Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-08-09
A Card from a Douglas Delegate


ty of Fayette. was one of the Dele
gates lrom the Memphis district to
the recent Baltimore Convention
lie declined to act with the MAORI
ty OF the Tennessee Delegation
when they withdrew from that body;
bat was subsequently constrained to
do so, however, but refused to CO.
operate with any other Convention.
The last Memphis appeal contained
a c:rd from this gentleman, address
ed to those whom he represented at
Baltimore, setting forth the reason
which dictated bis course. We copy
so much of the card as is necessary 20
a properunderstanding Of his position,
and commend it to the careful consid-
Grafton OF those Democrats who, like
Mr.. Turner, heretofore favored the
election of Stephen A. Douglas:
1T is known to all who know
me that have been a warm admirer
Of the Hon. Stephen A. Douglas,
and ! am still, and have in me
nothing that could prompt me TO
say aught agains. bin.
Still notwithstanding my opinion,
many. and a minority Of the South
err Democracy, according to the
demonstrations reported ct the
Charleston Convention, and also
what ! saw and Witnessed at the ad;
iournsd Baltimore Convention, con-
WINGED me that my invorite was not
the choice of the majority of the
Southern Democracy, and that in
my opinion his friends would not and
could not support him unless he
had received the nomination in &C.
cordapre with the usages and Gus
toms Of the National Democratic
party.
Il remained in the convention a.
Baltimoretill | was satisfied that there
was no chance to heal the breach
created at Cbarlsston-till, accord
iug to the best lights before me
there were not in The convention Al
Baltimore sufficient electoral votes
according to the two-thirds rule
adopted at Charleston, 10 make an,
nomination and retain the national
lity of the larty--un,il | was con
WINGED that the frieuds Of my favorite
Mr.. Douglas, were determined, a
all hazards, to nominate him, evel
at the sacrifice Of the Nationality
of the Democratic party, and sgains
the will OF a majority Of the South
ern Democracy, as also minority o
the Northern Democracy, for he VA
not their first choice.
II did not 90 into the other con
vention. holding that l WAS only &C
credited to the Baltimore conven
ton, and so soon as my Withdrawal
took place, just then my delegated
authority ceased, and l vas pothin.
more than any other individual; sn,
had I gone INFO its deliberations, 10,
acts would have bound myself an
not my constituency.
! II trus: yet that this breach ma.
be healed, in some manner recon
ciled, and our strength preserved.
If there is, however, no reconciliation
ard no concert of action, I shall my
self support the Breckenridge an
Lane ticket-first becaus / kno,
they are unexteptIonal men, SCUM
land worthy; second, because the.
stand upon . platform conceded b.
l.ll to be upquestionably Southern
rights, and sound upon the issues t.
be canvassed in the coming contest
SO far as the Southern view Of then
goes; third, because believe in les
than eight years that party vii
gather its whole strength, North ant
South, they claiming nothing but on
constitutional rights; fourth, becaus
that ticket now stands before th,
people Of the South, held up by tn
North as sectional and Southern
out-and.Out, and holding, as | do,
sectional, it is forced upon U
and the issue is to come. | am for th'
South at all hazards and to the las
extremity; prsferring to BE- crushed
in defense of my rights rather thar
purchase a compromise at the cos
Of Southern honor; believing con
scientiously, with the utmost respec
for the opinions Of all Others, tina