Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-07-07
WASHINGTON, Saturday, June g

WASHINGTON, Saturday, June 3d.
Hon. CALEB CUSHING; President: / have
the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the
communication you make in behalf Of the
National Democratic Convention, at which
you inform me that on the 23d / was unani-
mously nominated by that body for the Office
Of Vice-P resideht of the United States, with
the request that | should accept the nomina-
ton. The platform adopted, and Of which
you enclose me n copy, meets with my hearty
approval, us it embodies what | have been
contending for as the only means Of stopping
sectional agitation, by securing to all equality
of Constitutional rights, the denial of which
has led to the present unhappy condition of
public affairs. Compromises Of Constitutions
al principles, are ever dangerous, and ! nm
rejoiced that the true Democracy has seen
ft to plant a firm foot on the rock of truth,
and to give the people m opportunity to vim
dictate their love Of justice and fraternal regard
for each others rights.
Non-intervention on the subject Of slavery,
| may emphatically say, is the cardinal maxim
of the Democracy non-intervention by Con
gress and non-interventiOn by territorial legis-
latures is fully stated in the platform adopted.
In vain should We declare the former without
insisting upon the latter, because to permit
territorial legislatures to prohibit such slavery,
or by unfriendly legislation to invalidate prop
erty, would be granting powers to the creature
or agent which it is admitted do not appertain
to the principal or power that creates, besides
which il would be fostering an element of agi-
tation in the Territories that must necessarily
extend to Congress and the people Of all the
States. The right of every citizen to enter the
common Territory with whatever property he
legally possess, it necessarily devolves upon
the Federal Government the duty to protect
this right of o citizen whenever and wherever
assailed or ~infringed. The Democratic party
honestly meets this agitating question which is
threatening TO destroy and sever this brother
hood of States. 1t does not propose to legis-
late for the extension of slavery nor for its re-
striction, but to each State and TO every citi-
zen all our forefathers proposed to give, viz
perfect equality of rights, and then submit to
the people the kind Of institution best fitted
to their requirements in their Constitutions
limits, and declaring as a fundamental max
i'm that the people of a Territory can only es-
tablish or prohibit slavery, when they come "a
form q Constitution, preparatory TO her admis'
sion az a State into the Union. II, happily, our
principles shall prevail, an era of peace and
harmony will be restored to our distracted
country, and no more shall we be troubled with
the agitation of this dangerous question, be
cause it will be removed from the Territorial
Legislature, as from the halls Of Congress,
when we shall be free TO turn our attention to
more useful issues-the motives of our growth
in national greatness.
Our Union must be preserved, but this cal
I only be done by maintaining the Constitution
inviolnte in all its provisions and guarantees
The judicial authority, as provided by the Con
stitution, must be maintained and its decisions
implicitly obeyed in the Territories as in al
other matters.
Hoping for success, and trusting in the
truth and justice of the principles of our par
ty, and in that Divine Providence that hai
watched over US and made us one of the grea
nations of the earth, and that we may con
tinue to merit Divine protection, | cheerfully
accept the nomination so unanimously con
ferred on me, and cordially indorse the plat
form adopted by the Convention.
have the honor to be, Sir, with much res
pecL, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH LANE.