Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-07-20
Letter fr0isn lon. Reyerdy JOhn-
kesn. of Maryla


sotare, Philadelphia, ON last Saturday evening:
BALTIMORE, June II, 1850.
Dear Sir: i find it impossible to accept the n
vitation with which am honored to the meeting
in your city Saturday, called to ratify the nom
nations of Messrs Douglas and johnson to the Of
ces of President and Vice President of the United
States. There time politically
momentous than the present. With foe in the
field marshang forces entirely sectional, With no
hope of even making battle in d Southern State,
with principles alleged by the South, with almost
one voice, to be entirely deFogatory to their honor
as equals under Ccnfederscy OF equals, land, as
consequence fatal to the peace Of the country, II
its continuing existence as nation, we are pre-
sented with the demented spectacle Of a fierce an
tagonism in the only party, which, from Its past
nationality, is capable of restoring us to prospect
ty and safety. The extenuation for this Madness
in last exhibition in this ciy-for it hardly as
sumes the air of Justification the admission
b, the Convention OF one set OF competent dele
gates from few Southern States, instead of an
other. No one denies the power of the Convention
to decide such question 1t is inherent in all de-
Lucrative representative Bodies. They could not
exist without it. Some are to be admitted, and
which are the rightiu. claimants must depend on
the judgement of the DO ~. In this instance, too,
the ground of secession is futile it is iegltl
. mate. The delegates refused admission had seced
ed from the Convention at Charleston There, the
reason assigned for it, she refusal of majority
of the body to adopt pla torn acceptable to the
minority, and the sanction of one approved by the
former. ,,-Ait.
That there was nothing in this lattst ttasfcrm so
hostile to Southern Interests as to justify the dis
ruption of the Democratic party, ard especially
With the seeming design of breaking up the Union
on the same pretence, all sensible patriotic men
will agree, when remembering that it is the very
platform on which the entire party stood and tri-
umphed in $50, and the very one Mhich. ct the
Convention of that year. Of tie leading spirits
of the Secession insisted, with great zeal and APP
parent sincerity, would demand dissolution Of the
Union if not adopted. So seeding, they snl cunc-
y At ,k.D NnofIrn faro vnp
Their seats were, therefore, abdcated. they re-
signed If they spoke the TRUTH and they will hard
ly say that With them to speak otherwise is possi-
Bile.
In this state Of things, these seats Being *acdted,
Virginia delegate, who then saw ne cause for Sc
cesson offered the following resolution, when was
unanimously adopted: -, ,.
.sResolved, That when this Convention adjourn
it adjourn to reassenible at Baltimore on Monday,
the 18th of June instant and that it ctiuy
recommended to the Democratic party OF the sev
eral States to make provision supply all vocaa-
their respective detegdtaons u MtS Co"Ve"scA
avhen 1T shall redsseDsblc. -,
With the exception of the vacancies created by
secession, there were none, and none others were
anticipated 1t is clear, therefore, that the lesclu-
ton referred to those vacancies, and tc no others
That the Convention had the power to pass it, and
that, under the circumstances; twas its duty to
pass it, no ever pausibly question. Nprj
at the tine, was any such question raised ,onaer
that resolution, the vacancies III Alabama, Ioust-
ana, and Arkansas filled by Conventions Ct
the party called according to usage In those States
and the delegates chosen we've admitted. Had
the Convention decided otherwise than 1t did, it
would have been false to its own pllghted pledge
and party to the disorganzlng conduct ct the Sc
ders-participatcrs in their political guilt. True
to duty, they adhered to their plighted honor, and
admitted the delegates chosen on the faith end war
rant of its legal Recommendation. But, beside the
futility of the adverse claims, most OF the del
egates seeding at Charleston, whilst in that city
and afterwards, and the presses that defended their
course, treated as an insult even the suggestion
that they would ever return to such body. Mr.:
Yancey. their admitted leader, then and still, in
speech in Alabama; after bis return from. Charles
ton, referring to the Secedcrs said among other
things of like import. ''Iri my humble opinion we
cannot go back to Baltimore, that Convention net
having retracted its action, net having altered
