The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-08-28
ADDRESS TO THE
Democracy and the People
OF THE UNITED STATES,
BIZ the National Democratic ErecuttUe C0nlnatttet

President and Vice President of the United States
is at hand. Four distinct organizations are In the
field The Republican party making bold and
omen war upon the institutions of fifteen sovereign
States of this Union The Constitutional Union
party, repudiating all platforms and standing on
the catch words "Constitution and the Union. -
Two parties, each calling itself Democratic, one,
however following the fortunes of one man, Mr.
Douglas and differing from the Republicans In
making nsidious, instead of open, war upon the
South. The other, standing infexiby on the
Constitution of the country, makes no conceal
ments as to its Interpretation of that instrument Its
rallying cry being the equality of the States. We
purpose calmly and mpartially, to survey the field,
and to give the why the latter party should
be considered the Democratic party, and how
the dearest interests of country, race and of human
progress are concerned in its success.
Why is it that the Democratic party is disrup-
ted, and its wings arrayed in bitter opposition to
each other? Why is it that the veterans who
achieved its time honOred triumphs no longer move
with the old energy and harmony to meet the an
tagonists they have so often defeated? What fire.
brand has been thrown into their midst, lighting
up intestine fires, and consuming as with deveur.
ing flame? Let the plain unvarnished record
answer.
In 1856 the Democratic party, after most Bit
ter contest, elected James Buchanan President,
and John G. Breckenridge Vice President Of the
United States. The new administration was in
augurated and went into operation. Its policy
was foreshadowed in the inaugural address The
Supreme Court, in a before it, the bred Scott
case, gave its decision the question of difference
in the Democratic ranks-a decision which pre-
viously every democrat had solemnly pledged HIM
self to abide by, as the authoritative exposition of
the Democratic faith. That august tribunal de-
clared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional
and void; enumerated the right of the South to
take and hold their slave property in the Territories
-denied to the Territorial Legislature any right to in
terfere with such property, and proclaimed that
Territory could only settle the question of slavery
al the time it came to form a constitution, pre-
paratOry to its admission into the Union as a sove
reign State.
This looked upon by all sound Democrats as
the final settlement of the question, and it be-
ieved that the agitation of slavery would be for
ever withdrawn from the halls of Congress Who
has kept up this agitation? Who has resisted
this decision? Who has declared that at mat
tiers not what way the Supreme Court may hereaf.
ter decide as to the abstract question, whether
slavery may may not 90 into Territory under
the Constitution, the people have the lawful means
to Introduce or exclude it, as they please" And,
again 'No matter what the decision of the Su-
preme Court may be on that abstract question, the
right of TIE people 20 make slave Territory, or
a free Territory, is perfect and complete under the
Nebraska bill!' Mr. Douglas thus, in his Illinois
contest, set the people above the Constitution ard
violated his own pledges in the Kansas Nebraska
act.
Now was presented to the country the sad spec
tacle of our valiant champion cxertng his en-
tire energies to overthrow the party which had so
hOnored him; and, with the flag of rebellion and
Instruction in his hand, cndeavoring to seduce
the party from its principles. His friends have
not hesitated to affiliate with the Republican party
to compass his ends. In Oregon, they united with
the Republicans in the canvass of last year and
this, and Mr. Logan, the leading Republican of
that State, fought the canvass on the doctrine of
squatter sovereignty alone In New jersey his
friends, Messrs Adrian and Riggs, were returned
to Congress by the votes of the Republican party,
and against the regular Democratic party So
with Reynolds Haskin and Clarke in New York;
with Hickman and Schwartz in Pennsylvania; with
John G.. Davis in Indiana. Republicans were re-
turned to Congress over Democrats by the oppOsi-
ton, and with the collision of the friends of Mr.
DOugl las. Thus Arnold defeated in Connecti-
cut, Hughes and Ray in Indiana, Taylor and Rus
sell in New York, Philips, Leidy, Ali, ellis and
Dewart in Pennsylvania. Hall and Burns in Ohio,
and Wortendyke in New Jersey MIR Douglas
himself, all the WHILE has vehemently opposed
and denounced the democratic administration in
the Senate; has refused to be governed by the
voice of his party; has warred upon all his Demo-
cratic colleagues with single exception; has voted
against them, not simply the vexed question of
slavery, but against their nominations and has
even joined the Republicans in their efforts to cx-
clude from the Senate the two democratic Senators
from the State of Indiana
SQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY.
Owing his election in Illinois to the Senate,
over his competitor Mr. Lincoln, to the position
maintained throughout that canvass, that no mat
ter what was the decision of the Supreme Court the
Legislature of a Territory could lawfully exclude
slavery therefrom by unfriendly legislation, he re-
solved to engraft his heresy Of squatter sovereign
ty, of which this was an exemplifcation, upon the
creed OF the democratic party; and he declared in
his Dorr letter that Gu this condition only would
he accept the nomination of the Convention for
the Presidency. Thus one man undertook to Law
down the platform of an entire party, and to place
out of pale of that party its President; all but
two Gifts Senators; ali but some half dozen of its
Representatives in Congress; to brand as anti-de-
mocratIc the platforms and the men of nearly every
State where the party was in possession of the
government. Is 1t to be wondered at that the
South became alarmed; and that it lost its conf
dence in him who once was by them trusted and
admired?
1t must be remembered, too that the resistance
to Mr. Douglas nomination was not confined to the
Southern States. 1t widespread throughout
all the States, and was predominant in Oregon,
California, Pennsylvania and New Jersey-States,
whose votes, with an almost united South, were
essential to success in the coming election 1t was
also predominant in Massachusetts,.
Hinder cDch ciro hic olaip,c h