Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-07-20

Convention a Chicago. Every true Democrat Deheves
that Massachusetts, as well as South Carolina woo,u en-
sure her nobest development STATE under the In
auence of Democratic policy and therefore, IN all ma
toual conventions. the Democracy Of Massachusetts
feeble and Insignificant as others esteemed them-nave
been treated as brethren and equals. BY means OF
such rule Polk, and Cass and Pierce and Buchanan,
were nominated for the Presidency and three OF them
elected What need Of any other rule at Charleston
What assuredy, but the presence, for the rst Time
in our history of intense, fanatca and mischevous
spirit OF sectonasm on the part of the delegates VINO
seeded!
If the rule for which those delegates contend had pre-
vailed heretofore, some OF national conventions
would have been curously constituted. That OF 1914
would have consisted only of delegates from Alabama,
Arkansas Illinois, Missouri, New Hampshire South Car
ona aud Virginia that OF lS4S OF delegates rom ueor
ria Indiana Louisiana, Maine, Michigan Mississippi,
New York and Pennsylvania In addition that OF 1852 oil
delegates from Alabama, Arkansas Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa. Name Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hamp-
shire Ohio Souh Carolina, Texas Virginia and Wiscon-
sin; while that of 1856 would have excluded the States
Of Tennessee and Kentucky, which voted for Mr. Buch-
snan, but included Name New Hampshire, Rhode Is
land Connecticut New York, Maryland Ohio, Michigan,
Iowa aud Wisconsin, which voted against him.
1t will scarcely be argued that delegates ought 10 be
admitted into national convention, and there denied
the right Of voting accordance with their OVID convc
tons The objection amounts to nothing, therefore, un
less TO the disiranchisemen from time to time, oil such
States rs for any peculiar local or temporary
4 vote against PreSldenual nominees. noW "ouu
| such rule operate four years hence.
The boast Of the Democracy is in its NATIONAL charac
ter and sympsthes therefore, although our Democratic
brethren of Massachusetts have not achieved victory IN
any Presidential election since 1920 do not despise
them but gladly admit them, terms OF equality, 10
| our National Conventions.
The truth is that the seceders at Charleston actu
ated by other motives than sincere regard for the vel
fare OF the Democratic party attachment to Democra
tic usages and principles. They were determined to rule
the party or else ruin it. No political organization
can exist upon such TERMS because be would be less than
mau who could submit TO them. We have sufficiently
guarded the rights Of minoes heretofore by requiring
each of our nominees to receive twohrds Of all the cleo
toral votes given in National Conventions but whenever
We acknowledge that oueifh OF the delegates may las
at Chareston) demand to PLATFORM and
upon the refusal OF such demand may rightiy secede
we render impossible for party TO exist longer
Let no deceive himself in this regard because here
il the whole controversy at Charleston reduced TO plain
definite and unavoidable issue.
WHAT OCCURRED AT CHARLESTON AYrER SECESSION.
Finding itself thus suddenly deprived Of the counsel
aud assistance Of the Democratic parry in eight States
the convention abandoned all attempts to modify or
large the Cincinnati PLATFORM and proceeded to the nom
nation of candidates. sBut in order that reasonable
objection should be alleged to the validity Of its nomna
tons the convention altered the rule Of all former
ventions and required merely twohirds of the cleo
ora votes given but twothds Of all the electoral votes
Fifty seven ballots ensued, and in the Of those
ballots, Vi tnc cnure
indicated Stephen A. Douglas their choice for the Pre-
sdential Office.
The enemies Of that distinguished Statesman have as
serted many times that his friends disposed TO force
him upon the National Convention. The slsity Of this
will appear from the fact that his friends could have
mated him at Charleston, after the secession, in accord
snce with the ancient rule demanding tSohirds Of the
votes given whereas they altered that rule Immediately,
and required wohirds OF all the electoral votes
" four-ffths of the which remained.
ADJOURNMENT BALTIMORE.
