Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-08-18
The Sfaaaafa.
tErTER 81 RoBERr 8 DICK, Esa..

70 Ms Democracy Of the fEftA Congressional Dis
trict Of North Caroline
FELLow-C IrIzEss: As was your regularly chosen
delegate to the National Democratic Convenllon,
which met at Charleston and Baltimore, teel tnat
my duty requires me, under present circumstances,
20 maxi, known To pfs, the reasons which influenced
my action in said Convention. On aecopn. Of .ne
unfortunate division in our party Thought II best
to postpone this communication until after our otae
elections
Isdeeflv and sincerely regret the serious division
which has occurred in our party, and can assure
to, that used my best efforts to prevent It had
ions frniy believed that the old Democratic party
was indissouble; that it was bound together by the
.srone ties of true and well established principles
which nothing could break. had seen 1t so long
successfully resist the influences of sectionallsm
North and South, that felt confident that it would
ALWAYS preserve its nationality maintain the Just
and equal rights of the whole country, and secure
forever the Union OF the States
In these fond hopes have in some degree been
disappointed Sectionalism has at length succeeded
in dsorganizing our party. The strong cham OF
nationality which heretofore held 1t together has
been unlnked, if not broken; the peace and harmo-
nyof the country greatly disturbed, and the sa-
cred union of the States is in imminent peril Inc
blind selshness Of politicians has brought the coun-
try to the brink of ruin and the only hope now of
the patriot is TO trust in God and appeal to the peo
pie to come to the rescue.
When I went to Charleston / did not apprehend
any serious difficulty in the establishment oil our
platform. The great cardinal principles OF the De-
mocratic party had so often been announced and SO
faithfully adhered to by all sections, that supposed
the establishment of platform would be more
matter of form than of real necessity The frequent
changes of platforms have so often proved disastrous
toother parties that felt confident that we had
learned wisdom by their experience, and surely
would not follow their example. 1t is greatly bet
ter to have no platform than one which is contnu-
ously changing.
/ thought the Cincinnati platform .'pure and SIM
pie" with a pledge 20 abide by and maintain the
decision of the Supreme Court in the bred Scott
case, was entirely sufficient and ought to be salts
factory to the whole country. The Cincinnati plat
form had been approved of BY the entire South and
every good citizen ought to abide by and maintain
the decisions Of the Supreme Court. Such plat
form could have been easily made but for the I'M
compromising demands of some Of the ultra men OF
the '.Cotton States They demanded the recogni-
ton of the doctrine of Congressional interrentiOn
and from the very first were determined to rule
ruin"
The Democratic party had long been. committed
to thesdectrine of 'non-intervention." 1t formed
sacred compact between the North and South, and
our departure fromit would have been unjust and
utterly ruinous.
The black Republican party insists that Congress
ought to iterceae to prohibit slavery in the Terri
tories by the eWilmOt Proviso;' the ultra men Of
the South contend that Congress ought to intervene
to protect and establish it by slave CODE" but
the national Democratic party has wisely and fully
pledged itself to remove this bone of contention from
Congress and leave it to the people to regulate for
themselves under the Constitution, expounded by
the Supreme Court
The South never has gained and never will gain any
thing BY Congressional Intervention, but if the doc
trineof nonntervention" isalways adheredto peace
andquie will be restored to the country the laws Of
nature viii wisely regulate the question of slavery
Congress VIII have some time to watch and adj
vance an the great interests of the nation and the
feelings of brotherhood viii soon bind together every
section in the bonds of an indissoluble union.
firmly believe that Congressional intervention leads
as directly and surely to disunon as the night fol-
lows the day.
The Northern Democrats at Charleston manifested
spirit of Cancellation and compromise. They had
proved themselves true in every trial. and they only
asked that weshould keep our pghted faith They
entertained different opinion from the South upon
the question of the power of territorial legislature
Thisquestion has been dubbed by Southern men with
the odions name Of '.Squatter Sovereignty" Our
Northern brethren called it by the name of "Popu-
lar Sovereignty, and said that il was legal ques-
ton which they wished to refer to the Courts and
were willing to sustain such decision as might be
made, and give the Executive and Judiciary ample
power to execute the same to the very letter. 1t
certainly is n legal question. The Northern Demo-
Gratis said had not been adudicated as 1t had never
been directly presented to the Court The Southern
Democrats insisted that the question had been de-
termined in the bred Scott case if not directly by
the decision of the Court at least by the principles
enunciated in support of such decision The North
err Democrats honestly differing in opinion with US
on legal question, desired to compromise BY agree
Ing 10 refer the question directly the Court for its
decision. Some of the Southern Democrats asserted
that their legal opinion was right, and they would
accept no compromise | thought this fair case
for compromise. | had confidence in the Supreme
Court and felt that the South had nothing to lose,
and could gain much by restoring peace and har-
mony to tho National Democracy Those who're
fused to meet the Northern Democrats half toav
manifested either want Of confidence in their own
legal opinion distrust of the sincerity and de
ity Of their political brethren.
TWAS said by some that they were not willing to
trust the Supreme Court, as it might hereafter be
controlled by black Republican Judges The surest
way to prevent that occurrence was to preserve the
peace and unity of the Democratic party. The Sou
them interventionists would have nothing to fear
even if the Court was controlled by black Republi
can Judges for they were influenced by the prin-
epes OF their party, they would decide that terri
torlai legislature has no power the question OF
slavery that it belongs exclusively to Congress-
The black Republicans want to keep the question in
Congress, for they know that riotous speeches and
few fights occasionally will be the richest food for
their vile fanaticism at home. .
The question, at most is but a mere abstraction
and the ultra men at the South ought not to have
demanded the unconditional surrender of their
Northern brethren. when the triumph could be of
no practical importance, and would humilate them
at home, and damage the prospects of our party
admired the moral frmneSs of the Northern Demo-
Gratis IN resisting these unjust demands am ma
uonal democrat and in politics know no sectional
ieeiing Hthey bad yielded every thing on the dis
turbing questions before the Convention to the fac
tionsts Of the South, to gain ahy personal ends,
would have suspected their honesty and have feared
that when the temptation was sufficient they would
yield to the fanatics Of the North. They made
every lair proposition Of compromise, and are not
responsible for the division Of the party at Charles
ton. g. .ssss.s.55ss = - . = :
Who then. Is responsible2 regret to say the