Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-07-20
politital.
SPEECH
On PRESIDENT BUCHANAN.

OF PRESIDENT BUCHANAN,
On the epeniag Of July 9th, 'ohen called
ont, an Washington city, by a Sere-
made.
FRIENDS AND Fellow CITIZENS: | thank
you from my heart for the honor of this
visit. | cordially congratulate you on
the preference which you have expressed
for Major Breckenridge and Gen. Lane
as candidates for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency of The United States
over all competitors. Applause They
are men whose names are known to the
country; they need no eulogy from me-
They have served their country in peace
and in war; They are statesmen as well
as soldiers, and in the day and hour of
danger they will ever be at their post
they are conservative men; and in the
course of their administration they will
be equally just to tho North and to the
South, to the East and to the West.
Applause. Above all, and first of all,
they are friends Of the Constitution aud
of the Union, cheers, and they will
stand by them to the death. Renewed
cheers. But we ought not to forget
that they are also friends to the equality
of the sovereign States of this Union in
the common Territories of the country
Cries of Good "] They will main
tain that principle, which should receive
the cordial appreciation of us all. Equity
is equity Every citizen of the United
States is equal before the Constitution
and the laws; and why should not the
equality of the sovereign States composing
this Union be held in like reverence ?
This is good Democratic doctrine. Ii
berty and equality are the birthright Of
every American citizen and just as GER
tainly as the day succeeds the night so
certain will this principle of democratic
justice eventually prevail over all oppo-
sition. Cheers, But, before Ispeak
further upon this subject--and / shall
not detain you very long-I wish to re-
move one stumbling-block out of the
way.
have ever been the friend of regular
nominations. have never struck po-
litical ticket in my life. Now was there
anything done at Baltimore to bind the
political conscience Of any sound Demo.
crat, or to prevent him from supporting
Breckenridge and Lane? No no !'
| was contemporary with the abandonment
of the old congressional convention OF
caucus. This occurred long time ago
very few, if any, of you remember it
Under the old congressional convention
system, no person was admitted to a sea-
except the democratic members of tho
Senate and House Of Representatives
This rule rendered it absolutely certain
that the nominee, whoever he might be,
would be sustained at the election by tho
Democratic States Of the Union. BY
this means it was rendered impossible
that those States which could not give
an electoral vote for the candidate wher
nominated should control the nomination
and dictate to the Democratic States whC
should be their nominee.
! This system was abandoned whether
wisely or not / shall express no opinion
The National Convention was substituted
in its stead All the States. whether
Democratic or not, were equally to sent
delegates to this Convention according t.
the number of their senators and repre-
sentatives in Congress.
A difficulty at once arose which neve
could have arisen under the compression
al convention system. If bare majorit,
of the National Convention thus com
posed could nominate candidate, h
might be nominated mainly by the anti
/, Democratic States against the will of
large majority of the Democratic States
Thus the nominating power would b.
separated from the electing power, which
could not fail to be destructive to th,
strength and harmony Of the Democrats
party.
10 obviate this serious difficulty in thu
organization Of National Convention
and at the same time to leave all thu
States their full vote, the two-thirds rule
was adopted. 1t was believed tina
under this rule no candidate coulC
ever be nominated without embracing
within the two-thirds the votes Of de
cided majority Of the Democratic States
This was the substitute adopted to retain
at least in great degree, the power t.
the Democratic States which they would
have lost by abandoning the congressiona
convention system. This rule was 4
main pillar in the edifce Of national con
ysntions. Remove it and the whole
must become ruin. This sustaining
pillar vas broken to pieces at Baltimore
BY the Convention which nominated Mr.
DoUGLAs. After this the body was no
longer national convention; and nc
Democrat, however devoted TO regular
nominations, was bound TO give the nom
inee bis support be was left free to ac
according to the dictates Of his owl
Judgment and conscience. And here, il
passing, may observe that the wisdom
Of the two-tbirds rule is justified by thu
events passing around us. Had it bee;
faithfully observed no candidate could
have been nominated against the will ant
wishes of almost every certain Democrat
ic State in the Union, against nearly ali
the Democratic senators and more thar
three-fourths Of the Democratic repre-
sentatives in Congress Cheers.
/ purposely avoid entering upon any
discussion respecting the exclusion from
the Convention Of regularly elected dele
gates from different Democratic States.