Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-03-06
AitbluollO enquirer.
Br RirCllE, DUNShEANT, TYLER 4 WISE.
TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH 6, 1850.
Shall sseruDiican States Frame the Demo-
cratic Plntfnrni

have desire to deny TO their brethren of the
Northern States j just and fair voice in the
National Convention, proper and pertinent
question arises as to the policy Of allowing
Democratic minorities, in Republican States,
to frame the platiorm et' principle, which De-
mocratic States. before the people, have TO sus-
tain and uphold. and upon whose shoulders, in
the electoral college, tho burden OF elccting the
candidate must dcyolye. Or shall Democratic
minor,icS III Republican States be allowed to
shape the policy OF the Democratic party with
regard TO the institutions Of slavery, which en-
iSt uuly in Democratic States: Will the plat
form, so adopted, bc likely to enlist the vot. Of
the Southern States abs,lntcly necessary to
success: These arc questions upon which i
well becomes every Democrat nj the Northern
States to poudrr and reject.
While two thirds OF the electoral vote is ne
ce$s..ry 10 nominate the candidate, but u dnr<
m4jcrity is required to adopt the platform oi 4
party, whose proud boast has been "prtaci-
pies, not men" BY strange anomaly, ''prin
cipleS, the liie-bloo? Of the party, arc snbor-
.linated to men, the mere Instruments 10 carry
ont the principles.
We would invite the attention vi the Nation
| al Democracy to the fact. that in the approach
ing canvass the platform Of principles will hold
a more conspicuous position tilun in any former
election, and play more important part than
any candidate who may br placed upon it
With platform Of principles fair. ut.Spoken
and cognizanl 5l the constitutional rights ot
every section, with the open. plain and direct
recognition OF federal protection to the inst-
| tuition Of slavey in the Territories, whenever
experience shall demonstrate the inciticiency Of
the judiciary % enforce rights recognized hy
the CuuS:tui:on. success viii oe easy and GER
tain, no matter what honest nan may hc t:c
nominee i'ut, in our opinion. without Such
!! platform. success will he nn. only proL!r:ai-
,ica, but almost impossible Sith aay ma. ~
the nominee.
Wo are n!; Of that class nc politicians wio
inis;vSt tho Democracy oi the Northern States
npo, an uneGuisoca! platform Of principles,
recognizing the right o! the institution Of sla-
1crr in the crritor;cs to the protection Of the
Fedora! Government: We believe that lie
No, ;hern Democracy as well as the Southern
Democracy. earnestly desire to See the question
OF slavery. in all its bearings, honestly settled,
and forever banished as :; disturbing element
in American politcs--and that TO accomplish
this result; TO restore harmony anu fraternal
regard; to forge again the links that bound TO-
rct!cr the Union Of these States in peace and
prosperity, ersry Northern Democrat, and
,nuny thousands oc Northern conservatives are
wiling to yield up some portion Of anti.slavery
sentiment. and rally around platform and
Candidate whose success will be a guarantee
tla, the slavery agitation is .forecer settitd
But adop, platform Of principles capable Of
iwo constructions. or plainly denying the
equality Of the South in the Territories. or.
while acknowledging that equality, coupling
with it the declaration that the Territorial
Legislature has the power to abolish or impair
the institution Of slavery and we canddiy be-
Iievc that whatever may be the fate ot the
ticket in the three Northern States that gave
Democratic rnajori,icS in lS5G, more than
onchalf Of the Southern States will be lost to
the ticket We du not believe such platform
could carry nne Northern State. Holding outno
prospect Of future peace, but pregnant with the
re.cnactmcnt Of the Kansas troubles, the plat.
| L.. ip1p mt
to conservative men without the Democratic
organization, and give no confidence or hope
TO the Northern Democrats of that success
at the South, without which defeat is certain
and inevitable.
What then should souni policy and fair
dealing suggest to the Delegates from the anti
Democratic States, If the Northern Democ-
racy are, Us We believe they are, true and faith
ful to the constitutional rights Of the South
le, their delegates to Charleston adopt, without
question OF dispute, the platform ot principles
! which the Southern States may present, aud
thu, Quiet forever the charges and iDS;nnailonS
of unsouudnvsS levrlcd at them by the South
crn oppo<itlon; which charges 30 much e'nbar-
rass the canvass in every Southern State. But
we may bc told that such platform would
| reader il impossible to obtain that amount nj
| the Northern vote necessary, equally WITH the
| Soutl.crn vote, 10 succcSs-that N"rthcrn 'nc''
cannot and will not g"c vote that acknow'
! lodges the equal rights of the Southern man
| wl,h bis negroes, as the Northern man with his
horses in the common Territories Of the Union.
Sach an assertion we meet with our ucIiia!,
and demand inr il equal weight. We beiier"
that honesty and principle belong alike I" the
Yor,h.r; and The Southern man that both
want peace and harmony; that with the cn;'-
scryariy.s Of all sections of the country. ihc
cessation nf agitation would weigh far ,"Hrc
than anr ans,ractions Of frre.labor, irecS1:I.
phianthrcry. or negro. phiiism. Inc prospect
| OF perluarent peace, the hope OF future poi'I'
cal contests, divided only upon questions OF
constitutional policy. the hansi;mcnt oI sec
iional controversies. tic restoration oi com
,uercjal intercourse, the reciprocity OF natrani-
mclled trade. the political PreieTIncnt o! men
now branded with the suspicious oI whole
sections of the country, all these and many
other arguments would unravcl Republican
sophstry, drcwn the cry Of lan"tc'sm,
crown the party with success cement INC
Union, and prcscrv- tho Constitution.
T'hc mos, porent argument that will bc nsc'l
in the approaching Presidential contest will
ba thu, ol cessation nf the slavery agitation.
The Democratic rarlv viii have to mold out
prospec, of future peace, based upon both the
,,1at,or,u and the candidate, that vii! be sat
i<fac,ory guarantee TO the Northern conservative
vote. Without this Northern conservative vo'e
.-,bc men and party that in 1856 voted tor Mr.
,,,, .,,ccoss we fear. will be impossible