Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-08-31
John Re,l a Dumb-Bell on tho Territori"'
nuantinn.

y O1IEI I1SkA y
Question.
Mr. Watts and Mr.. Echols and others OF
Alabama, enclosed to Mr.. Bell the Alabama
American platform of 1856, and asked III" I"
he endorsed it, but Mr.. Bell VIII not ans".'
the question Can the people Of the SCUM
trust a wavering politician without a PLATFORM
Of principles to guide him
We COPY below the platform which MIR; Bell
ostod to endorse, by Mr.. Watts, and Dir.
Ecbois and other gentlemen Of Macon county
and which Mr. Bell refuses TO endorse:
Resolved, That as the institution Of slavery
existed in the States Of the Confederacy prior
to the adoption Of the Constitution Of the
United States, and as the right to hold slaves
as property, was conceded By the trainers OF
the Constitution and fully recognized therein
therefore slavery exists independent Of the
Constitution and us slavery is recognized anu
sanctioned by the Constitution, Congress,
which derives all It's power from that ihstru-
ment, cannot legislate on the subject OF slavery,
except for its protection where it legally en-
lists that the Territories are the ommoh
propcrty Of all the States, and therefore the
people of all the States have the right 10 enter
upon and occupy any territory WIN tnc'r
slaves, as we'll as other property, anu are pro-
tected by the Constitution and lag oi the conn-
try that Congress has no right to- leglslate
slavery into, nor exclude il from 4 territory,
and that neither Congress, nor Il Ierrltoriai
Legislature, has any right or power 70 iesisia'e
on The subject, except SO far as may DC neceS'
sary to protect the citizens Of tae Territory IN
the possession and enjoyment Of Their slave
property.
embodied IN the two preceding resolutions,
commonly known as 'Squatter Sovereignty Is
harehv utterly rcpu,liatel aud condemned, rs
y~iolatiye of the Constitution, and m insldlous
and dangerous Infringement upon the rights Of
the slaveholding States; that i. us as l7delenSi-
bic in principle and dangerous in practice rs The
Wilmot ~proviso;' ''the most monstrous doc
trines ever advanced by an American states
man." and the people of the South ought not,
and will not submit to 1t.
Resolved, That the Convention regards 4
strict adherence to the principles anu views
contained in the foregoing resolutions absolute
ly essential to the peace and pcrpetnity OF the
Union; and We 10 pledge ourselves, one to the
other, that we will affiliate with no party nor
support any man FOR Office under the Govern
ment of the State, or the United States, who
does not publicly and unequivocally avow the
PRINCIPLES of these resolutions without change
or abatement.
Resolved; That in view Of the increased dan
gers that threaten the institutions Of the South,
this Convention deems it necessary to. and
does hereby, re-endorse and adopt the follow
ing resolution, known as the Georgia Plat
form" to wit:
ssThat the State Of Alabama, III the judg.
ment of this CONVENTION, will, and ought TO re.
sist, even las q last ~resort) to a disruption Of
every tie which binds her to tho Union, any
action of Congress upon the subject Of slavery
in the District Of Columbia, or IN places sub
ject to the jurisdiction Of Congress, incompati-
BILE with the safety, the domestic tranquility,
the right and honor the slavenolding States; or
any refusal to admit, as q State, any Territory
applying, because of the existence Of slavery
therein; or any act prohibiting the introduction
Of slaves into Territories; or any act repeating
or materially modifying the laws now in force
for the recovery Of tugltives.
Under date Of Nashville, July 18th, 1860,
Mr.. Bell responds to Col. Thos. Fl. Watts
Here is the material part Of his reply:
''For the reasons which impel INC to decline
any further answers to the inquiries in your
letter, | refer you to the first and second pa
ges Of the National Union" You will OBJ
serve that the ground there taken is, that it
would be inconsistent with the declared views
of the Convention which placed me in the po-
sition which / now occupy before the public,
to make any new declaration Of principles
But ! do not choose to shelter myself under
the authority Of the nominating Convention
against any reproach | may incur in conSe.
quence Of the course | have thought it my du-
ty to pursue in relation to this subject. Had ]
been q member Of the Convention, would
have resisted the adoption Of any platform, or
other declaration of principles, not embraced
or implied in the three fundamental PROPOSE
tons or objects intended to be maintained and
secured by the National Union Party, and
which constitutes the basis Of its organization;
THE Constitution, the Union, and the enforce.
mcnt of the Laws The great aim Of the Ma
tional Union Party is, to restore peace, with
Justice 20 both Sections-not to perpetrate
strife.
"Whatever may be the policy Or designs Of
Others, North and South, who. in their letters,
have insisted upon their right as a matter Of
principle to call upon me to declare my views
and opinions upon any or nil OF the questions
which have become the subject Of controversy
in the present canvass-and contend that can
not refuse compliance with their demands,
without a violation Of the obligation they as
sumo to exist ~, my part as 4 candidate for
public place. have no diStruSt of yous sim
cerity AND good faith in making the earnestap
peals to Inc, which yon TO in Your letter, to
take II course which | hope You will, upon re-
Election, perceive would not ir in conformity
with the intentions and expectations Of those
who chose me to be their leader and the repre-
sentative OF their policy and their principles;
nor do | doubt your sincere desire to support
the Union ticket, If you can do so consistently
with your sense Of public duty. 1t is, there
fore, with deep regret ! find myself constrained
to differ from you in any of your views; and
most of all, to have to say to you that | cannot
70 beyond the record Of my political life, in
responding to the questions presented in your
letter."
Mr.. Bell, in his letter to Col. Echols and
others of Macon county, Alabama, under date
of Nashville, July 25th, 1860, says:
81 believed that it would be more respectful
as well rs more satisfactory to you to ACCOM-
pany my answer with such an expression Of
my past course, inasmucll as the only reply I
could make to all such letters would be but lit
tic more than ! reference to it, consistently
with the position | occupy before the public
Having been placed in that position by a Con-
vention Of enlightened patriots, which dclibc-
rately resolved to adopt no platform or declara-
ton Of principles, other than such MS are i'm
piled in the pledge to maintain the Constitu-
tion, the Union and the laws, I consider that it
would be a virtual reputation of their views
were l to give any new pledges, or to make
any new declaration of principles"