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


cognition Of sound Democratic principles
May it not be that their votes would now suf:
fceto turn the scale, to purge the party creed
of all heresios, and to emblazon on the party
banner its honored device of fidelity to the
Constitution and the Union in characters SO
clear as to defy misconstruction
Suppose, for a moment, that. in this last
struggle for the right they shonld again be
overborne: Is it not, then, equally plain that
the delegations of the other Democratic States
cannot for an instant be suspected of an In
~tention to refuse to redeem their pledge OF
withdrawal from an assembly which shall per-
~sistently determine, on the sacrifice of prin-
ciple which they themselves have declared in
dispensable for 1their united action to a sup
posed expediency? And will not all the
Democratic States thus Withdrawing and ad-
journing to Richmond be joined by the true
and faithful delegates from Pennsylvania and
New Jersey, from Indiana and New York
aye, from every one of our sister States where
delegates are found imbued with the living
principles of our party, but whose voice has
hitherto been stihcd in the Convention because
of their being in the minority of their respec-
tive delegationsp
For it is a, striking fact, not to be overlook
ed in this connection, hat whether the vote
had been taken entirely by States or by dele
gates, in either event there was a clear major
ity in the Convention in favor of the recogni-
was only by taking part of the votes by States
as units, and another part by divided States,
that an apparent and Fictitious majority sue
ceeded in preventing that recognition.
r The answers to all the foregoing questions
seems to us clear and plain. The line of con-
duct we suggest leads, in our Judgment, to a
reconciliation of differences on a basis of prin-
ciple. It leads to the united and harmonious
action of our party. 1t does more, infinitely
more: It secures vastly added strength to that
assertion of principle which none of us would
for an instant think of compromising; it COM
pels their recognition and proudly vindicates
the action of the seeding delegates, who will
thus have secured the object of their struggle,
and have merited the applause and gratitude
of their Democratic brethren.
The contrary course would, we believe, be
productive of mischievous' consequences
Time does not permit the action of the regular
organizations of our party in the respective
States, and who alone have the power to speak
their will, to meet in council and give instruc-
lions to their delegates. How is the voice of
California or of Oregon to be heard in time ?
How are the constituencies of Texas and Vir-
ginia to meet in State Conventions and give
authoritative expression of their will before the
middle of June? How can the machinery be
put in motion by which the Democratic voters
will direct attendance at Baltimore or Rich
mond in accordance with their judgment p
Evidently, this annot be done. Evidently,
the delegations already elected are the onlyones
that can act, and they must act on their own
Judgment in a conjecture which does not allow
opportunity for instruction by their c%onstitu-
encies. A refusal, then, by the delegates of
the seeding States to return to Baltimore, a
refusal to defer the Richmond meeting until
there shall be an uncomfortable necessity for
holding it, would inevitably result in incurable
division of our party, the sole conservative Or
ganization remaining in our country; in its
final disruption worse than all, in the endan-
gering Of the successful assertion of its prin-
ciples, compared with which the success of a
single struggle is unworthy of one moments
consideration. -EJ-s
R. W. JOHNSON, NJ. R. Fl. GARNET,
A. INVERSION, r.. TooMBs,
Tor- CrrnrrT SDDA