The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-03-16
Platform Making.

The Democratic Senator's have been for
some time very busy in constructing plat
form for the party which is intended for use
at Charleston Caucus after caucus has been
held more or less numerouslv attended,
committees appo;ntel-warm discussions
had and resolutions formed and reported I'M
til finally al recent meeting at which every
Democratic Senator was present, a set of res
olutions presented by Jefferson Davis was
very warmly discussed for many hours and
was then adopted in full with the concur
renee Of all the Senator'S present, Northern
as we'll as Southern, erctpt Donylas an1
PuyA.
1t is scarcely necessary to say that they
are entirely pro-slavery.
We copied them entire last week, and will
reproduce only one now:
Resolrel. That neither Congress nor a ter
ritor;al Legislature whether by direct lesisla-
ton or legislation of an indirect or unfriend-
ly nature. possess the power TO annul or i'm
pair the constitutional right of any citizen of
the United States to take his slave property
into the common territories. hut it is the du-
~ Of the federal government there to afford
tor that as for other species of property, the
needfnl protection. and if experience should
at any time prove that The Judiciary does not
possess power to insure adequate protection.
it will then become the duty Of Congress to
supply such a deficiency.
Of course Mr. Douglas could not vi. Id his
assent to such resolution, as it aims a di-
rect blow at his favor:e doctrine in relation
to the powers of territorial legislature over
the subject of slavery. lie resisted it, We
are informed, not in his usual bold and def
ant tone, but cravenly and beseechinsly.
Mr.. Push, who echoes Mr.. Douglass sen.
tlments, was more outspoken, and distinctly
warned his brother Senators that upon such
platform Of principle les it would be vain to
expect the Charleston nominee to carry sin
gle Northern state. No matter. they needed
him not, SO determined were the majority or
this matter, that neither the begging O:
Douglas nor the warnings Of Pu.h avaiIec
ought to arrest their mad career.
The friends Ct Douglas now say that th,
resolutions, the one copied above in pariicu
lar, were aimed expressly a: him and design
ed to run him off the course This is nc
doubt true, and the wonder is that man of
his reputed sasacity should not have fore
seen, from the course of the great debate of
February, 1859, that the division betwee,
himself and the South could never be healed
otherwise than by a total abandonment of
his position. This he must by this time
plainly see and lament his infatuation in Civ
ing in his adhesion in advance to the nomin
atoms, whatever they may be, that shall bt
male at Charleston. He has utterly fore
closed any appea! to the people. He ha:
sealed his own fate irretrievablv.
Perhaps his friends VIII hope still that the
convention will override this Congressional
platform, and construct one more in accord
ance with his sentiments. Vain hope
The convention is to be held in the yer,
hot bed Of pro-saveryism ard disurion, ane
the members will be overawed and intimida
ted. The result of the Senatorial causus
shows that the Administration men will vii
lIngly glide into the Southern current, ever
though it may sweep them all to destructio,
together.
Mr.. Douglas cannot be nominated a
Charleston except by Dol; or section ane
from this resource he has cut himself Oft b,
the most eytraOrCirarv fatIity