Gazette and sentinel., 1860-09-01
6asette e Sentinel,
ADDRESS TO THE DEMOCRACY AND
THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
STATES, BY THE NATIONAL DEMO-
CRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Rooms, I
Is ~ Street, Washington City, July, 1860.

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RooNs,l
IS ~ Street, Washington City, July, 1850. !
To tie Democracy and the People of the
United Observation-Disclosures cleo
ton of the next President and Vice President
of the United States is at hand. -Four distinct
examinations are in the field. The Republi-
can PARTY making bold and open war upon the
Institutions of fifteen sovereign States of this
Union. The Constitutional Union party, re-
pudiating all platforms and standing simply
on the catch words Constitution and the
Union" Two parties, each calling itself
Democratic; one, however, following the for
tunes of one man, Mr.. Douglas, and differing
from the Republicans in making insiduous,
instead of open war upon the South. The
other, standing infexibly on the Constitution
Of the country, makes no concealments as to
lis Interpretation of that instrument, its rally
ing cry being the equality of the States. We
purpose, calmly and impartially, to survey the
feld. and to give the reasons why the latter
partv should be considered as the Democratic
party, and how the dearest interests of coun-
+ try, race, and of human progress, are con-
eerned in its success.
Why is it that the Democratic party is dis
rupted, and its wings arrayed in bitter opposi-
ton to each other? Why is it that the vet
Grams who achieved its time-honored triumphs
no longer move with the old energy and har-
mony to meet the antagonists they have'so
often defeated? What tirebrand has been
thrown into their midst, lighting up intestine
fires, and consuming as with a devouring
fame? Let the plain, unvarnished record
answer.
In 1856 the Democratic party, after a most
bitter contest, elected James Buchanan Presi-
dent, and John c. Breckenridge Vice Presi-
dent of the United States. TIL new admins
trstion was inaugurated and went into opera
ton. It's policy was foreshadowed In the
inaugural address. The Supreme Court, in n
case before it, the bred Scott case, gave its de-
ciion on the question of difference in the
Democratic ranks-adecision which previously
every Democrat had solemnly pledged himself
TO abide by, MS the authoritative exposition of
the Democratic faith. That august tribunal
declared the Missouri Compromise act uncon-
s~ttutionaA and void enunciated the right OF
the South to take and hold their slave property
in the territories; denied to the Territorial
legislature any right to interfere with such
property, and proclaimed that a territory
could only settle the question of slavery at the
time it came to form "A Constitution, prepara-
tory to its admission into the Union as q SOW
ereign State.
This was looked upon by all sound Demo
crats as the final settlement of the question,
and it was believed that the agitation OF
slavery would be forever withdrawn from the
hslls OF Congress. Who has kept up this agi-
tstion ! Who has resisted this decision Who
has declared that: at matters not what way
the Supreme Court may hereafter decide as to
the abstract question, whether slavery may OF
may not go into q territory under the Consti-
tuition, the people have the lawful means to
lntrOdnaa ar ayatnda IL aa thav plaaca " And
again "No matter what the decision of the
Supreme Court may be on that abstract ques-
ton, the right of the people to make a slave
territory, or a free territory, is perfect and
complete under the Nebraska bill?" Mr.. Doug
las thus, in his ILLINOIS contest, set the people
above the Constitution, and violated his own
pledges in the Kansas Nebraska act.
Now was presented to the country the sad
spectacle of our once valiant champion exert
ing his entire energies to overthrow the party
which had so honored him and with the FLAG
Of rebellion and instruction in his hand, en-.
deavoring to seduce the party from its princi
pies. His friends have not hesltated to afili.
ate with the Republican party to compass hi;
ends. In Oregon they united with the Repub-
leans in the canvass of last year and this, and
Mr.. Logan, the leading Republican Of thai
State, fought the canvass on the doctrine o
Squatter Sovereignty alone. In New jersey
bis friends, Messrs. Adrain and Riggs, were
returned to Congress by the votes OF the Re
publican party, and against the regular Dem
eratie party. So with Reynolds, Haskin, and
Clarke, in New York with Hickman anC
Schwartz in Pennsylvania; with John G
Davis in Indiana. Republicans were returned
10 congress over Democrats by the opposition
and with the collision Of the friends of Mr.
Douglas. Thus was Arnold defeated in Con
h~eeticut, Hughes and Ray in Indiana, Taylor
and Russell in New York, Phillips, Leidy
Ali, ellis, and Dewart in Pennsylvania, Hal
and Burns in Ohio, and W~ortendyke in New
Jersey. Mr.. Douglas himself, all the while
has vehemently opposed and denounced tn,
Democratic administration in the Senate; ha
refused to be governed by the voice of hi
party; has warred upon all his Democratic col
leagues, with q single exception has vote
against them, not simply on the vexed ques
uOn Of slavery, but against their nominations
and has even Joined the Republicans in thei
efforts TO exclude frsm the Senate the tw
democratic Senators from the State of Indians
sqUArTER SOVEREIGNTY
owing 70 his election in Illinois to the Sen
yer his competitor, Mr.. Lincoln, TO tn
IN maintained throughout that canvas
no matter what was the decision of tn
Sdpreme Court, the Legislature of a Territor
ouic lawfully exclude slavery therefrom b
sniriendly legislation, he resolved to engraf
as heresy OF Squatter Sovereignty, of whic
@s was an exempli6cation, upon the creed Q
NE democratic party and he declared in hi
LOTT letter that on this condition only woul,
y accept the nomination of the Convention
" the Presidency. Thus one man undertook
oay down the platform of an entire party
mo 70 place out of the pale of that party it
oxn President; all but two of its Senators
~ out some half dozen of its Representative