Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-06-30
The Baltimore Conventions.

it is broken into two apparently irreconci-
liable divisions. On Saturday last the
Democratic National Convention at Balti-
more nominated Stephen A. Dauglas, for
President, and Benjamin Fitzpatrick, Of
Alabama, for Vice President, while those
who succeeded from the Convention, in
connection with delegates excluded by the
adoption of the majority report of the Con-
vcntion, in connection with delegates ex-
cluded by the adoption of the majority
report of the Committee on Credentials,
formed a new Convention and nominated
John G. Breckinridgc, for President, and
Joseph Lane, for Vice President. This
result, while it was not entirely unexpoc-
ted, extinguishes the hopes that we in COM
mon with the great mass of the Democratic
party of Pennsylvania entertained, that the
representatives Of the party at Baltimore
would rise superior to the personal jealous
les and hair-splitting distractions that
caused the division at Charleston, and in
a spirit of enlarged patriotism bury asst
differences and dissensions, for the good of
the Democratic party and the welfare of
the whole Union. This anticipation is, for
the present at least, dissipated. The stub.
born, unyielding determination of both
sides not to give an inch to save the Demo-
cratic party from disruption, has been fol-
lowed by its necessary consequences, which
we see in the nomination of two candidates
for the Presidency-the one nominated
mainly by votes from the North, and the
other by votes principally from Southern
States
1t is not pleasant task to review the
causes of this disruption. But it is appa-
rent that the difficulties and disasters at
Baltimore had their germ in the foolish,
i'll advised and suicidal secession of South
ern delegates from the Convention at
Charleston. That movement was made
precipitately, and without sufficient cal
culation Of its consequences. The dele
gates who restorted to secession in a mo-
ment of passion, discovered, as soon as
they had time to examine their position
with coolness, that they had been guilty of
great blunder. The Convention, willing
to grant time and opportunity that this
mistake might be repaired, and the States
left without representatives by the defect.
ion of their delegates, afforded the privi-
lcge of supplying the vacancies, and re-
constituting the Convention great national
representative body of the Democracy tf
the whole Union, adjourned to Baltimore,
after adopting resolution respectfully
recommending to the Democratic party
"of the several States to make provision
g for supplying all vacancies in their re-
"spective delegations to this Convention
"when it shall rc-assemblc." Under this
authority the Democratic organizations in
the several States from which delegates
withdrew at Charleston, proceed to take
the necessary steps for filling the vacancies
In so doing, discussions and divi,ions oc-
CURED in several of the States, and double
delegations appeared at Baltimore, each
claiming seats and the true representatives
ofthe Democ ratio party of their States.
This new complication was caused by
the effort of the seeding delegates to gct
back to the Convention, and repair tn,
enormous blunder they had committed a
Charleston. Had they acted with cool
ness and discretion in the first inst ance
and not departed from their allegiance tc
the democratic party simply because the
demanded on the question of platform, thu
very calamity they SO much professcd tc
deplore, and which they took violent ant
revolutionary means to avert, might have
been prevented by peaceful and Legitimate
processes. They had it in their power tc
, prevent any but national nomination
and thus avert the disastrous division which
has overtaken the once invncible Demo
cratic party; but by following rash coun-
, sells, and plunging into devious and uncer
tain paths, they contributed in a grea
degree to the final disruption, and PLACED
in the hands of their enemies weapons fol-
their overthrow.
But after the Charleston Convention ha,
requested the several States to fill va
,, cancies, it was not for the Baltimore Con
vention TO determine who should be cho
= sen by the respective States as their rep
, resentatives. That was a question for tn,
exclusive determination of the States
They had the right to re-commission th
seeding delegates and the Convention ha,
no right to question their authority. Al
ahop,o I TouSiopo M;os;ss;n,o; opJ n Ia,