St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-03-08
Democratic Platform Making.

have met in caucus for the purpose of
forming the platform on which the
Charleston nominee shall stand, and
harmonizing, if possible, the squattcr
sovereignty and Territorial slave code
factions. Two or three sets of rcso-
lutions, which had been previously in
troduccd in the Senate, were before
them, but no harmony of action could
be obtained and in this emergency
the whole subject was referred to
committee, which Senator Bright-a
personal enemy of Douglas-was au-
thorized to appoint. The dispatches
inform us that Green, Fitch, Bigler,
Gwin, Chcstnut-all enemies of Doug
las personally and politically, except
the last-constitutc this committee,
and that each of them had spoken in
caucus in favor of Davis resolutions
which were draughtcd, though not
formally offered. as substitute for
the resolutions submitted by the other
Mississippi Senator. The leading idea
in each is that slave property in the
Territories is entitled to protection
from the General Government, and
that neither Congress, nor the people,
nor the Legislature of Territory has
any right to legislatc against slavery.
Squattcr Sovereignty" the great
principle of the Kansas-Ncbraska bill'
together with its champion, is thus
condemned, and cast out of the pale
of the party. Every one of the five
Senator's appointed by Bright, has
openly branded the Territorial doc
trines of Douglas as false, dangerous
and unconstitutional and nothwith-
standing the hope expressed by
Toombs, this fact forbids Douglas, or
any of his partisans, to entertain the
palcst glimmcring Of hope that
reconciliation will be brought about
by any other mode than by his sub
mission. The President and the Dis
unionists are masters of the situation.
They have taken time by the forelock;
and when the Charleston Convention
meets, the delegations from the North
western States will find q platform
made for the party, on which they,
themselves, can only get foothold by
rcnouncing the heresy of Squatter
Sovereignty. Senator Davis, in con-
junction with the venerable incumbent
Of the White House, determined to
lose no time in neutralizing the effects
of the late declarations in behalf of
the Illinois Senator. The Charleston
: Convention will have to accept their
Joint ultimatum, or rcvolutionizc the
entire organization of the party-rc'
peal its old rules, reject its cstab
lishcd doctrines, and nominate tho
; man who represents Squatter Sove
rcignty, and the right of unfricndly
. legislation. The announcement tina
: Douglas has resolved to transfer hi
/ vote in the Convention to Stephens, i.
s probably true. The two deeply sym
: pathize with each other on all aucs
tons relating to Mexico, Contra
). America and Cuba. They are boil
t anncxationists, and opposed to The
D neutrality laws and this explains
the tenderness of Toombs (who is al
!, so of the same way Of thinking ane
fccling) towards Douglas. When i
= is remembered that the fillibustcr fac
. ton represented by the Georgia Sena
tor has been particularly lenicnt il
their treatment of Douglas that it il
n his interest to procure the nomination
d Of Southern man at Charleston.
he cannot get the nomination himself
q that the combination against him i
:, too powerful to be overcome, cXcep
: by miracle, we cannot refuse to cred
Ii it the telegraphic announcement tina
= Stephens is his candidate for the sue
cesSion. We have never doubted tina
S he would enter the Convention with
G large plurality, or perhaps a majority
but at the same time we felt assure,
n that his nomination would be prevent
4 cd by the Southern delegations, thong
c the Convention itself were to be bro
u ken up in the attempt.
How numerous have been his vaga
# ries the past four years ? Prior to tn
t, Cincinnati Convention, he was oppose,
to the abominablc dogma Of Squat
ter Sovereignty" and in favor of pre-
= tecting slavery in the Territories,
= Gen. Quitman was worthy Of belief
L. The letter in which Quitman make
" ~ this important statement, was writ
ID ten to private friend. Its autheI
~ ITCHY cannot be Observation-Disclosures
ir can the veracity and honor of the wri
e ter. Senator Davis, in his recent cor
.r troversy with Douglas, made a re
IS mark which implied something to tn
g same effect. Southern men, who ar
IS acquainted with these facts, mus
to have been amazed when the Dougla
" rebellion broke out. Then came tn
y Frceport declaration in behalf Of III
friendly Legislation. His last declar;
ton was pledge, given in caucus
y that he would support the candidat
is nominated at Charleston, whatevG
st may be the character of the platform
L. Evidently lie is subdued Souther
As men, without number, have avowe
Of they will not support him if he shout