Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-07-06

Serenaders.
GENTLEMEN: I am not in the habit of
receiving calls from democratic masses;
but, it would be an afectation to conceal
my knowledge that | am indebted for the
honor of this visit to your desire to hear,
from my own lips, confirmation of the
rumor, that | will support Breckenridge
and Lane at the next Presidential cleo
ton.
eheerfully render my own testimony
to the truth of that statement. APP
plause.
1t might have been more prudent to
defer this declaration until after free
conference with those friends in Ken
lucky with whom have heretofore acted,
and by whom my past career has been
so generously sustained. Others may
watch the direction of the popular cur
rent, who wish to swim on its tide to a
haven Of success; my ambition is not for
place or prcferment; it rises no higher
than to the simple performance Of duty,
aud / leave consequences to take care Of
themselves. | have no hesitation as to
the position it becomes me, at this crisis,
to assume; ard | should be recreant to
my own sense Of the obligation free
citizen owes to his country, were | rot,
when called upon, to advance to the oc-
cupancy of that position with the firm
ness and the alacrity which import a
union Of my conscience and my action
upon the line of conduct | mean to pur-
sue.
Gentlemen, am familiar with the
points upon which the democrats have
failed to agree. They involve principles
which have frequently discussed, in
Congress and out Of ton the stump, at
home, and elsewhere l am not now
taking stand for the first time upon
those principles. made, in 1866, a
somewhat celebrated declaration, that
between JAMES BUcnANAN,' if he were
the exponent of the doctrine Of squatter
sovereignty, aud j. G. Fremont, as the
exponent Of the doctrine Of tho Wilmot
Proyiso, | would not toss up a copper for
choice. | was then discussing the Gin
cinnati platform before the people, and
then saw the ambiguity which made it
Janus-faceds- presenting one view to the
! North aud another to the South. South
ern democrats did not believe me. They
denounced my suspicious as the effect Of
partisan rancor told them, then, that
Mr.. Douglas did not entertain the same
view Of the platform. they did, aud that,
one day or another, they would find all
the evils which could flow from such a
persistence in maintaining party lines
at the expense Of important principles,
would " come home TO roost" Unjust
be permitted to say l did not anticipate
the rupture which occurred at Charleston,
and was consummated at Baltimore. 1t
may sever the ties which bound the de-
mocratic party together, North and South,
but it is homage to principle 1t ex-
hibits the democrats who have nomina-
ted John C Breckenridge as at last awak-
ening to the facts which ] have stated
to them thousand times, and as ready
to prefer sound principles to unsound
party associations.
| render them the tribute of my
respect for the choice they have made,
and | think their country will do the
same.
Fellow-citizens, the rupture of the
democratic party has taken place essen
TALLY on the same ground upon which
the whig party went to pieces, and which
afterwards rent the American party in
twain. The same cause severed the re-
lations Of the church, North and South
1t is not astonishing that under it's force,
though last Of all, the tower Of demo-
cracy has fallen. II is evidence, which
considerate people will regard, that
HERE is a wide difference of principle
Of cardinal, vital principle-tndt no force
Of party traction can Withstand and which
DEMANDS sETTLEMENT, final aud salts
factory
Gentlemen, after the wbig party went
to pieces on this issue in 1852, because
Northern wings "spit upon the plat
form" which pronounced in favor Of the
principles Of the compromises Of 1850
after the American party severed in 1856,
because Northern Americans would not
yield this most baneful theme Of 'santi
slavery agitation IL tried 10 vain 10 the
last speech | made in Congress, to eyade
this issue, BY creating some other upon
which to divide parties, until time could
cure the evils which would flow from this
agitation. | appealed to the conserve
tive North to come to the rescue, and to
refuse to foley the republican leaders
into the new campaign, under banners
which had no inscription uponiheir folds
but antagonism to the slavcholding States
Of this Union, but anathemas against
Shareholders, and an ailirmauce Of the
doctrine Of an irrepressible conflict be-
tween systems. until homoeencousness
Of labor should be established everywhere
through the land. | appealed in vain.
Satisfied that | could no longer render
my country service in the existing con
dition Of things, Disseminated to stand
as ! bad stood for four years, between Inc
democratic and republican parties, while
both Of them occupied wrong positions
upon this great qucstion-which involved
the equality Of the StAes and the equal |
ity Of the people Of the siaies--l with-