Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-07-13
WASHINGTON, June 80, 1860.

t'tf Il nav tHt uUDuT W utkHUWl-
edge the receipt of the communication
you make in behalf of the Democratic
National Convention, in which you in
form me that on the 23d instant was
unanimously nominated by that body as
the candidate of the democratic party for
the Office Of Vice President of the United
States, with the request that | shall ac-
cept the nomination.
The platform adopted, aud of which
you enclose me copy, meets with my
hearty approval, as it embodies what |
have been contending for as the only
means Of stopping sectional agitation, by
securing to all equality and constitution
al rights, the denial Of which has led to
the present unhappy condition of public
affairs.
Compromises Of constitutional princi-
pies are ever dangerous, and | am re-
joiced that the true democracy has seen
fit to plant a firm foot on the rock OF
truth, and to give the people an oppor-
tunity to vindicate their love of justice
and fraternal regard for each others
rights.
Non-intervention on the subject OF
slavery, l may emphatieally say, is the
cardinal maxim of the demoeracy-uon-
Intervention by Congress and non-inter-
yention by territorial legislatures, as is
fully stated in the first resolution Of the
adopted platform. In vain should we
declare the former without insisting upon
the latter, because, to permit territorial
legislatures to prohibit or establish slave
ry, or by unfricndly legislation to inval-
idate property, would be granting powers
to the creature or agent which, it is adj
mitted, do not appertain to the prnci-
pal, or the power that creates besides
which it would be fostering an element
Of agitation in the territory that must ne
cessarily extend to Congress and the peo-
pie of all the States.
If the constitution establishes the right
Of every citizen to enter the common ter
ritory with whatever property he legally
possesses, il necessarily deyolvcs on the
federal government the duty to protect
this right Of the citizen whenever or
wherever assaiiod or infringcd. The de-
mocratie party honorably meets this agi-
tating question, which is threatening to
sever and destroy this brotherhood Of
States. 1t does nos propose to litigate for
the extension Of slavery, nor for its re-
striction, but TO give to each State and Ia
every citizen all that our forcfathcrs pro-
posed to give, namely perfect equality Of
rights, and then to commit to the people,
to climate and to soil, the determination
as to the kind Of institutions best fitted
to their requirements in their constiiu-
tional limits, and declaring, as a funda-
mental maxim, that tn. people Of a ter
ritory can only establish or prohibit
slavery when they come to form con
stitution, preparatory to their admission
as a State into the Union
If, happily, our principles shall pre-
vail, an era Of peace and harmony will be
restored to our distracted country, and
no more shall we be troubled with the
agitation Of this dangerous question, be-
cause it will be removed as well from the
territorial legislatures as from the halls
Of Congress when We shall be free to
turn our attention to more useful issues,
promotiye Of our growth in national
greatness.
Our Union must be preserved But
this can only be done BY maintaining the
constitution inyiolate in all It's provisions
and guarantees. The Judicial authority,
as provided by the constitution, must be
sustained, and its decisions implicitly
obeycd, as well in regard to the rights Of
property in the Territories as in all other
matters.
Hoping for success, and trusting in the
truth an justice Of the principles of our
party, and in that Divine Providence
that has watched over US. and made us
ono Of the great nations of the earth, and
that we may continue to merit Divine
protection, cheerfully accept the nomi-
nation so unanimously conferred on me.
and cordially endorse the platform adopt
cd by the convention.
/ have the honor to be, sir, with much
respect, your friend and obedient ser.
want, JosEpH LANE.
Hon. G. Cushing. President Of the De-
mocratic National Convention.
---aHa-aa
BREcETNRIDGE AND LANE NETTING. ~
A large Breckinridge and Lane meeting
was held in Washington on Monday nipht