The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-05-23

Address of the National Democracy
The undersigned, members of the National
Democratic party, supporters of its principles,
and deeply anxious, by promoting its harmony,
to preserve unimpared the efficiency of its or
ganization, desire to join in 81 with their
Democratic brethren throuSst the United
States,N
The proceedings of the Convention recently
assembled at Charleston have developed a d.
vergence of opinion between the delegations
of the different States in relation to the<prin-
ciples which form the basis of our Union
1.-THE national Democratic platform adopted at
Cincinnati in 1856 met the cordial approval of
all who believe these United States to be what
their very name imports, a union of States,
equal, sovereign, and endowed in all respects
with equal rights. This approval was based
on what seemed to us to be the plain meaning
of the resolutions embraced in that platform.
During the four years, however, which! have
since INTERVIEWED, it has become painfully ap-
parent that the construction deemed by us
so manifestly right is controversial by many
members. of our party; that other principles
are supposed to find confidence in hat plat
form-principles, in our Judgment, subver-
sive of the true theory of the Government and
of the Constitution to which our Union owes
its birth, and en- whose preservation its perma-
nent existence depends.
What is the history of the recent Conven-
ton at Charleston2
Seventeen States, forming a majority of the
whole, adopted with remarkable unanimity a
platform of principles SO worded as to avoid
the possibility of Observation-Disclosures
deemed political axioms by all who uphold the
equal rights of the States as the very basis of
the Confederacy. Many delegates from the
remaining sixteen States concurred in opinion
with this majority, conspicuous amongst whom
were delegates from Pennsylvania and New Jer-
sey.
The States which adopted this platform
give electoral votes which can be relied on
with absolute certainty in favor of the Democrat
ic nominee, and well grounded confidence is en-
tertained of a like result in Pennsylvania and
New Jersey. These seventeen States united
with Pennsylvania alone comprise a majority
of the entire electoral vote of the United
States, able to elect the Democratic nominee
against the combined opposition of all the re-
naming States.
This platform was deliberately rejected by
a combination composed of a small fraction of
the delegates from the seventeen Democratic
States and a very large majority of the dele
gates of the remaining sixteen States; and a
resolution was adopted in It's stead simply re-
affirming the principles of the Cincinnati plat
form, without explanation or Interpretation of
its disputed meaning. This was done with
the openly avowed purpose of enabling the
Democratic party to wage battle with some
chance of success in certain Northern and
Western states by presenting to the people as
its doctrines principles openly and expressly
repudiated .bya majority of the Democratic
State delegations, and by a majority approach
ing unanimity of the Democratic electoral
votes of the Union. -
The delegations of eight States, together
with a portion of that of Delaware; faithful
adherents of our party and firm supporters of
its principles, were thus, by sheer force of
votes, cast by delegates from States that will
certainly vote for the Republican candidates,
compelled to withdraw from the Convention,
because, in the language of a distinguished
| delegate, they felt ssthat it was a burning i'm
p~utation upon the honor and patriotism of the
party, that claiming to be national, and claim
ing to have principles for its guide, it should
acknowledge for its declaration of faith a creed
upon which are placed two distinctly opposite
interpretations by its own advocates"
We cannot refrain from expressing our adj
miration and approval of this lofty manifesto
ton of adherence of principle, rising superior
to all considerations of expediency, to all tram
mels of party, and looking with a single eye
to the defence of the constitutional rights of
the States.
The delegations of other Democratic States,
however, (including a few delegates from the
seeding States,) not less faithful in devotion
to principles, were more hopeful of obtaining
from their brethren some satisfactory recog-
milton of sound principles, and deeided,on re-
naming in the Convention after distinctly de-
claring, however, their determination also to
withdraw if their just expectations should be
disappointed. fa.
It is thus apparent that there was almost
Io.4.,o ,no-iro;f- 20 1r;n1p1o - AL 1o1ooo-
tions of the only States on which absolute re-
lance can be placed for Democratic electoral
votes, whilst there existed diversity of opin-
ion as to the line of policy best calculated to
secure the triumph of those principles. Nor
is it matter of surprise that in a conjuncture
SO unexpected and anomalous, when, in the
enunciation of Democratic principles, the
voice of Virginia was overborne by that of
Ohio, and Louisiana and Arkansas were forced
to succumb to Vermont and Michigan, there
should be excited feelings, divided counsels,
and discordant action.
In the subsequent proceedings of the Jon
~vention, however, we think that distinct init
nations may be discerned of a disposition on
the part of the Convention to recede from its
determination, and to afford, either by an
amendment of the platform or in some other
manner equally satisfactory, such recognition
of principles as would effectually obyiate mis-
$50
! construction and secure the harmonious action
of the party, and that it was only because of
these limitations that the delegations of the
remaining Democratic States consented to join
In the ballots which took place with no other
effect than to induce an adjournment to Bal
timore to the 18th of june, whilst the sece-
ding delegations adjourned to meet at Rich
mond on the second Monday of the same
month. = - 4 ~s
On this state of facts the path seems open
for the united action of the party, and no in
superable obstacle opposes the restoration of
its harmony. So believing, we insist that our
position as representatives of Democratic States
and constituencies forms no just bar to our
right, but rather imposes on us the duty, of
joining our %counsels with those of our Demo
cratic brethren, and uniting in their efforts to
secure the triumph of principles. aTr
It is plain that, if the Convention at Bali
more shall adopt a satisfactory platform of
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