The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-07-10


SIR:-l am directed, by vote of the Democratic
National Convention, to inform you that you have
been this day unanimously nominated by it as the
candidate of the Democratic party for the office of
President OF the United States, and in their behalf
to request you to accept the nomination. | beg
ieaVe at the same time to enclose to you a copy Of
the reso lutions adopted by the Convention, the
pohucal platform on which the party stands.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
Hon j. c. Breckenridge.
WASHINGTON Cry, June 26 1860
DEAR STR:-l have your letter OF the 23d nit by
which | am officially informed of nv nomination
for the office OF President of the United States by
the Democratic National Convention, lately assem-
bled at Baltimore. The circumstances of this nom
ination will justify me ia referring to its personal
aspect.
have not sought desired to be placed be-
fore the country for the office of President When
my name was presented to the Convention at
Charleston it was withdrawn by a friend in ODE
dience to my expressed wishes NV views had not
changed when the Convention re-assembled at Bal
tlmore. and when heard of the differences which
occurred there, my indisposition to be connected
prominently with the canvass was confirmed and
expressed to many friends.
without discussing the occurrences which pre-
ceeded the nominations, and which are, or soon
Will be, well understood by the country, | have
only to say that | approved, Just and necessary
to the preservation of the national organization,
and the sacred rights of Representations the action
OF the Convention over which YOU continued to
preside; and thus approving it, and having resolved
to sustain it, feel that it does not become me to
select the position ] shall occupy, nor to shrink
from the responsibilities of the post to which have
been assigned. Accordingly, | accept the nomina-
ton from a of public duty and as think,
unintiuenced, in any degree, by the alurements of
ambition.
/ avail myself of this occasion to say that the
confidence in my personal and public character,
implied by the action of the Convention, will al
| ways be gratefully remembered and it is but just
aso TO my own feelings, to express my qualification
at the association my with that ofmy friend,
zen. Lane, patriot and soldier whose great SER
wees IN the field and in council, entite him to the
| gratitude and confidence of his countrymen
| The resolutions adopted by the Convention have
my cordial approval. They just to all parts of
the Union; to all citizens, native and natural
lied, and they form a noble policy for any Admin
istration.
The question touching the rights of persons and
property, which have of late been much discussed
lind in these resolutions constitutional solution.
Our Union is a cOnfederacy of equal sovereign
states, Tor the purposes enumerated in the Federal
Constitution. Whatever the common government
holds in trust for all the States must be enjoyed
equally by each. 1t controls the Territories in
trust for all the States Nothing less than sover-
egnty can destroy impair the rights of persons
or property. The Territorial governments
subordinate and temporary, and not sovereign;
hence they cannot destroy impair the rights of
persons or property. While they continue to be
Territories they are under the control of Congress;
Dut the constitution nowhere conters on any branch
OF the Federal Government the power to discrmi-
nate against the rights of the States the proper
ty OF their citizens in the Territories. 1t follows
that the citizens of all the States may enter the
Terri tories of the Union with their prOperty-of
whatever kind-and enjoy it during the Territorial
condition without let hindrance either by Con-
gress or by the subordinate Territorial govern
ments.
These principles flow directly from the absence
of sovereignty in the Territorial governments, and
from the equality of the States Indeed they are
essential IN hat itvu uh5o i md
been the vital principle of our constitutional Union
They have been settled egislatively--settled judi
clally-and are sustained by right reason. They
rest on the rock of the Constitution They will
preserve the Constitution-they will preserve the
| Union
1t is idle to attempt to smother these great issues;
or to misrepresent them by the use of partisan
| phrases, which are misleading and deusiye. The
people will look beneath such expressions as DIN
tervention, :" Congressional Slave Code" and the
like, and will penetrate to the real questions nvolv
| ed. The friends of constitutional equality do not
and never did demand a Congressional Slave
Code, nor any other code in regard to property in
| the Territories. They hold the doctrine of nom
intervention by Congress by a Territorial Legis-
lature, either to establish or prohibit slavery; but
they assert fortified by the highest judicial tribu-
nal in the UniOn) the plain duty of the Federal
Government in all its departments, to secure, when
necessary to the citizens of all the States the
| Joyment of their property in the common Terri
tories, as everywhere else within its jurisdiction.