At last unable discharge satisfactorily the trust
confded to by the Democratic party OF the United
States in consequence OF the secession to which have
referred the convention adjourned from the Sd Of May
TO the 18TH OF June and from the city OF Charleston 10
the city of Baltimore calling upon the Democracy of the
several States whose delegates had retired to fill the
cancies caused bS such retirement The resolution
proposed by Mr. RUSSELL Chairman Of tho Virginia dele
CATION, and unanimously adopted, in these words:
'Resored That when this convention aaiouns to day
il adjourn to reasonable at Baltimore, Nd, Monday,
the 18th day of June and that it be respectfully recon-
mended to the Democratic party Of the several States TO
make provision for supplying ell vacancies in their
pecye delegations to this convention when 1t shall assem-
BILE"
II is impossible to msconstrue this resolution There
no vacancy whatsoever the convection except such
AZ had been caused by the secession Of certain delegates
and unless the States Of Alabama Louisiana, Mississippi,
Florida Texas South Carolina, Georgia. and Arkansas
were thereby invited to elect delegates the State OF
yenon at Charleston completely stufed themselves
That the seats Of the seeedes understood TO be va
cant at Charleston appears also from the decision OF Gen.
Gushing sustained appeal that the minority oil tee
Georgia delegation could not vote in the convention
after the majority had secedsd That the 0eooders IL
tended TO resign all claims OF membership is evident
from their aud speeches protests at the time OF secession
No language could have been employed to express more
plnnly the determination of those delegates TO retire
from the convention at once, and forever.
SEcEDEKS A CHARLESTON.
Having thus separated themselves from the Democ'a
tic marty at Charleston the Seceders forthwith organized
party of their own assembling in regular convention
At ST. Andrews Hail. on the sofa Of April electing per-
manent officers adopting rules, and appointing
mittee upon organize iop and committee upon rcsou-
tons The latter committee reported the I'd of May,
certain resolutions 1.-THE second majority reporO which
had been rejected by the Democratic Convention; pend
ing which, as their journal informs US
"yr Yancey of Alabama, moved thst the report be
amended SO "a 10 strike out the words of the United
States" after the word Democracy and Insert Consti
tuonal before the same word often il occurs in
the report.
Can there be any doubt to the temper of such pro-
eeedinpss Mr. Yancey desired 10 adopt
name, as we'll a separate organization and it is noto
rous that he the master prit Of the whole seces-
sion movement Others, il would SEEM not quite
so bold and therefore, after some debate his am md
ment Withdrawn.
Several DAYS of hesta ion, doubt, and controversy
that the Democratic Convention had adjourned to meet
at Baltimore on the 18th OF June, tie Seceders we're
compelled to adopt some definite course. Mr.. Jackson,
of Georgia, then proposed this resolution and 1t was
adopted:
"R@olred, That the Democratic party of the United
States who are opposed to the doctrine Of squaer Sow
ereigny and in favor of the platform Of principles
commended by majority OF the States in the Charleston
Convention and unanimously adopted by the delegates
of eight Withdrawing States be invited send delegates
TO Convention to be held in Richmond, Virginia,
the I'd Monday Of June and in order to concert
of action that the basis Of representation be the same as
that upon which the States have been represented in the
Charleston Convention.
Another quotation from their journal is somewhat
significant:
"On motion Of Mr.. Barry Of Mas, the following
solution adopted:
"Rssolved That the delegates IRON South Carolina be
requested publish the proceedings OF this convention
and 20 incorporate them in pamphlet containing so
much of the proceedings Of the convention from which
this convention Withdrew, explains the causes of our
separation 'front.'"
ION mo'ion 1t was
"Re,olrsd, That the South Carolina delegation be ap-
pointed committee to make arrangements for the
vention TO be held at Richmond"
We pause here ask, in all candor how these gentle
could any longer claim to be members Of the party
whose convention had adjourned to Baltimore, and
pecially to be members OF that convention.
SUBSEQUENT ACTION OF THE sEcgDERs.
The Richmond convention proved miserable failure.
None of the Northern States and Southern States
cept South Carolina, Florida Mississippi Texas Louisia
ns Alabama, Arkansas, and Georgia, appointed
delegate to attend it. The Seceders returned to their
constituents from Charleston and all of them distinctly
surrendered at home, their commissions in The con-
vention which had adjourned to Baltimore. brief
cal Of what transpred in each State becomes essen
tia-