Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-07-19

OH: tm directed Dy vote OF the Demo-
cratic National Convention u inform YOU
that you have been this dsy unanimously
nominated by 1t as the candidate of the
Democratic party tor the office OF President
Of the United States and in their behalf 10
request you to accept the nomination.
beg leave at the same time 10 nclose. you
copy of tile resolutions adopted by the Con.
vention as the political platform on which
the pdrty stands. have the honor 10 be,
Very respectfully,
| G. CUSHING, President.
| WAsHIsGros Cry, July 6, 1860.
DEAR SIR: have your letter of the 23d
ult.. BY which | am officially informed of my
nomina ton for the office of President of the
United States by the Democratic National
Convention lately assembled at Baltimore.
The circumstances of this nomination will
justify me in referring to it's personal as.
pect. .,....
have not sought nor desired to re placed
before the country for the office of Presi-
dent. When my name was presented 10 the
| Convention at Charleston, il was withdra sn
| by friend in obedience to my expressed
wishes. My views had not changed when
the Convention re-assembled at Baltimore,
and when | heard of the differences which
occ urred there, my ind:spostion to be con.
meet ed prominently with the canvass, was
confirmed and expressed to many friends.
Without discussing the occurrences which
preceded the nominations. and which are, or
soon will be, we'll understood BY the country,
| have Only to say that | approved, as just
and necessary to the preservation OF the
National organization, and the sacred right
of'representation, the action of the Conven-
,on over which you continued to preside;
and thus approving it. and having resolved
to sustain II, feel that it does not become
me TO select the position shall occupy, nor
to shrink from the responsibilities of the
post to which have been assigned Ac-
cordingly, | accept the nomination from d
sense of public duty; and, as think, unin.
fuenced in any degree by tho allur ements
Of ambition.
Eavail myself Of this occasion to soy that
the confidence in my personal and pub lie
character implied by the action of the Con-
vention. will always be gratefully remmem-
bered; and it 10 but just. also;. TO my own
feelings TO express my qualification at the
association Of my name with that of nv
friend General Lane, a patriot and soldier
whose great services in the fed and in
COUNCIL entitle him TO the gratitude al
confidence Of bis couhtrymen.
The resolutions adopted by the Conven-
lion have my cordial approval. They are
Just to all parts Of the Union, to all our cit
zens, native and natlralized, and they form
a noble policy for any Administration.
The questions touching the rights of per-
sons and property, which have of late been
much discussed, end in these resolu ions a
constitutional solution Our linton 10 a
Con!ederacy of equal sovereign Statss, for
the purposes enumerated In the Fedora,
Const tuition. Whatever the common Gov.
ernment holds in trust for all the Suites
must be enjoyed equally BY each. 1t con.
trolls the Territories in trust for all the
States. Nothing less than sovereignty can
destroy or impair the rights of persons or
property.
The Territorial Governments ts are subord-
nate 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 Constitu-
ton nowhere confers on any branch of the
Federal Government the power to discrimi.
nate against the rights of the States or the
property of their citizens in the Territories.
1t follows that the citizens Of all the States
| m mi ha rat
their property, o. whatever kind, and enjoy
| It during the territorial condition without
let or bindrance, either BY Congress or BY
the subordinate Territorial Govern me nts.
These principles flow directly from the
absence Of sovereignty in the Territorial
Governments, nnd from the equality of tho
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 legsatively-set-
tied judicially, and are sustained BY right
reason. They rest on the rock of the Con.
stitution--they will preserve the Union.
II is idle to attempt to smother these
great issues, or to misrepresent them BY the
use OF parrish phrases, which are mislead.I
ing and delusive. The people will look
beneath such expression as "Intervention,"
congressional Slave Code" and the like,
and will penetrate to the real questions in.
volved. The friends Of Constitute 10 nal equal.
ity do not and never did demand "Co1 |
Rressionai Slave Code" nor any other code
in regard to property in the Territories.
They hold the doctrine of non Intervention
by Congress or by TerrtoI ial Legislature.
either to establish or prohibit Slavery; but
they assert Certified by the highest Judicial
tribuns! IN the Union) the plain duty Of the
Federal Govern ment, In al it's departments,
to secure, when necessary, to the citizens of
all the States, the enjoymen, Of their prop.
erty in the common Territories, az every.
where else within i,s jurisdiction. The only
logical answer to this would seem to be to
claim sovereign power for the Territories
or to deny that the Constitution recognizes
property in the services Of negro slaves, or
to deny that such property can exist.
InexorabIe logic, which works its steady
way through clouds and passion, compels
.