The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1860-08-01
TO THE VOTERS OF

The undersigned were appointed by meet
ing held at Columbus, on the 4th day of July
Of which Hon A. II. Byers, OF Wayne county
was Chairman. and WI. Gordon OF Guy ahogu
county, Secretary, and at which all the Con.
gressonal Districts we're represented by sound
and reliable Democrats in good standing with
the party,as n committee to prepare an Address
to the people OF Ohio. setting forth the reasons
why the support OF the people should be with
held from the electoral ticket pledged to the
election OF Stephen A. Douglas and Herschel v
johnson for President and Vice President Of
the united States aud accorded to the electoral
ticket to be put in nomination at the Conveu-
ton to be held at Columbus, on the 7th day oi
August, pledged to the election of JOHN C.
BRECKINRIDGE and JOSEPH LANE.
In approaching this subject, the committee
would premise by saying that neither of the
two tickets above named should be regarded as
of binding force upon the Democracy, as being
ticket nominated by the original National
Convention Of the patty. A Convention is an
assembly convened for the purpose Of consulta
tion among those interested in the common
cause. SO long as 1t adheres together in its
integrity. its nominations should be binding up
on those who remain in it until those nomna-
tions are made. Butif, previous to its definite
and final action, rupture OF the Convention
takes place, the Convention as Convention
is no longer in existence, and neither those who
secede nor those who remain can claim to rep
resent it. Those who remain and those who
may secede may alike nominate, but their nom
nations represent only the parties which make
them.
| Thus, while presenting our ticket before the
people, we expressly disclaim arrogating that to
ourselves which we deny to Others, and express
ly assert that neither the ticket bearing the
names Of Breckenridge and Lane, nor that
bearing the names Of Douglas and Johnson, is
of binding force upon the Demo ratio party as
the nomination Of its original National Conven
ton, but that both tickets stand upon their
merits, and that every voter is at perfect liberty
to support either, as his judgment AMI his con
science may dictate.
| Passing. there fore, to the merits Of the two
tickets, we assert that the Douglas and john
son purity" (properly 50 called, since they rely
solely upon the personal merits of their candi
dates are now standing in direct opposition to
the cardinal and time tried principles of th'
Dr. mocralic party. That party has always de-
clsred that the Territories of the United States
are the common property Of all the States
Northern and Southern; that the citizens OF al
the States have an equal right to go there ant
to remain there with their property, under the
same conditions and with the same glarant ees
of their rights; that this right is bonn fle rgh
and not to be denied or impaired, either direct
y or indirectly, neither by open interference
nor by technical quibble.
In regard to the slavery question, it has been
a cardinal principle with the Democratic party
that Congress has no power over the Territories
| tn determan that question; that the people o
the Territories, and they only, could determine
| it, that their determination should be fairly and
equtably ascertained, and that for this reason
the peorle Of the Territories themselves could
determine the question only when thev should
assemble, with the population required by law
for the. purpose Of forming and adopting State
Constitution, and demanding admission as
State. 1t was supposed that this principle wa
fully and plainly indicstei in our "Cincinnat
Platform" But. unhappily, q portion of our
party in the North who sought power through
an unhoIy alliance with the abolition element
of the Republican party, and consisting mainly
of the chief OF the douglas party" and his fol
lowers, have asserted that this right OF immi
grafton Of all our people into the Territories
with their property, though it could not be de
MED, could be practically refused; that a lgh
guaranteed by the Constitution to North and
South alike, could be annulled to the South by
unriendly leg'slation;' that Congress could
confer upon Territorial Legislature powers
which it did not possess itself; that, in word
Territorial Legislature, the creature Of Con
gress, IF indeed Congress can create it,)s more
powerful tnan us creator.
1t is hardly necessary to speculate upon tho
miseries AMI strife which such a doctrine would
Iinflict upon the Territories; it is hardly neces
sary to remind the people that THE is the iden
tical doctrine sought to be enforced by tht
Republican party in the Territory of Kansas
and ofthe crimes anil frauds which arose there
H. Io.a - IL;
pie, OF such pr position as this. stripped o
Is sophistres, should carry with it its own re-
ut alton.
When the Convention met at Charleston,tht
South claimed, and all right thinking Demo
Gratis desired, that this point in our Cincinnati
Platform should he mlde plain, They justly
contended that Democracy at the North and
South is the same, and that the fundameu'a
faith Of the party should be set forth in sucl
simple garb that no bargaining POLITICAL or am
bilious trickster should again pin aheresy to it'
skirts. They demand that the cardinal prnc.
pie Of the party above referred 10, should b.
boldly asserted in simple resolution--that the
property ofal citizen should he equally pro
tected by the General Government.
This equitable demand, coming from trne
Democrats Of all sections, has been characteri
zed by the douglas party as demand Of the
South for "Slayc Code" meaning thereby a
code for the encouragement and establishment
Of slavery. Its slang phrase, worthy Of a
party whose whole political capital consists o