Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-07-20

clare the opinion entertained by majority Of its mem
bers that no Territorial Legislature had any right to pro-
hib the institution of slavery and that the Congress oil
the United States was under immediate obligation to
maintain and protect that institution everywhere-'n
the States in the Territories and in the wilderness IN
which Terri oral governments as yet unorganzed.
To such declaration Of opinion by the State Of Alabama
there could be reasonable ground OF objection upon
the part of other States each Of them being at liberty to
concur or to dissent.
But Alabama did not pause here she instructed her
delegates to present those resou ions to the convention
at Charleston and in the opinion therein expressed
was not adopted by that convention her delegates were
Immediately TO withdraw. And IL conscious of the
antagonistc attitude assumed by such instructions to-
wards the Democratic party at large the Montgomery
convention appointed committee upon whom should de-
volye the duty as soon as the Alabama delegates had
Withdrawn from the convention at Charleston OF calling
State convention to decide upon Interior measures
We desire speak with entire respect oil the State OF
Alabama; and without questioning her right, at any
time 10 adopt such resolutions TO her seemed best,
we are constrained to say that the attitude which she
thus assumed with regard 10 the democracy OF other
States was violation of the usages and principles upon
which ONLY national organization Of our Democratic
party can be maintained II each Of the States had io.
lowed her eIample-and each OF them Was the peer OF
Aabama-tle national convention could not have pro-
ceeded one STEP there would have been room for coun-
sell for interchange of opinion sentiment for concia-
ton, harmony and united action.
After the Charleston convention had prescribed the
rules Of proceeding and verified tho credentials oil all
its delegates the usual method It appointed commit
tee of one from each State TO report platform Of pn-
cipes That committee after long aud tedious sessions
made three reports by the members from seventeen
States ore by the members from fifteen States, and one
by Mr. Butler, from the Staie Of Massachusetts,.
The irst maority) report in substantial accord
ance with the instructions Of Alabama 10 her delegates;
the second consisted OF addition TO the Cincinnati
platform that the Democratic party would abide whatev
or decisions had been, might thereafter be made by
the Supreme Court Of the United States the third was
the Cincinnati platform without any important addition
After full aud earnest debate it became evident that
the convention was not satisfied with any Of these reports
aud accordingly motion made aud carried TO re-
commit all of theui-Aabama well the rest of the
States which afterwards seeded from the convention
| ting for this recommtment
On the same day April 2sth) the committee again
ported and again the reports three in number the
third BY Mr. Butler Of Massachusetts,, being the same
which he previously submitted. The second report Of
the msiorty consisted Of these three resolutions
"F.rsL That the government OF Territory orgaui-
lied by an act of Congress provisional and temporary
and during its existence all citizens OF the United States
have an equal right settle with their property in the
Territory without their rights either OF person pro-
perry being destroyed impaired by Congressional or
Territorial legislation.
Second That it is the duty of the Federal Govern
ment in all its departments protect when necessary,
the rights of persons and property in the Territories
and wherever else its Constitutional authority extends
"IEird That when the settlers in Territory, having
an adequate population, form State Convention the
right OF sovereignty commences and being consumma-
ted By admission into the Union they stand equal
footing with the people of other States and the State
thus organized ought 10 be admitted int the Federal
Union, whether its constitution prohibits or recognizes
the institution Of slavery"
Nothing could be more vague and unsatisfactory than
these resolutions; they deal in "rusms" of the
significance rather the controversy then STOOD OF
no Significance all /. would have been sufficient
reason for their rejection, f 10 other resolutions had
ever been presented) that these magnifed thousand
fold the alleged faults Of the Cincinnati platform.
