Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-05-02

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Our principle secures perfect equality 70 all the clt
zens 81 the several States IF there is to be sur
render of principle in this conflict OF opinion, our
friends say they are ready to yield whenever the
Supreme Court OF the United states shall settle the
issue bv q decision. They hold it to be only judi
esl question but he begged to say in his judgment it
was not altogether matter for the Courts to decide.
There are thousand indirect ways Of legislation,
by which the property OF theSouth can be assaied IN
tie Territories. There thousand ways IN which
slave property can be destroyed, and for which the
Supreme Court cannot furnish adequate remedy. If
there be any doubts, then, in the case ought they
not to be yielded to the States whose interests are
most at stake!
THIS is nota question that can be settled in day
OF in eight years, or twenty years BY whom is 1t /
to be setted If it be popular doctrine at the North
there VIII be no need TO endeavor to take it to the
Courts for settlement there. viii the Southern men
90 to the Territory with their slaves for the sole
purpose of nstitutng suit to settle the question in
Courts? We say this is great fundamental prIn-
| ciple with u.s. and we, therefore, desire the Demo-
cratic PARTY to take its stand upon it 1t is not so
with the North because it involves the yielding OF
no rights on their part He knew prejudice ex-
listed at the North against association IN the Terri
/ tories with shareholders. He asked his Northern
Democratic friends to correct that sentiment among
Northern men, because it is the antaSonlsm winch
exists between the slave and the free states that
lead to these dIssensons, both at The North ana te
South.
The preservation of the Union depends on the De-
| the Democratic party because we believe 1t 10 be
the only party that can save the Government 1t IS
for Northern Democrats to correct the views Whicn
their people entertain on this question They could
do it only in way, and he told them there never
had been time whena bold and eutspoken platform
that could be endorsed by the slave States could do
( so much good now. lie appealed to the fresl-
dent of the convention, whose bOldness and manll-
ness in the conservative cause endears hlm to the
heart of every Southern man. lAppause.l len
them how to fight the Black Republican party, de
will say never yield one inch upon the Aool10h
question, but meet it boldly, fairly, s9uarely he
asked them whether this issue met boldly, fairly
and squarely upon this, popular sovereignty Plat
form! The Cincinnati Platform is ambiguous we
at the South say 1t means one thing-they at the
North say it means another. We ask you now 10
settle its p.eaning. We say take bold stand and
say what it really means, boldly, openly and thor
Oughly. The minority say they are willing 70 leave
its Interpretation to the Supreme Court Ihat Is no
convenience to the South They take 1t Tor granted
that all Democrats are law-ablding citizens, and II
| So when a decision of the Supreme Court Is MADE
adverse to their views, they will submit to It, as
matter of course. 1t IS solution OF the question:
no settlement of the issue satisfactory to the Sout
to say leave it TO the Courts" He told them that
amongst the masses of the South there was grow
ing distrust of our Northern allies. IL dld not eA-
list with him. nor probably with any persons VINO
thoroughly understood the Northern Democracy
but it nevertheless does exist IN the popular mnu Oh
the South.
= We say then if there must be little surrender
e of principle, make that concession to us You say
it is judicial question altogether We say 1t IS not
If be, then to you it is immaterial how you MAKE
{ the Platform for you can say, when you return
home to your constituents tnat the majority thought
one way while you thought another, and as It IS q
J. judicial question, you agreed to give the MAJORITY
, their Platform, and let the Courts settle wDether l
| principles were right or wrong
Before closing his remarks he desired to say that ne
# had advanced no views in eaOuOus or untrlendly
? spirit The committee had been engaged for three
If days andnghts in effort to harmonic their views
They finished last highland this morning, ana agreed
l. upon Platform He had not had time, therefore
n to prepare an address upon the report But he haI
l. advocated before the convention in As far man
lie ner as he could, and although his remarks were un
IS considered, undgested and necessarily desultOry
N he would not shrink from the duty that devOlveC
ID upon him. He had endeavOred to present his views
v he hoped they would be received IN no captlou
n spirit lie desired to put the Democratic party Oh
clear, unUlOuded Platform so that he VINO runs ma
st read its principles. We know that you Democrat
he of the North have been called dOughtaces-let u
Re then take Platform that can bear no double con
" structcn and there will then be no Justification FOL
~ this term of PeprOach. Let us take HlattOrn Oh
. which all NAV stand-a fair Platform on principles
il and every Democrat North and South will rally be
d meath the Democratic flag; bid defiance to the enemy
h he rendered his thanks TO the convention Tor IN
y courteous attention they had paid TO his remarks
e and the good spirit they had manifested IN THIS TN
{ opening of exciting debate.
