Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-06-01
Democratic Meeting i'm Rocking
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giving an expression OF sentiment apper-
tanning to the difficulties Of the party, grow
ing out of tie secession of a portion Of the
Southern delegates from the National Con-
1vention-on motion, Mason Bare, ESQ.
was called to the ChaiE, and S. T. Walker
and J. Fl. hartmann were appointed Sec
retaries.
On motion, a committees of FIVE, consist
ing Of the following gentlemen: Messrs. J.
N. Liggett, S. A. Coffman, Jacob Strayer,
Giles Devier and Samuel Cootes, were ap-
pointed to prepare a series Of resolutions
expressive Of the sentiment of this meeting.
During the rettr ement Of the Committee,
DR.. S. Fl. Mofett, one Of the delegates from
this district to the Charleston Convention
being called upon, addressed the meeting in
ans. ~loquent and forcible manner, in vindi-
cation of the course of the delegates from
this district Id the Charleston Convention.
The Committee, through the Chairman,
in. Liggett, Esq, reported the following
resolutions;
LIST. Resolved, That the Democracy Of
this county express their firm determination
to maintain and defend the rights Of the
several States of this. C~oneederaoy and the
privileges of every citizen of the Union, III
der the Federal Constitution, in all cases
where denial or an u~surpation thereof in
wolves the honor,safety and interest of either
State So79ereignty or individual prosperity
and happiness. kvoHing this .determina-
ton, they as etnphatically assert that they
will never, by direction or implication sym
pathise with or assist in any movement, the
tendency Of which is to distract the harmo-
ny of the Democratic organization, to bring
about a dissolution of the Union and the
overthrow Of our Federal government, for
the assertion of an abstract power, the ex-
%ercise of which, would not only be inefficient
to the promotion of the interests of any in
dividual, or Influence the progress of the
country at large, but in all probability pro
duce the very evils the prevention Of which
is the indictment to its exercise.
I'd. Resolved, That whilst we cordially
.sympatbize with that spirit of chivalrous
sentiment which watches With jealous eye
every encroachment ON Southern rights. By
numerical force or government u%surpation,
we cannot endorse, but on the contrary,
most decidedly condemn the action of those
Delegates who seeded from the delibera-
.tions of the national Democracy at Charles
ton, on acoount of the refusal of that body
to incorporate into the articles of demo-
faith, the doctrine of Congressional
Intervention on The su5bjeot of slavery ia the
Territories of the United States. We re-
fuse this endorsement and express this cen
.demnation from the fact, that conceding
Gas we do) the power of Congress to inter-
vene for the protection ofslavery IN the Ter
%ritories, such Intervention would be futile
of good in any Territory when the popular
sentiment of the inhabitants was opposed to
it's introduction ; from the fact that if such
popular sentiment was favorable to it's in
PRODUCTION no Congressional assistance would
ever be demanded Or required, and from the
further conclusive fact, that the climate,
soil and productions Of a Territory deter
nine tie character of it's institutions, and
chat the people thereof will establish or ex-
clude slavery accordingly as its profitableo or
adverse to their interests, Regardless Of any
Congressional enactment Of protection or
hostility upon the subject In addition to
these reasons, there is nothing in the pres
ent condition of our country or it's citizens
outside CT inside of territorial domain which
demands the assertion or exercise Of any
such power by Congress There is nothing
in the traditions of cur party or its prece
dents of action which Justify or recog-
nize the propriety of such a demand, and
there is everything to loseand rot one thing
60 gain from the intervention Of Congress
on the subjected slavery, whensin the House
of Representatives the dominant power has
asserted as a cardinal principle Of its faith:
'sNo more slave TERRITORY, enc more slave
States" The .a%brogation of the prso-slarery
laws Of New Mexico, BY this very body with
in the last twenty days is a sufficient illus
tratlon of the disadvantage the South would
labor under if its Interests ard Institutions
were alone in the hands of Congress.
. Sd. Resolved, That we esteem the north
ern Democracy as the 4enly true friends
which We have at the North, potent for
good-the break-water protecting the insti-
buttons Of the South and the rights Of its
citizens, free from the maddening sea. Of alb
clifton fanaitcism raging around the Consti-
tuition OF our country. q -rg
4th. Resolved, That we are willing to
co-alesce and act with these Srue northern
patriots in the effort to nominate and elect
a President Upon the principles and policy
of the Democratic creed, as enupciated IN
the Kansas Nebraska act Of 1854, contained
and defined in the Cincinnati Platform in
1856, and. endorsed BY the people in their
of James Buchanan, who received
the nomination Of the party with an accep-
of the provisions of the Platform.
9Th. Resolved, That we are willing, as
was Senator r. NJ. T. Hunter in his speech
on the Kansas-N Nebraska question, to leave
the decision of the subject Of legislative pow
err ever this question Of slavery, to the de-
cision of the Courts of the United States, a
which the Northern Democracy
most earnestly maintain and defend.
9th. Resolved That the action of our
delegates to the Charleston Convention, as
participants in that body, was in perfect.ao-1
cordance with. their expression Of opinion
before the Contention for which they were
nominated and by which they were elected,
and receives our cordial endorsement.
9Th. Resolved. That We ezpressth hope
that. tie same spirit Of patriotism which an
mated them in the course pursued in thes1
Charleston Convention. will still controland
govern their action. when they again meet