The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-07-13

GENTLEMEN In accordance with the
verbal assurance which gave you when you
placed in my hands the authentic evidence
of my nomination for the Presidency by the
National Convention of the Democratic
party, now send you my formal accept
ance.
Upon careful examination of the plat
form of principles adopted at Charleston,
and re-affirmed at Baltimore, with an addi-
tional resolution, which is in perfect harmo>
ny with the Others, find it to be faithful
embodiment of the time.honored principles
of the Democratic party, as the same were
proclaimed and understood by all parties in
the presidential contests of lS46, 1852, and
1856.
Upon looking into the proceedings of the
convention, also, l find that the nomination
was made with great unanimity, in the
presence, and with the concurrence of more
than two-thirds of the whole number of del
egates, and in exact accordance with the
long established usages of the party. My
infexible purpose not to be candidate nor
accept the nomination under any contingent
cy, except as the regular nominee of the
National Democratic party, and in that
case only upon the condition that the usages
as we'll as the principles of the party should
be strictly adhered to, had been proclaimed
for long time and became we'll known to
the country. These conditions having all
been complied with by the free and volun-
tary action of the Democratic masses and
their faithful representatives, without any
agency, interference or procurement on my
part, l feel bound in honor and duty to &C
cept the nomination. In taking this step 1
am not unmindful of the responsibilities it
imposes, but with firm reliance upon Di-
vine Providence, / have the faith that the
people will comprehend the true nature of
the issues involved, and eventually maintain
the right. The peace of the country and
the perpetuity of the Union have been put
in jeopardy by attempts to interfere with
and to control the domestic affairs of the
people in the Territories, through the
agency of the federal government. If the
power and the duty of federal inter-
ference is to be conceded, two hostile sec.
tional parties must be the inevitable result /;
the one iufaming the passions and ambi-
tion of the North, and the other of the
South, and each struggling to use the federal
power and authority for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
of its own section at the expense of the
equal rights of the other, and in derogation
of those fundamental principles of self.gov-
eminent, which were firmly established in
the country by the American revolution, as
the basis of our entire republican system.
During the memorable period of our politi.
cal history, when the advocates of federal
Intervention upon the subject of slavery in
the territories, had we'll nigh "precipitated
the country into revolution" the Northern
interventionists demanding the Wilmot
proviso for the prohibition of slavery, and
the Southern interventionists, though few in
number, and without single representative
in either house of Congress, insisting upon
congressional legislation for the protec-
ton of slavery, in opposition to the wishes
of the people in either case, it will be re-
membered that it required all the wisdom,
power and influence of Clay, of Webster
and Cass, supported by the conservative
and patriotic men of the Wing and Demo-
cratic parties of that day, to devise and car.
ry out line of policy which would restore
peace to the country and stability to the
Union. The essential living principle Of
that policy as applied in the legislation Of
1850, was, and now is, n-intervention By
Congress an the territories. The fair appli.
cation of this just and equitable principle
restored harmony and fraternity to dis
tracted country. If we now depart from
that wise and just policy, which produced
these happy results, and permit the country
to be again distracted; if precipitated into
revolution by sectional contest between
pro'slavery and anti-slavery interventionists
where shall we look for another Clay, an,
other Webster, or another Cass to pilot the
ship-of state over the breakers into haven
of peace and safety.
The Federal Union must be preserved
The Constitution must be maintained in
violate in all its parts. Every right guar.
anteed by the Constitution must be pro-
tected by law in all cases where legislation
is necessary to its enforcement. The Judi.
cial authority as provided in the Constitu-
ton, must be sustained and its decisions
implicitly obeyed and faithfully executed
The laws must be administered and the con-
stituted authorities upheld, and unlawful
resistance to these things must be met
with frmness, impartiality and fidelity, il
we pXDect to eniOv and transm it unimnaireG