The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-07-14
Presidential.
JUDGE DOUGLAS LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE

you pliceu III my !l3nuS the authentic g.!
dence of my nomination fer tie Presider
cy by the national convention of the Dc
mocratc party, | now send you my torma
acceptance.
Upon a careful examination Of the plat
form of principles adopted at Charleston
and reafirmed at Baltimore, with an adti
tional resolution, which is i'll perfect han
| mony with the others, | find it to be
faithful embodiment of the time-honorec
principles of the Democratic party, as the
same were proclaimed and understood by
all parties in the presidential contests o.
lS4S, 1872, and 1856
Upon looking into the proceedings o
the conyention, also, find that the nomi
nation was made with great unanimitv, il
the presence, and with the concurrence o
more than two-thrds Of the whole mum
Der of delegates, and in exact accordance
with the long established usagcs of the
party. My intiexibIe purpose not to be ;
| candidate nor accept the nomination un
der any contingency, except as the regular
nominee Of the National Democratic par
ty, and in that case only upon the condi
! ton that the usagcs as we'll as the princi
| plies Of the party should be strictly aGher
! ed to, had been proclaimed for a long time
and became well known to the country
/ These conditions having all been complied
| with by the free and voluntary action OF
the Democratic masses and their faithful
representatives., without any agency. inter
} ference or procurement on my part, ! feel
bound in honor and duty to accept the
nomination. Ia taking this step am not
unln!ndiul OF the responsibilities it i'm
( poses, but with firm reliance upon Divine
/ Providence. ! have the faith that the pco-
pie will comprehend the true nature OF
the issues involved and eventually main.
/ tain the right The peace Of the country
and the perpetuity of the Union have
( been pat in jeopardy by attempts to inter
fere with and TO control the domestic af
/ fairs of the people in the Territories
/ through the agency Of the federal govern
ment. If the power and the duty Of Iede
raj Interference i to be conceded. two hos
I tile sectional parties must be the inevitable
result; the one intiaming the passions and
ambition Of the North and the other of
the South, and each struggling TO use the
federal power and authority for the az
grandiZement Of It's own section at the ex-
pensc Of the equal rights of the other and
IN deroGation Of those fundamental plinci-
plc- Of Salt-gOycrnmeut, which were firmly
established in the country 10y the American
revolution a the basis OF our entire re
publican system. During the memorable
period of our political history when the
advocates OF federal intervention upon the
subject Of slavery III the Territories had
well nigh preCiyitatcd the country into
revolution the Northern intcryentiouists
demanding the Wilmot proviso for the
prohibition of slavery, and the Southern
lnteryentlon!sts, though few in number.
and without a single representative in
either house of Congress, insisting upon
the congressional legislation for the pro
lection of slavery III opposition to the
wishes of the people in either case. IL
will be remembered that il required all
the wisdom, power and influence Of Clay.
and Webster, and Cass, supported by
the conservative aud a.riotic men Of the
WhiG and Democratic pJrtcS Of that day
10 devise and carry out line of policy
which would restore peace 10 the country
and stability To the nion. The essential
living principle Of that policy, as applied
in the legislation of $50, was. and now l.
'soH-5s.sr-cy,ttgE " tDH1ress r,N slgr,-y =, tic
Ie~ris7ries The fair application Of this
just and equitable principle restored har-
mOuy and fraternity to distracted coun-
Try, II we now depart from that wise and
just policy which produced these happy
results, and permit the country to be again
distracted II precipitated into revolution
toy a sectional contest between pro slavery
and aut:-slayery iuterrent;onists. where
shall we look for another Clay. another
Webster, or another Cass to pilot the ship
OF state over the breakers into IL haven o.
peace and safety?
The Federal Union must he preserved
The Constitution must be maiutajned in
violate in all its parts. Every right guar
anteed by the Constitution must be pro
tccted by law in all cases where legislation
is necessary to its enforcement. The judi
clal authority Is provided in the Constitu-
ton must be sustained and its decisions
implicitly obeyed and faithfully AecUted.
The laws must be administered and the
constituted authorities upheld and all un-
lawful resistance 10 these things must all
be met with tirmncss, inpartiality and
fidelity. If We expect 10 enjoy and trans
NIT unimpaired to our posterity that bless
ed inheritance which we have received III
trust from the patriots and sages of the
Revolution.
With sincere thanks for the kind and
agreeable manner in which YOU have made
known to NE the action of the convention,
have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Your friend and fellow citizen.
:. 4. DOUGLAS.
Hon. VIM. H. ludlow, of New York: R
T. Dick, of North Carolina: r. C.. Wick
life, of Louisiana, and Others of committee