The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-08-01
AN ADDRESS
To THE
Democracy Of the United States.
DEMOCRATIC NAT. Ex. Com. RooMs,1
WAsHINGToN CRY, July lS, 1860. {

WAsHINGToN SITTj July 10, looV. y IL
FELLOW CITIzENs-
The undersigned have it in charge, at the
instance Of the national committee of the
democratic party, to address you some words
of explanation and counsel. You are all
advised, by this time, that a minority of the
delegates seeded from our regular National
Convention at Baltimore, and have proposed
John C:Brecknridge and Joseph Lane as
their candidates for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency of the United States. 1t is an
occurrence without example in our history
and for the consequences which may ensue
Involving, po ssibly, the existence of that
Union which our fathers besought us con-
stantly to maintain-there is grave respon
sibility somewhere. II the responsibility be
upon those Of US who have adhered to the
ancient organization OF the democratic party,
whose banners now display the honored
names of Stephen A. Douglas and Herschel
v. johnson, as the regular democratic NOM
inees, we can but protest, in all sincerity,
that we sought no unjust advantage of our
seeding BRETHREN end have erred, if at all, !
through mere misjudement. 1t appears to
us, however, upon a careful and deliberate
review OF all that transpired at Baltimore as
we'll as ut Charleston, that the supporters OF
Messrs. Breckinrdge and Lane, 10 violating
the settled ussges of the democratic party
and in abandoning the regular democratic
organization, have taken the whole respon-
sbility upon themselves.
QUESTION OF SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES.
Before proceeding TO a narration of the
disturbances in our National Convention at
Charleston, and afterwards at Baltimore, we
81 tn ovDlain tho
duct of the democratic party with regard to
the difficult question of slavery in the Terri.
tories of the United States. The question
arose, distinctly, for the first time, when the
House of Representatives, on motion OF Mr..
Wimot, OF Pennsy lvanio, August IL, lS46,
added proviso to the bill sppropriating
money in aid of the negotiations OF peace
with Mexico, in the following words -
Provided That as an express and fundamental con-
dion TO the acquisition of any territory from the Re.
public of Mexico by the United States by virtue of
any treaty which may be negotiated between them,
nnd to the use by the Executive of the ys herein
snnropriated neither slavery nor involuntary servi-
je shall exist in any part OF said territory, eX-
cept for crime whereof the patty shall first be duly
convicted.
The bill was lost, in the Senate, by rea.
son Of a controversy upon this particular
clause and so the very introduction of the
question into Congress, by Mr.. Wilmot, re.
suited in defeating bill of the utmost i'm
portance, embarrassing the Ext Cutive in the
midst of a foreign war, and in prolonging
that war twelve or eighteen months, expend
jng the treasure OF the nation, and sacrificing
in eubseq quent battle the lives OF SO many OF
our countrymen.
We need not pursue the alarming seta.
,ion thus mischievously commenced an ag-
L Iofoo,nd GappraI E.eo
rominee for the Presidency in l848, and at
last, in 1850, brought our Union to the verge
Of dissolution. That catastrophe Wus avoid.
ed, however, by the irmness and wisdom OF
the democratic party IN congress, and
throughout the country, aided by the most
eminent chieitsins OF the wing party and
the basis OF settlement then agreed upon,
and afterwards unanimously affirmed by the
Whig es well ss by lhe Democratic Nation
al Convention ut Baltimore, in 1902, was
Tim, Congress should not nterpose its au-
,horry, under any circumstances, whether 10
prohibit or introduce, abolish or maintain the
institution OF slavery within the Territories.
A total exclusion OF the subject trom Con.
rress, thence!orth and forever, was the olive
branch held ont oDd accepted, North and
South, by the two great political porties into
which the American people were then divId'
ed. We say, fellow citizens, that the North
and the South alike accepted this settlement
becsuse not only did agitation and discord
cease, but es we'll the abolition party at the
North as the secession pory at the South,
became almost extinct.
In January, 1854, at the first session ol
Congress under General Pierce's bdminis.
fration, necessity arose for the establish.
ment of Territorial governments in Nebras
ka and KoDsas !; hut fearful obstacle seem
ed to lie at the very threshold. The act o
Congress, approved March 6, 1920, some
times called the Missouri compromise, pro
hibited slavery in all the domain over which
these two Territories extended. Obviously
such an enactment WAS inconsistent with the
principle adopted in 1850, and ought then t
have been repealed by name. But it hat
4 not been repealed, and, although never op
erative 10 fact, had acquired all the authority
of age and of the many eminent statesmen
who, wsiving their scruples in regard to it
constilutionality, had accepted it as the de
termination of another controversy which
in 1920, babe fair to rend the Union asun
der. The difficulty seemed, at first, insur
mountable, inasmuch as repeal OF the Mis-
souri, act might renew the agitation quelle'
in 1850 ; whereas, upon the other hand, Il
leave such an act of Congress in existence
would be an abandonment OF the very prin
ciple through which that happy result ha
been obtained. The democratic party, sfte
some hesitation, resolved to pursue the prin
ciple of 1850 to it's logical consequence, t
sbrogate the Missouri compromise line, g
called, even OF the heard Of new and NOR
Il dangerous agitation. Itappealed to the viii
party for assistance, and some OF the South
ern representatives of that party, in Con
s gress, responded to the appeal. But tn
sd Northern wings, with a few exceptions
abandoned their Southern allies, and, unitin
with the remnant Of the old abolition cart,
raised an alarm throughout the North tn,
the democratic party had thus renewed, i
Congress-, the identical agitation which
had solemnly promised to dscountenanc
This "lusion" Of Northern wings and abol
tionists was largely strengthened by defe
ton from our own ranks men. who abaI
doned US, not because they supported tt
Wilmot proviso, b 1t because they feared Il
democratic party was about to surrender tt
doctrine OF ''non.intervention" by Congress
and become an active AGENT through the il
strumentality oil the federal government, f
compelling the Territories, one and all.
accept slavery as an institution forever, vi
alterable and uncomfortable. Time b,
now dssipated the tears of many, and tbs
have returned to their old allegiance. IT
people OF the North are beginning to unde
stand, also, that the true responsibility Il