Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-12
rrr. I.reeklnrlaee,s Le,,er.

uc-noe5 II - Q CaAin sIau-9t1aQllke
document presenting mOdestly yet fOrcibly the posi-
tons he occupies as the Democratic candidate for
the Presidency There is in it no vituperation, no
bitterness, vain glorious Boosting but an UMPIRE
tending assertion of the rectitude Of his principles
and purposes Read it.
DEMOCRATIC National CONVENTION, i
BALTIMORE Nd, June 23d 1860
Sir 4: ! directed by vote of the Democratic
National Convention to inform you that you have
been this day unanimously nominated by it as
| the candidate of the Democratic party for the
Office of President of the United States, and
| in their behalf to request you to accept the
nomination beg leave at the time, TO en-
close you copy of the resolutions adopted by the
Convention as their political platform on which the
party stands.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
81 g. CUSHING, President
hon. J. c. BRECKENRIDGE.
WASHINGTON CRY, July &, 1860
DEAR SIR have your letter of the 23d ultimo,
| by which am officially informed OF my nomination
for the Office of President of the United States by
the Democratic Nntional Convention lately assem-
| bed at Baltimore
The circumstances of this nomination will justify
me in referring to itspersonal aspect.
have not sought nor desired 20 be placed before
the country for the Office OF President. when my
name was presented to the Convention at Charles
| ton it was Withdrawn by friend in obedience to
| nv expressed wishes. My views had not changed
when the Convention reassembled at Baltimore,
and when heard Of the differences which occur
red there my indisposition to be connected promi-
| nenty with the canvass was confirmed and express
ed to many friends
Without discussing the occurrences which proceed
ed the nominations, and which or soon will be
| well understood by the country, have only to say
that approved, just and necessary to the preser-
walton of the national organization and the sacred
right representation the action Of the Convention
over which you continued 20 preside; and, thus
approving it, and having resolved to sustain It, lice.
that it does not become me to select the Posluon
shall occupy nor to shrink from the responsibilities
of the post to which have been assigned. Accord
| ingly, 1 accept the nomination from a sense OF
public duty, and as think uninfuenced in any de-
gree by the allurements of ambition
avail myself of this occasion TO say that the con-
| idence in my personal and public character, implied
| by the action of the Convention, will always be
gratefully remembered and it is but just also to my
own feelings express my eradication at the asso-
citation of my name with that of my friend General
Lane patriot and soldier, whose great services
in the field and in council entite him to the graft
| tude and confidence of his countrymen.
The resolutions adopted by the convention have
my cordial approval They are just to all parts Of
the Union-to all citizens native and naturalized
and they form a noble policy for any admins
tration.
The questions touching the rights of persons and
| property, which have of late been much discussed,
lind in these resolutions constitutional solution
Our Union confederacy of equal sovereign States
for the purposes enumerated in the Federal Consti
| tuition. Whatever the common government holds
trust for all the States, must be enjoyed equally
by each 1t controls the Territories IN trust for all the
States Nothing less than sovereignty can destroy or
impair the rights of persons property The terri
| torial governments subordinate and temporary,
! and not sovereign hence they cannot destroy or
| impair the rights of persons or property. While
they continue to be Territories, they are under the
control of Congress, but the constitution nowhere
| confers on any branch of the Federal Government
the power to discriminate against the rights OF the
States or the property OF their citizens in the terri
tories. 1t follows that the citizens of all the States
may enter the Territories of the Union with their
property, Of Whatever kind and enjoy it during the
| Territorial condition without let hindrance,
either by Congress or by the subordinate Territorial
| governments
I These principles flow directly from the absence
of sovereignty in the Territorial governments and
| from the equality of tine States. Indeed they are
essential to that equality which IS and ever has been,
| the vital principle of our Constitutional Union.
| They have been settled Acknowledgements jul
| dicislly and sustained by right reason
/ They rest on the rock of the Constitution. They
will preserve the ConEtitusion-they will preserve
| the Union.
| IL is idle to attempt to smother these great
issues or to misrepresent them by the use
| of partisan phrases. which are misleading and
| delusve. The people will look beneath such
! expressions as Intervention Congressional
I Slave Code" and the like, and will penetrate
| to the real questions involved The friends OF
Constitutional equality do not and never did demand
/ a Congressional slave code" nor any other code
in regard to property in the Territories They hold
the doctrine of non-interventOR by Congress or by
Territorial Legislature either to establish pro-
hibt slavery but they assert fortified by the high
est judicial tribunal in the Union the plain duty OF
| the Federal Government in all its departments, to
secure when nessary to the citizens OF all the States,
| the enjoyment of their property in the common
| Territories. The only logical answer to this
would seen to be to claim sovereign power in the
Territories to deny that the Constitution recog
nizes property in the services of negro slaves to
deny that such property can exist.
