Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-07-13

struggle was in the North, where the GAL
liant Democracy 'hung out their banner on
the outer wall, and fought for the princi-
pie with heroism and determination never
before equalled
Non-lnteryentioni then the accepted and
settled policy Of the Democratic party for it
involves the only doctrine by which the
rights of all can be asserted If we admit
the policy of Con- ressional Intervention, we
establish the right to interfere against slav e
property as well as for it. Every propo-
sition must have an affirmative and mega
tive, and Congress being an unfriendfy
body, we would at once place our interests
and property at Che mercy Of an enemy
The Black Republicans wanted to intervene
in the affairs of the Territories, for the pur-
pose of fastening upon them the Wilmot
proviso. The Southern extremists wanted
to intervene with view to the establish
ment, by legislative enactment, of the in
stitution Of slavery. Neither would do
both were wrong. So the doctrine OF nor
Intervention, either for the benefit of the
Wilmot proyiso, prohibiting slavery, or the
extreme Southern idea Of establishing sla-
very-was adopted as full, fair and COM
plete solution of the whole question. The
matter was taken away from Congress and
left with the people-the persons interested
to settle and adjust in their own way and
to please themselves.
This view Of the case the Virginia De-
mocracy took in the appointment Of dele
gates to the Charleston Convention. The
issue was distinctly made throughout the
State, the friends of Senator Hunter con-
tending for intervention and the Gin
cinnati platform. and the advocates Of Gov
Wise, fer Congressional Intervention. AL
though Gov. Wise, personally, had twice
the strength of Mr.. Hunter, yet the doc
trine which he held as cxpedient to be now
practically asserted, was SO od;ous to the
common understanding, and so clearly in
dicative Of purpose to depart from the es-
tablished creed Of the party, that he and
his friends were defeated. In the Harri-
sonburg Convention that appointed dele
gates from this District, the gentlemen who
were selected. expressly declared their de-
termination tc stand by the Cincinnati Plat
form as that which should be adopted by
the Charleston Convention. The Conven-
ton endorsed that position, and commits
stoned the delegates to carry out the idea
both in the formation of platform and the
selection Of candidate for the Presidency
The Charleston Convention did adept the
Cincinnati platform, and under that plat
form, the Virginia delegation voted fifty
seven times for candidate for the Presi-
dency, and until the Convention adjourned
to meet in Baltimore. When the Conven-
| ton did meet 10 Baltimore, the same plat
| form was confirmed with simple explana-
tory resolution, in harmony with the others,
aud which is as follows:
Resolved, That it is in accordance with
the true Interpretation of the Cincinnati
platform, that during tae existence of the
Territorial Government, the measures Of
restriction, whatever it may be, imposed by
the Federal Constitution on the power of
the Territorial Legislature over the subject
of the domestic relations, as the same has
been orshall hereafter be finally determined
by the Supreme Court Of the United States,
should be respected BY all good citizens,
and enforced with promptness and fidelity
by every branch of the General Govern
ment.
Upon this platforms. Judge Douglas was
nominated, after, it is true. some of the
States, upon mere empty pretext and pune
! tillio, had seeded from the Convention.
We have thus traced the doctrine Of Non
Intervention, as closely linked with the CIR
ganization and success Of the Democratic
party, from 1850 to the present time. 1t
is the great pedestal upon which the Dem
ocratic party and the Union rests; and it is
because Judge Douglas is peculiarly the rep
resentative Of this idea that we supported
him in Convention, and it is because the
regular Coayention nominated him with
this doctrine as his platform, that we sup
port him now, and mean to support him I'm
til the 18th of November, 1860
OF this doctrine, John G. Breckenridge,
1854, said: 'But if non-intervention by
Congress be the principle that underlies the
compromise of 1850, then the prohibition
of 1920, being inconsistent with that prin-
ciple, should be removed, and perfect non
Intervention established by law"
It is the doctrine Of which Gen. Joe Lane
said: "The idea incorporated in the Kan
sas-Nebraska bill is the true American prin-
ciple for the bill does not establish or pro-
hibit slavery but leaves the people of the
Territories perfectly free to regulate their
own affairs in their own way" 1t els the
very principle in defence of which your fore
| fathers entered into the service of their coun-
try in the revolutionary war for the Amer
lean colonies, two years previous to the De-
claration of Independence.
1t is the principle upon which the Dem
ocratic candidate for the Presidency now
stands. 1t is the principle for which Ste
phen A. Douglas has been fighting, with
the encouraging smiles of the South. for
twelve years, and it is the principle which
must triumph in November next, else this
Union Of States is sclean gone forever" p
Let every true Democrat. then, rally to the
support Of Douglas, who in his letter accep-
ting the nomination, gives utterance to the
following patriotic sentiments. Read them
and re-read them, and then say whether
their author could be untrue to any portion
of this great an1 extended country;
sThe federal Union must be preserved.
!, The constitution mast be maintained invio-
late in all its parts. Every right guaran-
teed by the constitution must be protccte1
by law in all cases where legislation is nee