The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-08-08
ton of that Union which has made us mira
ole among the nations. IS. %

IN tne CITY OF CAarleStQn, ON tine Hou OF hprlI, /
it exhibited condition of affairs. euRlike that
of any other political convention of this year,
Every State Of the Union was fully represent
ed. : What american eitigeRj #hsther of
sout hern or northern birth, from the Atlantic
or the Pacific coast-from the inland seas
which border upon Canada, from the valley of
the imperial Mississippi, from the State look
ing ont upon the Gulf of Mexico-did not re-
joice on beholding what seemed to be, in very /
truth, council of the whole Republic? Why |
that council failed in its purpose; wherefore it I
was distracted, by whom, andin what manner,
we must now proceed to relate.
The Democratic convention of Alabama as
sembled at Montgomery, in january, 1850, to |
appoint delegates from that State to the Char
lesion convention. il chose to declare the |
opinion entertained by majority Of It's mem-
bers, that No Territorial Legislature had any
right to prohibit the institution of slavery, and
that the Congress of the United States was
under immediate obligation to maintain and
protect that institution everywhere-ssin the |
States, in the Territories, and in the wilder |
ness in which territorial governments are as
yet unorgapized" To saeh declaration of
opinion by the State of Alabama, there could
be no reasonable ground of objection up
on the part of other, States, each of them
being at liberty to concur, or ito dissent.
But Alabama did not pause here: she instruct
ed her delegates to present those resolutions to
the convention at Charleston; and 'iu,case the
opinion therein expressed was not adopted by
that convention, her delegates were immedi.
ately to Withdraw. And, as if conscious of
the antagonistic attitude assumed by such in
strpctions toward the Democratic party at
large, the Montgomery convention appointed
committee upon whom should devolve the du-
ty, as soon as the Alabama delegates had with
drawn from the convention at Charleston, of
calling State convention to decide upon at
terror measures. We desire to speak with en-
tire respect of the State of Alabama; and with
out questioning herright, at any time, to adopt
such resolutions as to her seemed best, we are
constrained to say that the attitude which she
thus assumed, with regard to the Democracy
of other States, was p violation Of the psages
and principles upon which, only, national
organization of our Democratic part, can be
maintained. Ifeach of the States had followed
her example-and each of them was the peer
of Alabama--the National convention could
not have proceeded one step; there would have
been no room for counsel, for, interchange of
opinion or sentiment, for Cancellation, harmony,
and united action.
After the Charlestsn convention had pre-
| scribed the rules of its proceeding and verified
the credentials of all its delegates in the usual
method, it appointed committee of one from
each State to report a platform of principles.
That committee, after long and tedious ses-
sions, made three reports; one by the members
from seventeen States, one by the members
from fifteen States, and one by Mr.. Butler
4 from the State of Massachusetts, The first
(majority) report was in substantial accord
ance with the instructions of Alabama to her
| delegates; the second consisted of an addition
to the Cincinnati platform, declaring that the
Democratic party would abide by whatever
decisions had been. or might thereafter be
made by the Supreme court of the United
States; the third was the Cincinnati platform
without any important addition. After full
and earnest debate, it became evident that the
convention was not satisfied with any of these
reports; and, accordingly, a motion was made
and carried to recommit all of them-Alabama
as well as the rest of the States which after
wards seeded from the convention, voting for
this recommitmept.
On the same day (April 2sth) the commit
tee again reported, and again the reports were
three in number; the third, by Mr. Butler of
Massachusetts, being the same which he had
previously submitted. The second report of
the majority consisted of three resolutions:
| .sFgst That the government of a Territory orr
ganized by an act Of Congress is provisional and
temporary and during its Existence, all citizens of
the United States have an equal right settle with
their property in the Territory without their rights
impaired by Congressional Territorial legisla-
ton.
i lSeeond That it is the duty of the Federal Gov
ernment, in all its departments, to protect when
necessary, the rights of persons and property in the
Territories and wherever else its constitutional
thority extends.
ssThird. That when the settlers in Territory,
having adequate population, form a State Con-
vention the right of sovereignty commences; and
being consumated by admission into the Union, they
stand on equal footing with the people of other
cJl- Al.
mitted into the Federal Union, whether its Consti
tuition prohibits or recog iizes the institution Of
, slavery
t Nothing could be more vague and unsatis
: factory than these resolutions; they deal il
t'truisms" of the tamest significance, or rather
, as the controversy then. stood, of no signif
canoe at all. It would have been suficien
f ton had ever been presented) that these mag
niied a Thousand fold the alleged faults of tht
: Cincinnati platform with this addition.
Il The second report from the minority of tn,
f committee, presented by Mr.. Samuel of Iowa
consisted of the Cincinnati platform with thi
: addition:
s'Inasmuch as differences of opinion exist in tn
Democratic party the nature and extent of tn
powers of Territorial Legislature, and as to th
, powers and duties of Congress, under the Consti
tuition of the United States, the institution
: slavery within the Territories,
|, "Resolved, That the Democratic party will abid
by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Unite,
States these questions Of CONSTITUTIONAL law
No farther amendments or resolutions bein,
, admissible, by parliamentary rule, the eonyen
4 ton proceeded to ycte; first rejecting th
: report Of Mr.. Butler, and then substituting
: the report of Mr. Samuel for that of the ma
: jority The question recurring upon the adop
e ton of Mr.. Samueps resolution, a delegat
i from North Carolina Mr. Brown obtained
: the leave, by unanimous consent, to address
e the convention, and thereupon expostulatet
e against the resolution Gas it then stood) il
very earnest terms It was Immediately re
: 1jectsd by vote Of 2S8 to 81; the States o
: Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiapa, Arkansas
i Georgia, and Florida declining to vote OIL
!. either side. With view to the amendmen
: of, that resolution, SO as to remove the objec
i ton thus suggested, motion for reconsider
! alton was entered Such amendment coul,
Q only be accomplished by rejecting the%Tesoiu
!. ton, and then reconsidering that vote tn