Daily national Democrat., 1860-05-22
Position Of the standard.


sition Of the STANDARD. 1t has come out and
declared that it viii not sup
port Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency, |
If he be nominated upon platform of Doug
las principles. But, let us quote its own
language, lest we misrepresent unwittingly
its position. 1t says:
"The political news, as We received it by
the last Pony Express, has left us in fright
ful state of incerttude. In it many see the
triumph Of Mr.. Douglas and popular SOW
ereignty, and some, we are sorry to say,
whom we thought true and staunch oppo-
nents Of the doctrine, have begun to blanch.
1t is an i'll wind that blows no good, and if
those unhappy rumoFs serve no other useful
purpose, they have at least taught us to dis
tinguish true men from false. But we read
the signs of the times very differently. Strip
ped of the Black Republican hue which has
been impaired TO them by the reporter, who
has so mingled facts with opinions that it re
quires more care than the casual reader be-
slows upon the subject to separate them, the
proceedings at Charleston prove most con-
clusiyely 10 our mind, that no platform which
does not deny the po'cer of territorial gov'
erRm6H to ercLUde SlaUsYy, can receive the
appreciation of seventeen States Of the Union.
This would seem to be explicit enough,
but it goes on in another place TO say;
But we are frequently asked, you who
are such stickler for party organization,
what will you do, should majority of the
members of the Charleston Convention meet
at Baltimore and nominate Mr. Douglas upon
the platform of squatter sovereignty Z 10
this if we were inclined TO dodge the ques-
ton, or if we sought to wait for the popu-
lar breeze we might answer, Sufficient for
the day is the evil thereof" But we have
no such desire; we scorn to echo the popular
voice when it does not accord with our hon
est conyictions-and more than that, we as
pire to be leader and not a toliower of the
multitude.
SO far, then, from sinking the question that
is propounded to us, we court the opportuni-
ty, not only Of proclaiming our individual
views, bat Of advising the Democracy Of Cal
ifornia what, under such circumstances, they
would be bound by every tie of honor and
consistency to do, and that is to repudiate
the doctrine and its advocated"
We take it that this is an open and un-
equiyocal reputation of Douglas and his
doctrine Of popular sovereignty. (The oppo
nents of the doctrine designate it sqaatter
sovereignty, by way Of demeaning the term)
But in the language of George W. Jones, of
Tennessee, in the House of Representatives in
1855, "Call it by what name you please--non
Intervention, squatter sovereignty or popu
lar sovereignty. 1t is the power of the peo
pie to govern themselves. and they, and they
alone should exercise it, as well while in
territorial condition as in the position of
State"
The Standard takes sides with the Boilers
from the National Convention, and declares
that the Boilers platform must be approved |
by the Baltimore Convention, or it, too, Ohe
will bolt This is very different
talk, if We recollect rightly, from the Ian
guage which it used in the last campaign in
this State.
Then it most kindly condescended to con-
slider Stephen A. Douglas a mighty good |
Democrat olive are wrong, the Standard |
will correct us.) Then it considered all good |
Douglas Democrats as worthy to vote the
ticket, and to be reckoned as
friends and brethren with the Administration
party. Then, the difference between Doug
las and the jeff. Davis Administration party
was one based upon mere abstraction, and
all would be settled by the grand council of
the Democratic party in national convention
assembled. Then, it was treason to the party
to refuse to support the nominee of the Ma
tional Convention or to question its acts -
Then, boilers from the regular organization
deserved anathemas dread and fearful Then,
t was a sufficient pledge ofa mans Democ-
aey, if he declared that he had not voted for
]ol. Baker for Congress and agreed to vote
or the nominee of the National Convention
What a change has como over the spirit of
is dream
The Standard is at least frank. We wish
had been equally so, before the Convention
1t Charleston.