Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-09-12
Ihe 6tapoato.
.rrrsR FROM HON. JAS. 8. GREEN.

III
CANTON, NO., August 10, 1860.
~ r Ncrtkeutt, Z Hooton C Others, Nersco, No.:
GESrLExsN> Since my return home have re-
ceyed yoar letter inviting me to address the people
m the s,ctical issues Of the day. and am sorry to
nav, IN reply, that the state Of my health and nu-
,neross engagements will prevent my naming time
Il wkich can visit you; but if it be in my power,
shall certainly do so before the November election
In the mean time, in order to prevent all misap-
prehensions with regard to my real position, will
take the liberty Of making brief statement on the
general subject.
regret the division of the Democratic party, but it
is perfectly useless to waste time and strength in
regrets, and it would be equally I'M
profitable to 60 back and heap censure upon the
different parties to the division. deem it my duty
rather to take the subject up exactly as lind 1t
pending before the country, and shape my action
inst as patriotism requires to produce beneficial re-
Suits instead of stirring up excitement and 'l'eel
inn by attributing the separation of the Convention
to the enc side or the otherto the cause or to the
results necessarily produced thereby.
From nay intercourse and acquaintance with the
ffsceds of Douglas and Breckenridge in this State.
I am satisfied there are true patriots and sound
the Presidency. 1t would, therefore, be the height
IF folly xna the grossest injustice to speak of such
citizens in terms Of reproach and abuse. Whilst
shall seppost Breckenridge, it shall be my purpose
to respect the predictions Of others, and present
for candid consideration the motives and reasons by
which am influenced
The Democratic National Convention divided into
two parts, each Of which has presented candidate,
but neither Of them Can claim to have been nomi-
mated in fhe regular way, according to the rules.
usayes and customs of the party. Neither received
l,;r1. &c yra rp-
ouisite to constitute nomination. Douglas never
received more than 1871 votes. while SOB was the
whole ramber, and two-thrds Of that is, of course
2O2. and OF the 1911 votes which, were cast for
Douglas many Of them were spurious, illegal votes,
brought into the Convention merely for the purpose
of increasing his apparent vote. shall not stop to
enumcrate the spurious votes together with the evil
dence of then HTegularty, for the simple reason
that the highest vote he ever received, including all
the bogus ones, lacked coy votes OF making nomi-
nation by the rule of the Convention. Hence it
cannot be centended that he received the nomina-
eatieast Baltimore. The mere fact that Douglas
received the majority of the votes does not amount
to anything. Other aspirants have obtained large
,naorftieS in National Conventions heretofore, and
vet were not for that declared the nominees.
I necd saiy name Van Buren, and CaSs in 1914.
Thefact is there can be no safety or conservatism
iE,such Conventions without the two-thirds rule
md when it is destroyed, National Conventions
e.ssc If a majority could nominate, then twelve
States, wholly in the power of the black Republl-
CHS ard without sing! Democratic electoral vote,
could force upon the party the most Objectionable
candidate they chose to present. But the proprety
of the rule and its non.observance this year in the
case Of Mr.. Douglas, incontestable truths which
cannot he for a moment doubted And what is the
claim Of nominee worth when so seriously and so
generally controverted as in this case? 1t is not to
be ddened that large majority in nearly every
Democratic State in the Onion utterly repudiae the
idea that Douglas has been nominated. They are
as iatcgent, and bound to believe as honest,
as any other Democrats and have the same right to
Judge and determine for themselves. They will not
support him, and hence the whole moral force of
nomination is completely lost, whether they are
right or wrong in their judgment. They must and
will cast fivesixths of all the Democratic Electoral
votes for President, and surely every true man and
patriot will treat them with the consideration due
to brethren. They deny the nomination and all
obligation to support Douglas, and, therefore, the
whole moral force and efficacy of this so called rom-
nation gone forever. 1t surely will not be claim
ed, or even thought Of by the most enthusiastic,
that the pretended nomination of Douglas will ever
induce the Democrats to whom refer, to extend
their support under such circumstances. MOI Its
charm is destroyed-its potency gone. The facts
remains to be done? Shall we quietly submit to
the election of black Republican, without an eff.
fort to prevent it or shall we indulge in crimina-
ton and recriminaton, and destroy the Democratic
party or Shall we shape our course so as to take
revenge on any democrat with whom we differ.
For myself say neither IF we have no regular
nominee, we have time to concentrate public senti
ment in Missouri, and. I believe, in the nation, on
an available, true, and worthy candidate, under
whose banner We car rally and rescue the party
and the Union from the dangers and caamities that
now threaten us. In my opinion John {. Breckin-
ridge is the proper man. Already the Democratic
sentiment, in nearly all the Democratic States, has
been concentrated on him, and surely Missouri will
not separate from her Democratic sisters and throw
her vote away, and thereby increase the chances
and hopes Of the Republican party. Such course
would he suicidal. If We can succeed in electing
any Democrat it can only be I'reckiurdee Under the
existing state of things 1t is fact we'll known
that he is the choice of the Democracy in every
Southern State and also in several Northern States
while the fact is equally well known that Douglas
has SO embtered the feelings of thousands of Dem
'ecrats, North and South, that they will not support
him. Whether that feeling towards Douglas is
right or wrong is not the question We must take
things as we find them and know them to exist,
and then shape our course to the best advantage
This prejudice to Douglas is strong in different
parts Of the Union that even if Missouri should be
induced 70 vote for him, her vote would be thrown
away and lost. But am we'll satisfied that the
Democracy Of our State will stand by her true prin-
cples. and vote for Breckenridge who not only rep
rescnts her principles, but who has the only chance
OF success against Lincoln. When availability and
coincidence Of political opinions both unite in the
same person. We cannot possibly hesitate in our
course lWewill stand by our principles and &C.
cept the best opportunity 70 give them success.
The political sentiments of the Democracy of Mis-.
souri, have been repeatedly declared and no one pre-
tends that Douglas entertans the same opinions on
the subject of slavery. The contrary is true His
opinions on that subject are directly in conflict with
ours. And yet, strange to say, some of his ad
mrers are not only his apologists, but undertake to
prove the prepriety of HIS opinions It seems to me
that such persons permit their ardent zeal to drive
them into positions which they had not intended
a few words viii explain the grave errors of Judge
Douglas.
In the frst place, he holds that slavery and tn,
right to hold slaves depend entirely upon the loca
laws Of States, and cannot 60 an inch beyond AL
the republicans in the United States hold the sam,
AlkGr1na Knit thoE ~, L., I