The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1860-07-13

I Buchanan in 1856. 1t is perhaps the bes
! ground ofcompromise between the North anC
South which human ingenuity can devise.
1t is understood by the people Of all sections
and by il the Democratic party, at least. OF al
sections should be willing to abide. It give.
advantage 10 neither section over the other, be-
cause it refers all questions OF dispute between
/ them as to Congressional or Territorial power
over the subject OF slavery to the final arbItra,
ment OF the Supreme Court of the United States
I 1t is therefore safe for the North, and safe foT
the South. Its practical working rs not with
out satisfactory results Where the people OF a
| Territory desire slave labor, and the soil and
climate are suited to 1t, slavery will go, where
these conditions do not exist, it will not 90.
! That finds an illustration in New Mexico, where
slavery is established, and this in those Terri
tories where it IS excluded. Only few DAYS
! ago, propositions 10 repeal the slavery laws of
New Mexico, on the one hand, ana the anti
! slavery lews of Kansas on the other, were made
and rejected IN the Senate OF the United States.
Suppose these propositions, 0: either of them,
had prevailed, is it not certain that the coun-
try would have been thrown into the highest
excitement Bot by their rejection, non-in-
terVentlon was practically adhered to, and the
public mind Is satisfied and quiet.--Let US main
tain it firmly and faithfully. We are bound to
TO 1t by every consideration Of interest, and OBJ
legation of compact. It's abandonment will
prove fatal to the National Democratic party,
and ultimately to the Union itself. l. will
drive the South into intense sectonalism and
the North into the ranks Of Black Republican
ism.
| do not say every man of the North, for I
know that the great body of the Northern De-
mocracy will remain true to the Constitution,
despite the overwhelming flood of its relentless
cohorts. But l mean that the free-labor States
would be controlled by Black Republlcanism,
and would not be able to return a single mem
be- TO either house of Congress friendly to the
constitutional rights of the South.
trust that this condition of things may new
er exist; but if it should, know of no way by
which the Union can be saved Hence the
doctrine of Congressional intervention, as ad-
vocated by the newborn sectional party, is
traught with peril to the country.
The question is now distinctly presented to
the people, whether they will adhere to the
doctrine of non-interventon, or whether they
will abandon it; whether they will reopen the
slavery agitation hy requiring Congress to
ta"e JufiSd'ct'on over il, or whether they will
give repose to the public mind and oaon.;... =
the Union, by leaving it where the Compromise
leaves 1t, to the free action of the people OF the
Territories, under the Constitution OF the Unl-
ted States. The issue is fairly made up. 1t is
intervention or non-inteIvention.-ItS decIs-
ion involves the deStinies of this great Republic,
and the highest interests OF the civilized world.
Compared with It, the aspirations of men and
the fate OF political parties sink into utter !nsg-
nifcance. Where shall we look for deliver
ance from these threatened evilsl
1t has been the mission of the Democratic
party of the Union, in thousand perils, to res
cue our country from impending calamties.
lis past career abOunds with heroic passages,
and is illustrated with the most glorious achieve
men:s IN the cause of constitutional liberty. 1t
Is the party OF Jefferson, and Madison, and
Jackson, and Polk, whose Administrations con-
stItute grand epochS in our national history. It
is the party of the Constitution. | look to it
with confdence.-Where else shall the patriot
look in these times OF political detection and
sectional agitation? Let its integrity be per-
maEently destroyed, and the doctrine of nom
Intervention oVerthrown, and then the best
hopes OF the statesman may we'll be clouded
with gloom and darkness.
1t is to maintain these that | consent 10 take
the position now assigned me and welcome the
consequences of personal good or personal i'll
which that position may bring.-Nothng else
could induce ire 10 brave the detraction which
it invites and incur the heavy responsibility
which it imposes. l have nothing to add but
the expression OF my profound thanks for the
honor so Unexpectedly conferred upon me, and
my cordial acknowledgment for the hatterIng
terms in which have been notified Of my nom
ination. Whatever may be honorabIy done,
shall cheerfuly do to maintain the integrity
of the party and the triumph of its principles.