The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-09-05
speech of President Buchanan.

TIE ratification at Washington City, on
the evening of the 9TH inst, after the speech
es of J. NJ. Carlisle, A. r. Meek, t. b. Flor
ence, a. G. Brown, and others, adjourned to
the Executive mansion and called upon Pres
ident Buchanan, who appeared and made the
following eloquent, manly, patriotic and en-
phatic speech
Friends and Fellow- Citizens thank you
from my heart for the honor Of this visit. |
cordially congratulate you on the preference
which you have expressed for Major Brock
inridge and Gen Lane as candidates for the
Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the Uni
ted States over all competitors. Applause.
They are men whose names are known to
the country they need no eulogy from me.
They have served their country in peace and
in war. They are statesmen as well as sol
diers, and in the day aud hour of danger
they will ever be at their post. They are
conservative men and in the course of their
administration they will be equally just to
the North and to the South, to the East and
10 the West. Applause. Above all, and
first of all, they are friends of the Constitu-
ton and of the Union, cheers, and they
will stand by them to their death. Renew
ed cheers. But we ought not to forget that
they are also friends of the equality of the
sovereign States of this Union in the COM
mon Territories of the country. Cries of
"Good"l They will maintain that principle,
which should receive the cordial appreciation
Of us all. Equality is equality. Every cit
izen of the United States is equal before the
Constitution and the laws; and why should
not the equality of the sovereign states COM
posing this Union be held in like reverence
This is good Democratic doctrine. Liberty
and equality are the birthright of every
American citizen; and just as certainly as
the day succeeds the night, so certain will
this principle of Democratic justice eventual
ly prevail over all opposition. Cheers.
But, before speak further upon this subject
and / shall not detain you very long-I
wish to remove one stumbling-block out of
the way.
have ever been the friend of regular nom
nations. have never struck political
ticket in my life. Now, was there anything
done at Baltimore to bind the political con-
science of any sound Democrat, or to prevent
him from supporting Breckenridge and Lanel
t"No ! no." l was contemporary with the
abandonment Of the old congressional con-
vention or caucus. This occurred long
time ago; very few, if apy, of you remember
it Under the old congressional convention
system, no person was admitted TO seat OK
cept the Democratic members of the Senate
and House of Representatives. This rule
rendered it absolutely certain that the nom
inee, whoever he might be, would be sus-
tanned at the election by the Democratic
States of the Union. BY this means it was
rendered impossible that those States which
could not give an electoral vote for the can
didate when nominated, should control the
nomination, and dictate to the Democratic
States who should be their nominee
This system was abandoned-whether
wisely or not | shall express no opinion
The National Convention was substituted in
its stead All the States, whether Demo