The only logical answer to this would seem to be
| to claim sovereign power for the Territories or to
deny that the Constitution recognizes property in
the services OF negro slaves, or to deny that such
| property can exist
Inexorable logic, which works its steady way
through clouds and passion cOmpels the country to
meet the issue. There is evasive middle ground.
Already the signs multiply of anatical and grow
ing party which denies that under the COnstiu-
ton, by any other law slave property can exist;
and ultimately the struggle must come between
this party and the National Democracy, sustained
other elements
! Union.
| think it will be impossible for candid mind to
discover hostility to the Union, or taint Of
tlonallsm in the resolutions adopted by the Con
vention. The Constitution and the Union repOSe
on the equality of the States, which lies like
broad foundation underneath our whole political
| structure. As construe them, the resolutions
simply assert this equality. They demand nothing
for any State or section that is not cheerfuily
ceded to all the rest. 1t is well to remember that
the chief disorders which have afflicted our country
have grown out of the violation. of State equality;
| and that as long as this great principle has been
| respected, we have been blessed with harmony and
peace Nor will it be easy to persuade the country
| that resG utions are sectional which command the
support of majority of the States, and are ap-
proved by the bone and body of the old Democracy,
and by vast mass of conservative opinion every
where, without regard toparty.
| 1t has been necessary, more than once in our
history, to pause and soemnly assert the true char
acter of this government. memorable instance
| occurred in the struggle which ended the civil re-
volution Of 1900. The Republicans of that day,
like the Democracy ofthiS, were stgmatized as dis
unionsts. but they nOby conducted the contest
under the Constitution, and saved political
system. BY like constitutional struggle it is in
tended now to assert and establish the equality OF
the States, as the only basis of Union aud peace
When this object national, constitutional,
just, shall be accomplished the last cloud will dis
appear from the American sky, and with common
hands and hearts the States and the people will
unite to develepe the resources of the whole coun
try, to bind it together with the bonds of inter-
course and brotherhood and to impel it onward in
its great career. The Constitution and the eGuali-
ty of the Statesl These symbols of everlasting
Union.-Let these be the rallying cries of the peO
pie.
trust that this canvass will be conducted with
out rancOr, and that temperate argument will take
the place of hot words and passionate accusations.
Above all, venture humby to hope that Divine
Providence, to whom owe our origin, our
growth and all our prosperity, will continue to
protect beloved country against all danger,
foreign and domestic.
| am, with great respect, your friend,
JoHN c. BRECKINRlDGE.
Hon. C. Cushing, President Of the Democratic
Convention.
The Boston Courier says It is stated that, in
several of the towns in this vicinity, Democrats are
Joining the Bell and Everett Clubs.
Senator Clingman is reported as having declared
for Breckenridge and Lane The rumor wants
| State Convention to ratify the nomination of
Bell and Everett is called to meet at Dover, Della
ware, July 18th.
The Wheeling VA Union is urging Mr.. Douglas
to resign in favor OF Breckenridge.
| The Democrats here, says the Boston TraueIlcr,
will probably hold two State Conventions, and have
| two Gubernatorial and two sets of Congressional
candidates.
The New York Express says: "SeveraI leading
Tennesseans now in this city, perfectly certain
that the Breckinridge and Joe Lane ticket can
make great progress in that State"
| The Troy Advertiser, published at Troy, Pike
| county, Alabama, heretofore the most ZaalOus
Southern rights paper, changes its position, and
hoists the names of Douglas and johnson.
The Louisville Courier, which hoists the name o f
| Brecknridge and Lane, states edtorially that it
positively knows Guthrie is not for Douglas. 1t
does not, however, enlighten whether he is for
| Breckenridge against him.
! Douglas State Convention is called at Milledge-
vile, Georgia, July oath. Governor Johnson, the
candidate for Vice President, will probably be
present, and will afterwards stump Georgia, a s
Breckenridge did Kentucky in 1856.
In 1886 there were FIVE Presidential candidates
in the field-Van Buren,, Harrison, White, Webster +
and Mangum. This year there will be at least six
Messrs Bell, Lincoln, Douglas, Breckinridge, Hou-
ston, and Gerritt Smith.
| The New York Herald gives list of the Demo-
| cratic papers of the country and their present
position; the following is the
! RECAPTULAnON.
Breckmridge Douglas.
| North 81 l4l
| Snntb I45 81
ro,ol ne l62
| A CALL UPON ENGLIsHMEN.-The n. Y. Ab'on mas