indeed, proposed to alter its platform, Offering ne
olive branch Of peace--WE CANNOT GO re IT'S oouN-
,CILs DIGNITY, sELF-RBsPECr, AND HONOR. =
The limits of letter will admit of further proof
existing in album lance. of tlet then fixed purpose
to al connection with the Convention The
presence, then, of these party dellnquents Ill lt
mar :, supplicants for seats in the Convention,
and be permitted to participate In its councils,
was only illegal but, ding to their leader,
vas Inconsistent with dignity, self respect, and
honor" The Convention owed it, therefore, as
we'll to the clear rights of the delegates admitted
10 adopt the it did to such solicitude as
they may have felt whatever that was, to save the
Se0ssionists from the weakness OF forgetting their
'fdlgnitv, self-respect, and honor. These gentle
men ag ain undertook to secede from Convention
of which they were not members and what Is pass
Ing strange, other Southern delegates did the sale
thing who had voted for the resolution referred to,
declaring the seats of the former vacated. Not
Waiting to see what change, if any, would be made
In the Charleston platform, without proposing :ny
themselves, they also left the main body, constitut
E Themselves Convention, and made nominations
70 those made by the regular Convention they OBJ
lect beeatse not sanctioned by two thirds OF all the
members eectea-a sanction not to be had. tectuse
Of their opn pdFtg recusancy, and at the same time
c-.ailen~e approval for their own, though made b.
Cuhventidn not legally numbering one-Hird
~ tie elected ,Eastfer. Never the dogmatsm
OF factidn carried to such ridiculous New
er vas political madness more obvious and melan-
eholy. TIE idea. too, into which they seem to de-
lude the mind Of the party South, that Douglas
w not be TRUE td tfe rights ct the South, vel!
as to the rights Of 81, would seem to be too prcpoE
terousfor reasonable sanction They Gall OF thenl)
oagft to Know better niost Of them do kRoic better.
Ut rs impossible that prejudice, even binding as
shat ever is, can so corsforfrd the intellect.
Most Of the gentlemen enlisted in this crusade
against Douglas are gifted with high intellectual
end moi al qualities. and they feel in this instance
The power which the rery Qualities give Their
is bit another proof that personal qualities,
however great and good, can never protect body
ofmen from the deterior&tfng influences of ire
Sponsieie power. And the Grae- third, less, have
given their nominations ef that third. the
master spirit was Mr.. Yancey :; the NEXT in infu-
ence. Mr.. Khett, of South Caroline. These gem
temen on various occasions, unts UP to q late peri
ted power, Southern secess;r:F from the Unlof.-~
They do not now pretend to be the friends OF the
Union. The first even in. his speech in his ema5-
cuated nominating body, did not avcw attach
ment to the Confederation. He said he was .'nei-
Their for against it," The time, with him, is
not now ''to precipitate he Cotton States into a
revolution" He evidently waits for more pro-
pitious season. Appearing under such auspices
well may their nominees disavow all prrpnse Or
thought of Disunon well may they appeal to their
past lives as guarantees for their continuing l,r-
atty, and to tn ir States giving for them Hike
assurance. To the observing end patriotic mind
oil the country, these appeals, however VIII be in
vain That mind must see in this, the first open
effort at secession, danger, great danger that 1t
Will be used by the managers tc accomplish its
eventual and fell purpose. And, IN spite of their
past and present conceded pa triotism, the nomi-
nees will too late find that the political contanina-
ton OF these seeding supporters will stick to them
like the shirt of Nessus They may t.st and strive
to tear it off, but there it will be still adhering
them with never wing tenacity, till it involves
them Ia political ruin which their real friends
a one will sincerely grieve. Our duty, however,
is plain one. The nation is in peril. Phe prln-
clplcs we believe in, and candidates maintain,
we think, confidently think, can alone saTe the
country from fearful strife perhaps irremediable
rum. Let US, therefore, buckle on our armor.
muster our forces. meet the united strength Of
northern Abolitionism and Southern Secessonsm,
Northern interventionists, and Southern interyen-
tionists and invoking the genius Of the Union, and
ale spirit OF patriotic ancestry, conduct the
struggle with courtesy to opponents, with un-
t!ling zeal, and ander Providence, all may We be
liSuC, ana our government preserved. to make, the