The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-07-11
Judge douglas Letter Of Acceptance.

WASHINGTON, June 9th, 1860.
GENTLEMEN In accordance with the
verbal assurance which gave you when
you placed in my hands the authentic evil
dence of my nomination for the Presidency
by the National Convention Of the Demo-
cratic party, I now send you my formal ac-
ceptance. Upon careful examination of
the platform of principles adopted at Char
lesion, and re affirmed at Baltimore with an
additional resolution, which is in perfect
harmony with the others, find it to bea
faithful embodiment Of the time honored
principles of the Democratic party, as the
same were proclaimed and understood by.
all parties in the Presidential contests of
IS4S, 1852 and 1856.
Upon looking into the proceedings Of the
Convention also find that the nomination
was made with great unanimity in the pre-
sence and with the concurrence Of more
than two.thirds of the whole number Of
delegates, and in exact concordance with the
long established usages Of the party. My
intxiblc purpose not to be o candidate, nor
accept the nomination under any contin-
gency, excepta as the regular nominee of the
National Democratic party, and in that case
only upon the condition that the usages as
well as the principles of the party should
be strictly adhered to, had been proclaim
ed for long time and become well known
to the country. these conditions having all
been complied with by the free and volun;
tary action of the Democratic masses and
their faithful representatives, without any
agency, interference, orprocurement On my
part. feel bound in honor and duty to &C:
cept the nomination. ...,........., ..
In taking this step am not unmindful
of the responsibilities it imposes, but, Wits,
firm reliance upon Divine Providence, I
have the faith that the people will compre.
bend the true nature of the issues involved;
and eventually maintain the right. The
peace of the country and the perpetuity of
the Union have been put in jeopardy by
attempts to interfere with, and to control
the domestic affairs of the people in the
Territories through the agency of the Fede-
raj Government. If the power and the
duty of Federal interference is to be con-
coded, two hostile sectional parties must be-
the inevitable result, the one infaming the
passions and ambition of the North, and
the other of the South, and each struggling
to use Federal power and authority for ag~
grandizement of it's own section, at the ex-
pense of the equal rights of the other, and
| in derogation of those fundamental princi-
pies of self government which were firmly
established in this country by the Ameri-,
can revolution as the basis of our entire
| Republican system. During the memora-
| bic period of our political history when the
advocates of Federal Intervention upon the
subject of slavery in the Territories had
well nigh ''precipitated the country into re-
volution," the Northern interventionists
demanding the Wilmot Proviso for the pro-
hibition of slavery, and the Southern inter-
ventionists, then few in number and with
out single representative in either House
Of Congress, insisted upon Congressional
legislation for the protection of slavery, in
opposition to the wishes of the people in
either case, it will be remembered that it
required all the wisdom, power, influence
Of Clay, and Webster, and Cass, sup
ported by the conservative and patriotic
men of the Wing and Democratic parties Of
that day, to devise and carry out line Of
policy which would restore peace to the
country, and stability to the Union.
The essential living principle of that po-
Icy as applied in the legislature Of 1850
was, and now is, non interrention by Con-
gress Nth slauery IN the Territories. The
fair application of this just and equitable
principle restored harmony and fraternity
to a distracted country. If we now depart
from that wise and just policy which pro-
dused these happy results and permit the
country to be again distracted, if precipita-
ted into revolution by a sectional contest be -
tween pro-slavery and anti-slavery invcn-
tionists, where shall we look for another
Clay, another Webster, or another Cass to
pilot the ship Of STATE over the breakers,
into haven of peace and safety.
The Federal Union NJ lst be preserved.
The Constitution must b. maintained invi-
olate in all its parts. Every right guaran-
teed by the Constitution must be protected
by law in all cases where legislation is nc
ccssary to its en@agy .nent. The judicial
authority as provided in the Constitution
must be sustained, and its decisions impli-
city obcyed and faithfully executed The
laws must be administered, and the consti-
tuted authorities upheld, and all unlawful
resistance to these things must be put down
with tirmness, impartiality and fidelity if
we expect to enjoy and transmit unimpair-
ed to our potserity that blessed inherit
ance which we have received in trust from
the patriots and sages of the Revolution.
With sincere thanks for the kind and
agreeable manner in which you have made
known to me the action of the Convention,
have the honor to be, respectfully,
| Your friend and fellow citizen,
S. A. DOUGLAS.
The Hon. VIM. H. Ludlow, of New York,
r. p. Dick, Of North Carolina, P. c. Wick
life, of Louisiana, and others of commit