Gazette and sentinel., 1860-05-19
The Charleston Convention.
From the Franklin Resisier.I

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While we doplorc the failure Of the
National Democracy, at Charleston, 10
harmonic in the declaration of the ar
ticles Of its political faith, we at the
same time admire and heartily approve
the manly and diguiticd tirmncsS and III
dependence manifested 10y the Louisiana
delegation and their compatriots from
the other Southern States who have re-
tired from the Convention rather than
submit t. a surrender Of the Just and
vital rights of the South. The brief ad-
dress of the Hon. Alexander Mouton,
who acted as the mouth piece of the
Louisiana delegation, in taking their
leave of the Convention, Will meet with
a warm response in the heart of every
true Louisianian. He speaks but the
voice of the entire Democracy of Lou
isiana, and, we trust, of the Democracy
of the entire Southern States, when he
says, Eve wish TO wear no two faces in
this contest, we wish 10 meet the Black
Republicans with their abuminable doc
trincs boldly, and if our friends. the be
mOcrats from tue Free States, cannot
join us and fight with US we must fight
our own battles. We are ready to meet
the issue made by the Black Republi-
cans like men; but we shall battle for
what we conceive to be the truth and
not for profit" These are words litlv
spoken.
The abominaDle squatter sovcreingty
l,ptrInnc g.ui,G.f,.l L.. A. n
and his friends, ia effect closes the doors
of the Territories forever against the
n of slaves in the South, and con-
sequemtly excludes forever the creation
of any more slave States Besides be-
Ing an outrageous insult to the slave
holding States who are common owners
with the free States Of all the public
Territories, it is the most insid;uus and
at the same time the most feasible
and effective form N which the crusade
against slavery can be carried on. Il
carries with 1t all the objects of the
Nilmot Proviso, combining the area of
slavery within its present limits, with
u view to its ultimate self-destruction.
Douglas and his followers declare that
the Cincinnati Platform clearly embra-
ccs this odious squatter-sovereigntv
doctrine, while the Democracy of the
South contend for a contrary interpre-
tation of that Platform. 1t must be
confessed that the dubious terms in
which the clause of that instrument re-
latlng to slavery in the Territories, is
expressed, will warrant almost any CON
structlon which crafty politicians may
choose to put upon it. This duplicity
OF meaning, in a matter of such practi-
cal and vital Importance to the slave
holding States, the Democracy of the
South are determined no longer to tole-
rate, more especially at a time when the
champion of squatter-sovereigntv is
pushed forward with clamorous zeal for
the Presidency. They therefore demand
that the Democracy in National Conven-
ton assembled, shall give an authora-
tive construction to the Platform which
shall admit of no doubt. They demand
that the power Of Congress and of the
Territorial Legislatures over the insti-
tuition of slavery in the Territories shall
be defeated beyond the reach of cavil.
They have hitherto submitted TO the
Convention, in the majority report of the
Committee on Platform, this explicit de-
%claration OF principles on the question
at issue
Resolved, That the Platform adopted
at Cincinnati be affirmed, with the fol-
lowing resolutions
L. Resolved, That the Democracy of
the United States hold these cardinal
principles on the subject of slavery in
the Territories First, That Congress-