Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-08-31
The Douglas Game.


The great object of the Douglasitcs is tho
defeat Of Breckenridge, and the overthrow OF
the Democratic party. All of their movements
disclose this fact, as we shall see, by a glance
at what has been done.
In Missouri, Senators Polk and Green, Judge
Price and others, proposed, Immediately after
the disruption OF the National Convention, that
the party should be kept united in this State
by the intervention afa Convention in which
all who claimed to be Democrats should be
represented. Such a Convention would have
agreed upon 4: compromise electoral ticket,
which would have secured the vote OF Mlssou-
ri to either Breckenridge or Douglas, rs inc
majority Of the voters might determine. Inc
DouslasileS rejected this proposition in the
most insulting Manner, because they kne" IT
would result in giving the vote of Missouri 10
John C. Breckenridge, who is the choice OF All
overwhelming majority Of the Democratic par
ty Of this State. They are; on the contrary,
Matching up an alliance with the Bell and
Everett men, in order IN secure, il possible, the
defeat of Breckenridge.
So in New Jersey. Tie Breckinridge men,
who constitute the majority OF the party IN
that State, held a Conventions; proposed 10 the
Union and Douglas parties TO run with them
one electoral ticket, in opposition 10 the Adolf
~tionists, so as to secure the vote Of that State
a1aiast Lincoln, as might have been easily
done. The Bell party acceded unhcsitating!r
to the proposition. The Dongiasites rejected
il. and are using every effort to detract rs
many votes as possible from the breckenridge
and Bell ticket, 50 that Lincoln may defeat
R-ool-inridpe in New Jersey,
So in Virginia. The Breckenridge party held
q Convention last week at Charlottesville, APP
pointed u committee to proceed to Stanton,
where a Douglas Convention was in session,
and to agree with them upon an electoral ticket
for which the Breckenridge and Douglas men
might both vote, in opposition TO Bell, and
carry the State for the one or the other. The
Douglas men rejected every proposition which
was thus made 10 them, and nominated Il
Douglas Electoral ticket, because they knew
that Breckenridge would receive ten times as
many votes in Virginia as Douglas, and that he
would, consequently, receive her electoral vote;
and they are determined to prevent that, u
possible.
So in North Carolina, where Douglas has
comparatively no strength at all, they are try
ing to get up All electoral ticket to de}nt Brock
inridge.
So in Arkansas, and in Kentucky, Tennessee,
and all the Southern States.
So in Pennsylvania. Every well informed
person knows that the abolitionistS are in 4
decided minority in that State, and that Lin
coin could he easily defeated if the Opposition
would unite upon one electoral ticket. The
Democratic State Committee, three-fourths Of
whom are for Breckenridge, decided by 4 strict
vote, all the Breckenridge men favoring, and all
Douglas men opposing il, that there should be
but one set of electors run by the Democracy;
that the tickets should be headed by the names
of either Douglas or Breckenridge, and that the
vote of the State should be cast for that one,
who received the most votes. This PROPOSE
ton was rejected by the DonglaSites under the
influence Of Forncy, because they knew that
it would result in giving the electoral vote Of
| Pennsylvania TO John G. Breckenridge,
So in California and Oregon, the DouglasitcS
refuse all cooperation with the breckenridge
party.
While acting thus in all Of those States
where the Breckenridge inen are more numer-
Gus than the Douglasites, and where, corisc-
q~uently. the union Of the party would result 10
the benefit of Breckenridge, they pursue an OPP
poSitc course in those States in which they
claim the ascendcncy, as in New York, for i'll
stance, where they have fused with the Bell
men upon a common electoral ticket, and now
urge the breckenridge men to help them give
the vote of that State to Douglas. We hope
that the Breckenridge men will Spurn their
propositions, until the Douglasites shall have
consented to Withdraw their electoral ticket in
every Southern State, and in New Jersey and
Pennsylvania. Let the Dolglasites 10 that,
and thereby insure the votes of 4 majority Of
those States for Breckenridge; and then the
Breckenridge men may honorably consent 10
unite with them in carrying New York, and in
attempting TO arr all the OTHER Northern
States for Donglas. But Tfmeo hannos, ct
dona .~}ercatrx. Watch them well.-ISt. Louis
Pnketin.