Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-08-23

alter.
n9-The Presidential campaign ball is now
fully open and in motion. Four distinct parties
each asserting that they stand upon distinct
platforms, of distinct principles, claim the suf
RACES of the people of The nation. Each pro-
claim to the masses, and the world, that upon
the success Of their respective parties depends
Che pernanency of the government, the perpetu-
alton of The Union. Each are before the people
in their campaign documents, with startling
array of facts, which, # true, clearly establish
the point, that the country can only be saved
by the success Of the right one, and must be lost
by the success of any of the other three? Each
and all claim to be that right one, and it is left
for the people to decide as to their respective
claims for the ascendency. Now, as one of the
people, we would ask, What are we to do? For
whom are we to vote? Against one of the four
contending parties, the ''Black Republican"
there needs no argument, their faults are legion
and as clear as the monday sun. No man, who
loves his country, as a union, whole, can for
moment think 1--WE care not whether he be
North or South) Of supporting for the Presiden-
cy of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. His
whole platform and aim is sectional, and hence
his claim to the Presidency of the Nation is
fallacious and dangerous, temporarily gratifying
to the North, rIinous to the South, and destruc-
tive to the peace and harmony of the Union.
So well grounded are these conclusions, that we
take them for conceded on all hands, and narrow
ourselves down to three aspirants-Bell, Brock
inrdge and Douglas. Now comes the difficulty
Each of these three, certainly and beyond a
shadow of doubt, has claims, and strong claims
upon our sympathies. 1t becomes our duty to
select one of the three, and the momentous ques-
ton arises, Which of the three shall we take
AVE. that's the question. Usually, and hereto
fore, the people have assembled in the spring of
each year in which the Presidential election
should be held, assembled at their election pre-
cincts, appointed delegates to their County Con-
vention, which again appointed delegates to a
State Convention and these appointed delegates
to National Convention. The whole people,
Individually and collectively th2SnRsipS repre-
sentcd, in this National Convention, quietly a.
waited, whether citizens of Maine, Florida, Mary
land or California, the action of this national
assemb!age, in publishing to the world the prin-
ciples and motto of their standard and the name
of him who should be the honored standard
bearer Two grand political parties were thus
formed in battle array every four years, and at
the time of election met at their respective
voting places, struck hands in brotherly love
and tested their strength at the ballot box. One,
proving stronger than the other, claimed the
reins of government as their right for the ensu-
ing four years, and the minority quietly acqui-
esced, for the time, to try the battle over again
at the end of this stated period.
Now how stands the case Are there two
or even three contending parties There are
four. Is there that spirit of amity existing be-
tween them, which, as national men, we should
desire Alas !! there is not.
This campaign seems, from the first, to have
taken different course from all others in past
days. The National Democracy assembled by
It's delegates in Convention as heretofore, but nj
sooner did the Convention assemble than discorc
took the place of unity, and division was the
result. Not being able to effect anything, ant
hoping yet to unite the divided wings of Demo
cracy, they postponed further action till lat'
day. and adjourned over from Charleston t
Baltimore. Between the time Of adjournmen
from Charleston to Baltimore, the Constitu
tional Union party met at Baltimore, and ig
noring the slavery question, so far as Congress
sional and popular agitation is concerned, pub
Hshed to the people and the world, as the only
platform on which they would stand-"the Con
stitution, the Union, and the enforcement of thu
Laws" They selected John Bell, of Tennessee
as their standard bearer and thus they stant
before the country. In "a week or so thereafter
the Black Republican party, whose support
whose interest and whose principles are only
known and recognised north of Mason ant
Dixon's line,, assembled in Convention, at Chica
go, and proclainaing to the nation platform
of sectional and selfish principles, as we said be-
fore, temporarily gratifying to the North, ruin
Gus to the South, and destructive to- the peace
and harmony Of the Union" Having declared
Abraham Lincoln, of ILL.,, their standard bearer
they stand now before the country.
Next in the catalogue comes the adjourned
Convention of the Democracy, at Front Stree
Theatre Baltimore. Again they assemble, agai1
they disagree, again they divide. Delegates
representing ninety-one electoral votes, mostl
from the South, it is true, but partly from tn
North, leave the Theatre and assemble in Con
vention at the maryland Institute Hail." N
disposition towards harmony exhibiting itsel
each Convention proclaims a platform of prr
cples, each announced standard bearer. Th
former, Stephen A. Douglas, of ILL.,; the latte
John C. Breckenridge, of KY. And thus, the
too, stand before the country. Efforts ha,
been made to heal the difference between tt
two wings of the Democracy, but frutless indee
have they been. Each claim to be the DEM