Des Arc citizen., 1860-03-14
PRAIRIE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC
 MASS CONVENTION.
BRowssvILLE, March l2. ls6O.

J. C. MoaaILL appointed secretary.
 The Chairman stated that he Conveh-
 ton had assembled for the parpose of aP- l pointing delegates to the Democratic State l Convention 10 be held at Liule Rock on
 the 2d of April, 10 nominate caudIdaIe
 for Governor and appoint delegates to the
 Democratic Nalfonal Convention, to be held at Charleston, on the 23d of April. Tha, t would be the duty of this Mass Convention to appoint delegates 10 the
 District Convention which assembled at
 Philadelphia. on the l4th May. 10 noml-
 nate candidate for Congress from this District, Also, to define the time for hold l ing Democratic County Convention, to
 select suitable candidate for the Legis- lature from Prairie county. and II deemed
 necessary, for the various county offices.
 On motion of Col A A. Piitman, 9 committee of five was appointed by the
 chair to draft resolutions expressive of the
 sense of lhls meeting. as follows: Messrs.
 J. E. Gatewood D. W. Davis, H. Rev.
 holds, A. 4. Putnam and R. s. Can't.
 Ire committee. after retiring, reported
 the following, which was adopted:
 The Committee to whom has been referred the objects of this meeting, and upon whom has devoyed the duty of preparing such ex- pression of views as may seem right amt prop CT, beg leave to report the following resoln-
 tions, as expressive of the views of the De-
 mocracy of Prairie county:
 RESOLVED. |. That we do most cordially
 endorse the well known principles and policy
 of our party, and regarding that aac ent and
 well known usage, the Convention system, as the only means of concentrating party strength, we do appoint the 4th Monday in April as suitable time. and Brownsville, as suitable place for the Democracy of Prairie county to meet in Convention for the purpose of omInating candidate for Representative, and if necessary, for the various county offices: and that we request the various town | ships to hold primary meetings, and to send up delegates to said Convention.
 i Q That we approve the proposition to hold
 Convention of the Democracy of the State at Little Rock on the 2d day of April next, and that this Convention appoint twenty dele gates from this county for the purpose Of re- presenting us in said Convention.
 3. That in view of his long tried and patri-
 otic devotion to the best interests of his party
 and country. and his eminent fitness and ca | pacity for the position. we instruct said dele ! gates to cast the vote of Prairie county in sait { Convention for our distinguished feilow-eiti zen Hon. E. C.. ToTTEH, for Governor, ans 1 further urge them to use every honorable
 means to secure his nomination.
 l i. That ten delegates be appointed to repre-
 sent us in tie Congressional Convention, to bt l held at ArIsadel phia onthe 2d Monday in May and that they be instructed to cast the vote o4 | Prairie for Hon. E. W. GASTT-
 l 5. That the Democratic party is based IpoI principle, and was organizt,., not for the ppr pose of appropriating to it's members the spoil
 of office. but for the purpose of perpesnatine i great principles, and that any effort under ths
 specious gIize Of PaLfey to injare the an.
 cient landmarks of the party, CT to lower tAe
 standard of party triumph 's thoroughly ee-
 moraiizing in it's effects upon onr organiza- 1 tion, and should be visited ssith the sevsFesi ] condefnna ion of every true Democrat.
 5. That the efficiency of the Democratic party, and it's capacity to do good, depends moi ] n?oa it's numerical strength. but upoa it's rigid adherence to principle. and that we require ] of our delegates to the Charleston ConYen- ] ton, even at the risk of suffering defeat, tc secure for us a platform that recognizes ths | equal rights of all the States and the citizens
 thereof; platform that, without any ambt- guilty, equivocation or evasion, shall declare l that neither Congress. nor Senatorial Leg l islature, whether by direct legislation, or 1 legislation of an indirect and nnfriendiy ] character, possesses the power to annnl oI l impair the constitutional right of any citizen 1 of the United States to take his slave property { into the common territory; and that if expe-
 rience should al any time demonstrate the in- ability of the Judiciary to afford the requisite
 protection, it will then become the duty 0. | Congress to supply the deficiency.
 | I. That it is better to be defeated in an open issue. than to triumph at sacrifice of
 principles; and that if we can not succeed on
 such plain and constitutional principles, It is
 better that we should be defeated.
 | 8. That entertaining the views we have just
 svowed in regard to the power of the Terri
 torial Legislature, and regarding rigid adhe-
 renee to them as vitally essential to the pro- 1 lection Of the rights of the South, we cannot
 refrain from expressing our disapprobation of certain doctrines. announced by oar immediate Representative Hon. Albert Rust, in a recent ! speech in the IT, $. House Of Representatives ! 9. That we mention az doctrines particular 1 ly obnoxious to us, and worthy the unanimous
 censure of his constituents. the assumption
 by Col. Rust, that ''the people of Territory
 through their Representative, In Legislature asecLhoteus nave tIit pOHct to doo ttsh sidNei | his further assumption that it is impolittc to extend slavery North of 36-30; his pledge tc vote against the admission into the Union. ol
 any of the at present organized territories oi
 the U. s. with pro-slavery constitutions anc l his avowal of opposition to the Leeomptof i policy of Mr. Buchanan's administration. I l0. That Mir. BHchanan's course in regare
 to Kansas, as does the general policy of hi' [ administration. meets our most cordial appFo bation, and that if Col. Rust had avowed th'
 sentiments he now entertains, iH the canvas 1 which resulted in his election, we would hay' been compelled, in justice to ourselves, t | withhold from him our votes.
 IL That in view of the alarming increas
 and arrogant demands of the Black Republicai
 parry we feel called upon to declare that tn 1 election of President by that party. upon al | Irrepressible Conflict platform, and pledge l to use the machinery of the Federal Govern ment for the destruction of slavery, woaid b Indicative of fixed deterfnination by tn people of the North, to continue an agitation 1 which can only end in the overthrow of oa Il social system. That whenever a sectioHa party seizes upon the Government: for tn 1 purpose of administering 1t in spirit of hos tiiity to the other section, it will have abou it all the qualities of despotism and usarpa ton, perpetrated though it be, under th <1f ff