The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-07-27
Speech of President Buchanan.

1t has already been stated that the Pres
ident, on being serena,Ied at the White
House. on Monday night, on the occasion
of the great B'cckinridge and Lane ratifi
cation meeting, made quite a long speech
expressing his satisfaction with those nom.
'nations. The annexed is report of the
speech from the Washington SMr:
After thanking them for their kindness
in calling upon him, he alluded in the most
complimentary terms 10 their candidates,
Brecknrdge and Lane, and said they had
distinguished themselves both in tho civil
and military departments cf the Govern.
mcn., and in his opinion no better standard
bearers could have Teen made 10 lead their
party 10 victory than those whose banner
they had un?urIeJ that evening.
Speaking Of tile merits of these distin.
guished men, lie said:
Among their many other worthy quail.
ties, the fact that they are friends of the
equality Of the sovereign States OF this Un.
ION in The common territory of the country,
should especially cause you to give them
Your earnest support. They will stand by
that Irinciple-and who would not q.
Equality is equality. Every citizen of the
United Sia'es is equal iciore the Constitu
lion and laws ot the United States and
why should not The sovereign States oftlls
Union preserve and enjoy that pe,fec,
equality which one Of their citizens under
'he Constitution enjoys? This is sound
Democratic doctrine. Liberty and equai.
ty are the birth right of every American
Citizen; and just rs certain as the day sue
ceeds the night, so certain will this p,inci
pie of Democratic justice prevail at last.
1t must prevail. But before speak fur
tl'rr upon this subject. (and I do not sup
pose shall detain you long,) wish to
rrneve stumbling block oat of the way,
have been friend Ct regular nominees =,
have never struck political ticket in my
lille. Now, WAS there anything done AT
Baltimore to bind the political conscience
of any sound Democrat. and to prevent
him ''om supporting Breckinridgc and
Lanc7
was contemporary with the alandunmen
OF The old Cong essional Convention, or
rather caucus system. 1t was a long while
ago, and probably very few of you relnem
her 1t. But under the old Congressional
caucus rule no one WAS admitted EXCEPT
Democratic members Of the Senate and
House. Under that system there never
was any danger that members outside Of
the Democratic party could impose can
dIdate upon the States which were Demo.
cratic, and which could alone elect him
after he was proposed. There were no
dangers Of that kind, because there being
no persons in the caucus except Democratic
members of Congress, that afforded per.
feet assurance that the nominee of the party.
would at least he agreeable to the DernG
cratic States. This National Convention,
succeeded. Whether it was wisely broken
up or not shall not now pretend to say.
But upon The organization Of the National
Convention. which admitted all the States
OF the Union, according to the number Of
their Senators snd Representatives., it was
at once discovered that it WAS possible for
The anti Democratic States in the National
Convention, combined will, few of the
Democratic ones, to impose capdidate
upon the party AT any time, wlIo was OBJ
jectiopale 10 the States that would be
called upon to elect him. And that, it was
f"reseen, would weaken the strength and
destroy the energy of the party. 1t was
substitute for tie rule observed in the Con.
gressional caucus, to which have referred
and Of the same effect.
1t WAS believed at the time, for was
part and parcel of the movement, that in
the two-thirds ,uIe there would always be
majority iof Democratic States satisfied
with the nomination, and ready to rush
into the contest to elect tire candidate.-
Tie two thirds rule, then, was the main
pillar of the National Convention. Il has
been destroyed at Baltimore, and the. Ma
tional Convention has. stumbled isi ruin
as National Convention, The wisdom Of
the tso thirds ruis, however, is manifos.
from the present Condition of the afsis Of
the country. II IL had prevailed, ,rnS can
didass-eoai.lhaye been nomins.ed again..
the esprenssd will Of every Dsmoys.io
State ;p the Union, against the szst I'd
] .yjeyG nltPiy eyssz DSuaooaicj ~ :,