Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-04-28
THE LATEST NEWS.
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION.
FIFTH DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
Il e l. EG r APHTC

nc announcement was made at 1Ok O'Clock
ina. tne committee on the platform would not be
leauy 10 report for an hour, and il was proposed
adopted. '' "ni'n WAS
The MAJORITY PLATFORM.
NC ioiiowlng resolutions have been finally
au 'a,eo, oy majority of the committee on the
Piauofh consisting partly Of propositions by Mr..
Clatk, OF Missouri, and Mr.. Bayard, of Delaware:
neSo'esa, That the platform adopted at Cincin-
nsIl oe affrmt d, with the following resolution
hold these cardinal principles OH the subject of
| slavery In the Territories:-First. that Congress
9as NO power to abolish slavery in the Territories
power to abolish slavery in the Territories NO, 10
ProLIplt the introduction of slaves therein. nor
any power 70 destroy or impair the right of prop-
cry III slaves 10y any Legislation whatever
20. heSotred, That the enactment of the State
Lessihtufes to defeat the faithful execution of
the iuSllve slave law are hostile in character
| suoSeisiVe OF the constitution and revolutionary
in their character
81. hssolced, That it is the duty of the federal
government to protect, when necessary the rights
OF persons or property on the high seas, in the
jurisdiction extends
4th. Rssotred, That it is the duty of the gov
ernmeat of the United States to offer protection to
naturalized citizens in foreign countries
5th. ReSolred, That it is the duty of the uov
eminent Of the United States to ACQUIRE Cuba at
the earliest practicable moment
The resolution was adopted after two DAYS ex-
may be regarded as the ultmatum of the south
hey received the votes of all the Southern States
together with those of California and OREGON,
The New York delegation by a vote of i6 to %
instructed their member of the committee n sign
the minority or Douglas report; so that Il States
voted for the minority report and IG against it.
Inc above resolutions, if adopted by the con-
ventlon, are fatal to the prospects of Douglas
The minority subsequently moved the adoption
OF the Cincinnati platform, with an additional
resolution referring all questions of slavery in the
Terri forie to boz cir
This was rejected by vote of Il against I6
New York voting ave.
hEAssEMBLING OF THE CONVENTION
AT h5lfpast IL o'clock the convention reas.
sembled, when the malority report of the plat
form committee was read by Mr. Avery, who said
he was Instructed to say that entire unanimitv
not prevail on portion of the resolutions. The
first and third, i'm relation to slavery in the T.
tories and the duty Of the general goycrnment 70
protect the rights of persons and property. are
adopted by a large majority of the committee
The second resolution, in relation to the fugitive
slave law, and the fourth, in relation to natu,-
allied citizens, Were adopted unanimously bv the
committee The fifth, relative to the acquisition
OF Cuba, was adopted without division.
lhere Were TWO minority reports then presented
by Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts, and Mr. PAYNE
OF Ohio, the latter stating that his report
that of minority. represented ~ electoral votes
electoral votes
One Of the minority reports is signed by r r
Butler, on behalf of the minority, which merely
makes reference to the Cincinnati platform de-
caring that democratic principles are unch ange-
able In thelr nature when applied to the same sub
Ject-matter; and only recommends i'm addition to
the Cincinnati platform, resolution for the pro-
lection of all citizens, whether native or natural
lied.
The principal minority report, boweve, e.
signed by the delegates from Maine New Hamr-
shire, Vermont. r hode Island Connection NV
Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan. Wis
conslh, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, and Penn
sylvania.
The points presented in the report are: Firs.
aiirming the Cincinnati platform; second, that
all the rights of property are judicial in charac-
Ter, ana the Democracy pledge themselves TO carry
ont all decisions of the Supreme Court on such
subject third ample protec ion to citizens native
or naturalized, at home broad; fourth, ei YES
pledge OF governmental aid to the Pacific rail
road; fifth, advocates the acquisition of Cuba on
terms honorable TO oursel, es and lust to Spain:
sixth that all State resistance to the fup tive slave
Jaw Is revolutionary and subversive of the consti-
tuition.
Mir Johnson, of Md, inquired how MANY of
the electoral votes represented by the minority
report conld be depended upon for the Demo.
cratic nominee! Laughter ard applause
MIR. Payne could not say, nor could he sneak
Tor Maryland, which goes with the majority He
said be offered his platform substitute for the
whole, and another Massachuse delegate pro-
posed another series of resolutions
All the reports being presented. Mr. Avery arose
TO address the Convention, claiming that he rep-
resented the seventeen Democratic States of the
Union.
In the course of the debate the chairman of the
majority Of the committee, Mr. Avery said that
altEOu- representing fifteen slave States and two
free states, be denied that any feeling of section
aiism had influenced the ma oritv
Mr.. Clark, of Mo, stated that although he
signed the majority report that he did not and
would not vote for the third resolution which is
follows:
RtsOirfd, That it is the duty of the Federal
Government to protect, when necessary the ri hts
of persons and property on the high seas and in
the Territories, or wherever else its constitutional
authority extends
Mr.. Avery called attention to the fact that the
majority .ePort represents hundred and twenty
seven certain Democratic electoral votes whilst
tue minority do not represent one electoral vote
that can be claimed as certain. He regarded
s1uatter sovereignty subversve Of the rights of
The South as Congressional ntervent on would be
He classed it with the Wilmot proviso, as being
equally subversive Of southern rights
Mr.. Avery alluded to the fact that Mexico and
Cuba would inevitably, with Central America.
form part of the Union, and, with the popular
sovereignty doctrine. as proclaimed in the minor
ity report, 10 Shareholder would dare enter any of
this new territory with his slaves 1t was said
that northern men did not like to be thrown into
association with shareholders, and he appealed to
gentlemen to correct that error-to prove to the
South that the Democratic party of the North en-
terrain no such sentiments there is no distrust
among the masses of the people of their northern
allies. We sympathize with you when YOU are
called dough faces at the North, and we ask vou
to give us the evidence that our sympathy is Wnll
placed.
Mr.. Payne, of Ohio, then addressed the conven-
ton in behalf OF the minority. He did not desire
he said, any personal victory; but those be repre-
scented believed that in harmonious settlement
of these difficulties depends the existence Of the
Democratic party and the prosperity and perpetu-
ity of the Union.
The Democracy of the North have stood bv the
South in good faith There never had been but
one construction put upon the slavery clauses of
the Cincinnati PLATFORM; and he challenged any
man to show that it had been differently con-
strued, even on the floors of Congress
Mr.. Payne read to the Convention the opinions
OF Secretary Toucey and Vice President Breckin-
ridge against any measure to legislate slavery into
the Territories, and arguing that the people of
each Territory shall settle the matter for them
selves, and be admitted into the Union with or
without slavery, as they may determine. And he
said he could show that every distinguished south
ern statesman since 1850 has planted himself on
the platform of -interven-
ton by Congress He quoted also from MessrS
Hunter, TOombs, Mason, and other southern Dem
ocratic statesmen, maintaining the same ground
OF non-lnerventicn, and concluded by saying:
We cannot recede from this doctrine ,cithOnf per
S0Hdt diShOnor; and, so help as God Herer 1r.H
abandon hiS principle. [SensatiOn. Ii the ma
Jority report is adopted you cannot expect one
northern electoral vote, one sympatbizing men,
Der OF Congress, from the free States ;;
Mr.. Payne's concluding appeal to the South
was very powerful, and was listened to with great
attention. lie urged them not to destroy the