Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-05-25
Address to the National DemDe-
~ raCy.


raCy.
The undersigned, members Of tho nationa,
democratic party. supporters Of it's princi1.
pies, and deeply anxious, by promoting
its harmony, to preserve unimpaired tho
T.. efficiency of its organization. dos;re to-.
join in counsel with their democratic
brethren throughout the United S,atss
The proceedings Of the Convention 20
Gently assembled at Charleston have d.v.L
oped divergence OF. opinion between the
delegations Of the different States in relation
to the principles which form the basis Of
our Union. The national democratic plat.
form adopted at Cincinnati in 1865 met the
cordial approval of all who believe these
United States to be, what their very name
imports, union OF States equal, SOVEREIGN.
and endowed in all respects with eaual riphfs.
This approval was based on what seemed to
Us to be the plain meaning of the resolutions
embraced In that platform. @D -,
During the four years, however, which
have since interverea, it has become pain.
fully apparent that the construction ieemed
by us SO manifestly right is controverted by
many members of our party; that other
principles are supposed to find countenanse
in that platform principles in our judg-
ment, subversive of the true theory Of the
Government and OF the Constitution to which
our Union owes its birth, and on whose pres.
ervation its permanent existence depends.
What is the history of the recent Conyen.
tion at Charleston -
Seventeen States, forming a majority Of
the whole, adopted with remarkable una
nimity platform of principles so worded as
to avi6d the possibility of DEMONSTRATION
principles deemed political axioms by all who
uphold the equal rights of the States as the
very basis of the Confederacy. Many dele
gates from the remaining sixteen States cor.
Cured in opinion with tits majority con-
spcuous amongst whom were delegates from
Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The States Which adopted this platform
give electoral votes which can be relied on
with absolute certainty in favor of uemoc,at-
ic nominees, and we'll grounded confidence
is entertained Of Il IKE result in Pennsylve.
MIA and New Jersey These seventeen States
united with Pennsylvania alone comprise d
majority of the entire electoral vote of the
United States, able to elect the democratic
nominees against the combined opposition Of
all the remaining States.
This platform was deliberately rejected by
combination composed Of small fraction
of the delegates from the seventeen demo-
cratic States and very large majority Of
the delegates of heremaining sixteen States;
and resolution was adopted in its stead
simply reaihrn,ing the principles of the CinI
cinnati platform, without explanation or in
depreciation Of its disputed meaning. This
was done with the openly -avowed purpose
of enabling the democratic party to wage
battle with some chance Of success in certain
Northern and Western States by presenting
to the people as its doctrines, principles .:
penly and expressly repndiated by msjor-
iy of The democratic State delegations, and
By majority approaching unanmity Of the
democratic electoral votes Of the Union
The delegations of eight States. together
with portion of that of Delaware, faithful
adherents of oar party aud firm supporters
Of its principles, were thus, by sheer force
Of votes cast by delegates from States that
will certainly vote for ts,e republican capdi'-
ates, compelled to withdraw from Il Con-
vention, because. in the language Of dis
tinguished delegate. they felt That it was
ii burning iinpotatop UPON the honor and
patriotism of thc party, that, claiming to be
national. and claiming to have principles for
its guide. it should acknowledge for its dec
laration Of faith, a creed upon which are
placed two distinctly opposite interpretations
by Its own advocates"
We cannot refrain fre.n expressing our
admiration and approval If this 10 ty mani
festaion of adhereiice to principle, rising
superior to all considerations Of expediency;
to all tfammels Of party, and looking with
tional rights of the States.
The delegations of other democratic States,
however, (incuding few delegates from
the seeding States, not less faithful In de-
votion to principles, were More hopeful of OBJ
timing from their brethren some satisfactory
recognition of sound principles, and decided
on remaining in the Convention sfter dis
tiuctly declaring. however, tiioir determina-
ton also to withdraw if their just expecta-
tons should be disappointed.
1t is thus apparent that there was almost
entire unanimity Of principle in the delcga-.
tons of the only States on which absolute
reliance can be placed for democratic electo-
raj votes, whilst there existed diversity Of
opinion as to the line of policy best calcula-
ted to secure the triumph of those principles.
Nor is it matter of surprise that in CON-
juncture so unexpected and anomalous, when
in the enuEciation of democratic principles.
the voice of Virginia was overborne by TINT
Of Ohio, and Louisiana and Arkansas were
forced to succumb to We; mont and Michi-
gan, there should be excited feelings, divid-
ed counsels, and discordant action.
In the subsequent proceedings ofthe Con-
vention, however, we think that distinct in
tlmations may be discerned of disposition
on the part of the Convention to recede from
its determination and to afford, either by ap
amendment of the platform Or in some other
manner equally satisfactory, such recogni-
ton ofprinciples as would effectually obvi-
ate misconstruction and secure the harmoni-
GUS action of the party, and that it was only
because of these intimations that tho delega-
tions of the remaining democratic States con-
scnted to join in the ballots which took
II al Al. I,,o~