ID Mr. PAYNE of Ohio, took the floor He desired
first to say a word by way Of explanation IN regar
Y to a remark which had been misunderstood, Whel
9 he occupied the floor to present the minority report
In classifying the cast for the majority report
he had alluded to the votes fsavehOldng ana
ii States. He forgot at the moment that he was not Il
p the Committee Room, where, during three days de
v bate, these words had been used without exciting
o comment or misunderstanding. They were proOa
D. bly, in bad taste in the convention.
r He deemed it due to say, by way of testimony 10
lie all his colleagues on the committee, that they lau
flX md
ut cussed the issues that now divide the Democrau
IN party.
a. 1t is not a personal victory they seek to achieve
" but every gentleman had, he believed, felt IN M
ii conscience and in his heart that upon the result
$ the deliberatOn of the convention, IN all huma
Ne probability depended the fate Of the Democratl
e party and the destiny OF the Union and the wou
CT have been no patriots If they had brought luu
their deliberations. any but earnest desire to ad
m lust the differences that exist in the party 1t wa
Sc with that purpose and that feeling that he took
AZ seat in the convention and on the committee and
Il, he knew his own heart there Is no personal sacrl
= fee he would not make, short Of his honor, to re
" kinde the spirit of harmony that prevailed IN for
Pr. mer DAYS in the Democratic party Of the Union
Pc But there existed difference between the member
he Of the committee. After protracted discussion
g. they had been unable to agree, and 1t was the mos
~ painful act of his political life when he found him
IN self compelled dissent from the majority OF thu
~ committee IN their final action. He proposed to eN
at plain the grounds Of the difference that prevailed
-
1T whether they Thought with him or the majority
that they had acted in good faith and had no desire
except tor the welfare Of the party and the good
nj the country. The question OF slaves mad distracted
n, the courts and the party slLce lo2O and we ope'
as | bv the compromise measures Of 1850, the Kansas
law of 1854 and the Platform of 1852 and 1876 tina
a. the policy of the Democratic party was a unlte'
nd and settled policy IN respect to African slavery
NJ What the two principle features OF TINS POhcy
of settled bv that platform? We know that the evil
of settled in 1850 grew out OF discussions n the Hans
90 of Congress At no period Of her history has there
v been any agitation that has not taken its origin
w the Halls of Congress- and III every instance they
70 have commenced with the Representatives of thu
no ! Northern States. The Democracy Of the NOru
v have throughout stood by the South IN ylEdlcatoI
Z of their constitutional rights. For this they clam
no credit. They have simply discharged their con
no sttutional duty and, though some Southern Sena
h tors may rise in their places and stlgmatlze US a.
T unsound and rotten, say we have done It IN gooC
"a faith and we challenge contradiction. We have
~ supposed that this doctrine of popular sovereignty
r was a final settlement Of the slavery difficulty loU
= so understand it in the South. We are not claiming
- anything il cur platform but what tire Cincinnati
10 platform was admitted to have established. lie
n would argue and prove to them that II there Is no
m any proposition to change the platform OF 1876
~ comes from the South and not from the North.
= What was the doctrine of 1856? NOn-interven
d, ton by Congress with the question OF slavery anC
y the submission of the question OF slavery IN the
Is Territories under the constitution, to the people
IN Ii is said that construction has been gwen u
10 the platform at the South and another at the North
Nv He could prove from the Congressional debates that
y from 1850 to 1856 there not dissenting opinion
!, | expressed In Congress on this subject
r The opinions of the President of the UntedSta
20 of every member Of his Cabinet, with one excep
II ton and of every gentleman who Is now candl
IN date for the Presidency, are harmonious on tins
~ subject The first proposition was the nonlnter
vention of Congress- way the other, with the
ot question of slavery in the Territories. Another
81 that the people the organized Territories shall
N settle the question for themselves, subject to the
~ constitution of the United States Therefore, the
~ question arising as to the power Of Territorial le
- gslaton must be referred to the courts for then
, DECISION If that Is disputed he would read little
% authority on the subject to show what was the sen
~ timent Of ali sections Of the country. lie should
= not admit that the minority was claiming anything
NJ new-were exacting from the South what they could
n not yield The North was not aggressive. If he