The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-05-16


b placed on the platform. That many ssats
have been uniformly allowed to vote the fnl
strength Of their electoral college in these con
ventions, when it was well known that sai'
States had never heretofore and probably
would never hereafter, give single electera
vote at the polls to the candidate which theJ
| had so large share in nominating, cannot b
accounted for on any other principle thar
that it was intended only as recognition o
the sovereignty aud equality of said States.
Would it be right at this time, for the nu-
merical majority to deprive all the Black Re-
publican States represented on this floor o.
their representatives, which by custom they
have so long enjoyed, simply because it is now
! evident that they are or will be unable to vote
the Democratic ticket in the next Presiden-
tial election
By common consent, we say that reckless
numerical majority should not be thus allowed
to tread under foot the vested right of those
States, and the we'll established usages and
| customs of the party.
If thus it be wrong for the numerical party
to deprive the Black Republican States of this
long vested right how much more unfortunate
is it for the numerical majority to deprive all
the States of their vested right to make and
airy manner? And when we call to mind
that the numerical majority resides chiefly in
the Black Republican States, to whom the
South has uniformly accorded so large privi
lege, in naming candidates who were alone to
b. elected by Southern votes, we have much
reason to believe that he to whom you gave an
inch, seem emboldened thereby to demand an
ell.
The undersigned beg leave to state that
many patriotic State Rights Democrats in the
South. have long contended that these con-
ventions of the Democracy representing in
fact the whole consolidated strength of the
Union acting through party sympathy upon
the individual members of society, would ul-
innate in despotic, colossal centralism, pos
sessed Of power to override and destroy at its
will and pleasure the. Constitutions and re-
served rights Of any and all the States. The
South, however, has heretofore felt safe re-
cause of the checks and balances imposed
upon the machinery Of the Conventions. The
South felt that where she retained an equal
power to write the creed of faith, she could
trust her nogthern sisters with their immense
to name the candidate and all
would aaike support the creed and the candi-
date
14le undersigned, well knowing the HOSTILE |
ty Of the northern masses towards the "pecu-
far institutions Of the Sonth, and calling to |
mind the relative numbers of the northern |
and southern States, assert, with confidence, |
that no Southern State in the Union would |
ever have consented to surrender So abiectly |
and hopelessly, all their fortunes to the nu- |
merical majority who have Just now voted to |
set aside the platform, unless upon the full as
surance that the States were entitled, by |
agreement, to make and establish the creed of |
faith and prescribe the rule of action. This |
relation of plighted faith on the part of the /
numerical majority-this violation OF the well |
established usage and custom of the party
lriye us to the conclusion that we cannot lon
ger trust the fortunes of the slaveholding
States to the chances Of numerical majority
n a convention, where all the Black Republi-
ans of the Union, the immense populations
IF Massachusetts,, New York. PENNSYLVANIA
md Ohio. and other Northern States, are
ully represented, on the one side, against the
mail population from the slave States on the
'taer-had these populations adhered strictly
o the usages and customs of the party, longer
might have been practicable, but
is starring us in the face, and we
re admonished of our duty TO stand upon our
eserved rights.
We declare therefore, that we believe our
mission to this convention is at an end
l. Because the numericalsmajority have
Isurped the prerogatives of the States in set
ing aside the platform made by the States.
nd have thus unsettled the basis of this con-
ention, and thereby permanently disorganized
S constitution. Its DEGREES, therefore, be-
ONE null and void.
2. Because we were positively instructed
y the Democracy Of Arkansas, to insist or
he recognition of the equal rights of the
outh in common Territories, and protection
, those rights by the Federal Government
rior to any nomination of candidate, and {
s this convention has refused to recognize the
rinc pie required by the State of Arkansas,
1 her popular convention first and twice sub
equently re-asserted by Arkansas, together
nth all her Southern sisters in the report of
latforms to this Convention, and we cannot
erve two masters, we are determined first to |
erye the Lord our God we cannot ballot for |
ny candidate whatever Il
3. In retiring, we deny to any person or
ersons any right whatever to cast, hereafter !
i this convention, either our vote or the vote
Arkansas in any propositions which may or
10 possibly come up for consideration. The | ]
elegates of Arkansas cannot take any part in
lacing sound candidate on an unsound
latform, because it would disgrace any sound
,uthern man who would consent to stand on
ael a platform sndas 3 Sqastter Sovereign
7 Platform has been adopted, we believe good
18th and honor require that the chief of squat
II soveregns should be placed on it, we wish I
o part or lot in such misfortune, nor do we
elieve that we can safely linger under the
lade of the upas tree this day planted GER
Iinly. P. JORDAN,
B. BURROW,
VAN II. MANNING.