The second report from the minority Of the commit
tee presented By Mr. Samuel Of Iowa. consisted of the
Cincinnati platform with this addition:
"Inssmuch difference Of opinion exist in the Demo.
cratic party the nature aud extent Of the powers Of
Territorial Legislature, aud TO the powers and du
ties Of Congress- under the Constitution Of the United
Sars the institution of slavery within the Ter
rtories,
"Rssolued, That the Democratic party will abide by
the decision Of the Supreme Court Of the United States
| on these questions Of constitutional law"
No farther amendments resolution being admissi
be by parliamentary rule the convention proceeded to
u vote first rejecting the report Of Mr.. Butler, and then
substituting the report of Mr. Samuel for that of the
jorty The question recurring upon the adoption of
Mr. Samues resolution, delegate from North Carolina
Mr. Brown obtained the leave, by unanimous consent
to address the Convention, aud thereupOn expostuated
sglinst the resolution las then stood in very
IL immediately Dl vote OF S0N 10
2l the States of Alabama. Mississippi Louisiana, Arkan
sss Georgia and Florida declining either side
With view 10 the amendment Of that resolution SO as
to remove the objection thus suggested, motion for
reconsideration entered. Such amendment could
only be accomplished by rejecting the resolution, and
then remembering that vote the previous question hav
ing been seconded and sustained by the Convention be-
fore the delegate from North Carolina bad spoken.
Pending this motion for reconsideration before any
vote upon IT, aud subsequently, before any amendment
NJ &. Gould 10 fha
bama delegation withdrew from the COMMUNICATIONS
ed by ten of the delegates from louisiana thus leaving
that State without vote; tho entire delegations from
M Texas and Florida, and the larger part OF the
delegations from South Carolina, Georgia and Arkansas
These delegations withdrew in the most formal manner
not cou:eung themselves with speeches the subject
but delivering written protests TO be entered at large upon
the Journal OF the convention.
EXCUSES FOR TIKI SECESSION AT CHARLESTON.
Various excuses have been assngned for this eIrsor
dinary conduct but OF them, III our Judgment will
bear examination 1t has been said for instance, tina:
the convention adopted unfair rule Of voting, one
which enabled minority of the delegates to control the
majority. HoFe is the rule in so many words:
THAT in any State which has provided direct
cd by its State convention how its vote may be- given
the convention s recognize the right Of each delegate
10 cast his individual vote"
This rule was adopted Tuesday April 24th, by a
vote OF S9i against 30T delegates; which sufficiently de-
monstIate its fairness if any demonstration were requ
her delegates but each delegate his VOTE
as against any combination of bis colleagues where the
State has chosen thus 20 subordinate him. The rule
WIS spped At Charleston in the decision Of all questions
and no complaint then made of lin their protests
or their peeches by the delegations which withdrew
The first excitement far ascertain, in
the address published by eighteen members Of Congress-
after the convention had adjourned from Charleston 10
Baltimore The rule operated hardly upon the one
side as upon the other witness the fact that delegates
! from Alabama and Louisiana were compelled to with
draw from the convention by the act of their colleagues
against their own will and that delegates from Geor
sia who remained in the convention allowed TO
vote (uuder General Cushng's decisonl because ma
| jority Of the delegation had withdrawn.
OF what possible importance the assertion be that
different result either in regard to the platform the
candidates would have attended rule authorizing each
delegate 10 control bis vote without reference to
the instructions of his State In New York. Ala
bama Indiana ard Louisiana, for example, the conyen.
lion which instructed the delegates the convention
which appointed them aud but that all these delegates
were understood accept their appointments several
with an obligation to obey the Instructions it is very
tain the convention would in each case have made other
appointments. And after ALL how much reliance be
placed in assertions calculations what any dele
gates would have DONE at CharlesUnn different cilcum-
stances AL such assertions calculations based
rumors surmses information q. second hand assur-
ances privately sgnifed
We could by the style OF argument refute the
whole OF them but choose to deal with the subject
as men, and TO ourselves with suppoons or
possibilities. The method Of voting affair to be
determined By the convention; and it determined at
Charleston, have shown, by msjority Of almost
tWo-thir6s.
Another complaint is that the report of the majority
OF the committee resolutions not adopted by the
convention--ss being the voice Of majority Of the
States Several answers suggest themselves at once