Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-19
m Addr ess to the Charleston seceders.


The Washington Constitution of Thursday
publishes an address from members of Con-
.ress to the Seceders from the Charleston
Convention, advising their return to the ad-
lourned Convention at Baltimore. After re-
captivating the circumstances under which
| the secession occurred, the Address con-
cludes:
/ "From this statement Of facts, is it not evident
that the wise and prudent course now to be pur
sued by the delegations Of the eight States is to
defer assembling in Richmond until the necessity
for such meeting shall become imperative? Ought
they not, in view of the already altered condition
of affairs, to return to the Convention at Balti-
more and aid their sister States in the struggle
| for the recognition of sound Democratic princi-
! Piles? May it not be that their votes would now
suffice to turn the scale, to purge the party creed
fall heresies, and to cmblaZon on the party ban
ner its honorcd device of fidelity to the Consttu
ton and the Union, in characters so clear to do
| fy miSconsIruction.
Suppose for a moment that in this last struggle
| for the right, they should again be overborne Is
it not, then, equally plain that the delegations OF
the other Democratic States, cannot for IN instant
| be suspected of an intention to refuse to redeem
their pledge of withdraw, from assemblage
which shall persstenlly determine on the sacri-
| flee Of principle, which they themselves have de
supposed expediency? And will not all the Demo-
cratic States thus withdrawing and adjourning to
Richmond, be joined by the true and faithful dele
gates from Pennsylva and New Jersey, from
Indiana and New York-ayc, from every one of
our sister States where delegates arc found i'm.
bued with the living principles or our party, but
whose voice has hitherto been stined i'll the Con-
vention, because of their being i'll the minority
| of their respective delegations?
| For it is IL striking fact not to be overlooked in
| this connection, that whether the vote had been
taken entirely by States by delegates i'll either
| event there clear majority in the Convcn-
ton in favor of the recognition of sound constltu-
tionul principles, and it only by taking part
Of The votes by States as units, and another part
| by divided States, that an apparent anu fac
tious majority succeeded in preventing that recog
milton.
The answer to I'LL the foregoing questions seems
| to us to be clear and plain. The line of conduct
We suggest leads, i'll our Judgment to rcconcilla-
| ton of differences on IL basis Of prlnclpie. 1t
| leads to tho united and harmonious action Of our
party. 1t does moro, infinitely more 1t secures
vastly added strength to that assertion Of prlnci-
| pies which none of us would for an instant think
OF compromising; it compos thelr recognition and
| proudly vndicatcS the action of the seeding del.
gates. who will thus have secured the object of
their struggle, and have meritcd the applause and
gratitude of their Democratic brethren
| The contrary course would we believe, be pro-
| ductive of mlschevouS consequences. Time does
not permit the action of the regular organ zations
| Of party in the respective States, and VIII"
alone have the power to speak their will, To meet
i'll council and give Instructions to their dclcga-
tons. How is the voice of California or Of Ore
.on to be heard in time2 How are the constituent
cieS OF Texas and Virginia to meet in State con
vcntions and give authoritative expression OF
their will before the middle Of June? How can
the machinery he put in motion by which the De-
mocratic voters will direct attendance at Baltimore
or Richmond, in accordance with their Judgment
Evidently, this cannot he done. Evidently, the
delegations already elected are the only ones that
act. and they must act on their own judgment,
in 4; conjecture which does not allow opportunity
for instruction by their constituencies refusal,
then, hy the dele gates of the seeding States to
turn To Baltimore, II refusal to defer the Richmond
meeting until there shall be uncomfortable ne
ces<itv for holding it, would inevitably result in
incurahle division of our party the sole conScrva-
tive organization remaining in our country: III its
final di.ruption worse than all, in the endanger
ing of the successful assertion Of its principles,
compared with which the success of Il single cleo
tur.li struggle is unworthy OF one moments con-