon, Georgia.
EH-" Ny bre the rem" said good old