! Inexorable logic, which works its steady way
through clouds and passion cOmpels the country TO
meet the issue. There is nc evasive middle ground.
Already the signs multiply of a fanatlcal and grow
ing party, which denies that under the Constitution
or by any other law, slave property can exist and
/ ultimately the struggle must come between this
party and the National Democracy, sustained by all
| the other conservative elements of the Union.
think it will be impossible for a candid mind to
discover hostility to the Union or faint of section
aism in the resolutions adopted by the Convention
The Constitution and the Union repose on the equal
| ity of the States, which lies like broad founda-
ton underneath our whole political structure. 40
! [ construe them, the resolutions simply assert
this equality. They demand nothing for any State
section that is not cheerfully conceded to all the
rest. 1t is well to remember that the chief disOr-
ders which have afflicted our country have grown
out of the violation of State equality, and that as
long this great principle has been respected, we
J have been blessed with harmony and peace. Nor
will it be easy to persuade the country that resO
| buttons sectional which command the support of
a majority of the States. and approved by the
bone and body of the old Democracy, and by vast
mass of conservative opinion everywhere without
regard to party.
1t has been necessary more than once in our his
tory TO pause and solemnly assert the true charac-
ter of this government. A memorable instance &C.
CURED in the struggle which ended the civil revO
luton of 1900. The Republicans of that day. like
the Democrats of this, were stgmatized as disunion-
lsts but they nOby conducted the contest under the
Constitution, and saved political system. By
like constitutional struggle it is intended now to
sert and establish the equality of the States as the
only basis of Union and peace. When this object, SO
NATIONAL so constitutional, 50 just shall be accom-
plished, the last cloud will disappear from the |
American sky. and with common hands and hearts |
the States and the people will unite to develop the
resources of the whole country TO bind 1t together
with the bonds of intercourse and brotherhood, and
to mpel it onward in its great career. The Consti-
tuition and the equality of the StateEI These are
symbols of everlasting Union Let these be the pal
lying cry of the people.
| trust this canvass will be conducted without
rancor and that temperate arguments VIII take the
place of hot words and passionate accusations.
Above all venture huEbly to hope that Divine
Providence, to whom owe origin, our
growth and all our prosperity, will continue pro-
tect beloved country against all danger foreign
and domestic. | am, with great respect, your
friend. JOHN G. BRECKENRIDGE.
Hon. c. Gushing, President Dem. Nat Convention.
Cheering Prospects.
The feeling in favor of Breckenridge and Lane Is
everywhere widening and deepening. Had they been
the first and only nominees of the convention. they
wonld have swept the country like whirlwind.
Never in the history of political parties have we
witnessed SO striking change as has occurred In
the brief period intervening since the close OF the
convention. The excitement kept up by the friends
of Mr.. Douglas previous to the meeting of the con-
vention has died out and there in this State scarce
whisper among those who were'ately so rampant
and boastfu All see that Mr.. Douglas did not pos
sess the confidence of the Democracy Of the coun-
try. All see that he was nominated by those who
cannot give him vote, while every true Democrat
ic State went for Breckenridge and Lane. Under
such circumstances thousands who would have gone
for Mr.. DOugles had he received the nomination in
accordance with the usages Of the party, and had
the evidence been given that he had the confidence
of the Democratic States. will 90 for Breckin-
ridge as the eheice Of the Democracy. This is be-
ing eKempifed all around Us. We know those who
were amongst the most ardent of the supporters of
Mr.. Douglas short time since, who, true Demo
Gratis. feel compelled to abandon his cause and
rally to the standard of the patriot heroes Breckin
ridge and Lane.