The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1860-07-18
ADDRESS S s
Presid dent Of the United States
To THE FRIENDS OF
BRECKINRIDGE G. LANE.

Spohe as iOliOWss
FRIENDS AND FELLOW CITIZENS: thaLk you
from my heart for the homer Of this visit.
cordially congratulate you on the preference
you have expressed for Major Breckinridge and |
Gen Lane as candidates for the Presidency
Of the United States over all competitors. Ap-i
plause 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 soldiers, ond in the day and hour OF oangor
they viii ever be at their post They are con-
seryative r2en; and n the course Of their ad
mnistration they will be equally just to the
North and the South, to the East and to the
West. applause, Above all, and first o'
all, they are friends Of the Constitution and of
the Union and they will stand by them to the
death. But we ought not to forget that they
are also friends to the equality of the sovereign
States of the UricH in the common Territories
Of the country Cries Of "GoodH'l They
will maintain that principle, which should re-
celve the cordial APPRECIATION Of all. Equality
is equity. Every citizen OF the United States
is eunal before the Constitution ard the laws;
and why should not the equality of the sover-
eign States composing this Union be held in
! like reverence This is good Democratic doc
trine Liberty and equality are the birthright
of every American citizen; and just as certain
| " as the day succeeds the night so certain will
this principle Of Democratic justice eventually
prevail over all opposition. [Cheers.l But be-
! fore speak further on this suhiect-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 ti2ket
in my lie. Now was there anything done at
Baltimore to bind the political conscience of
anv sound Democrat, or TO prevent him from
supporting Breckaridge and Lame? No! no!l
I was contemporary with the abandonment Of
the old Congressional Convention or Caucus
| This occurred long time ago; very f,w, ifany,
Of you remember it. Under the old Congress
sional Convention system, no one was admit
Of the Senate and House Of Representatives =
This rule rendered it absolutely certain that
the nominee, whoever he might be. would be
sustained 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 candi.
date when nominated shouI' control the nomI-
nation and dictate to the Democratic States
who should he their nominee
This system was baudoned--wheiher wise
" or not shall express no opinion. The Ma,
tional Convention was substituted in its stead
All the States, whether Democratic or not were
eonallv to send Delegates to this Convention
according to the number of their Senators ant
REPRESENTATIVES in Congress.
A difficulty at once arose which rever coulC
8 have arisen under the Congressional Convention
Scstem IF the bare majority Of the Nationa
Convention thus composed cod nominate can
: date he might henominated mainly by the Ant
{ Democratic States against the will Of the large
majority Of the Democratic States Thus tht
> nominating power would I've separated from ibt
electinc power, which could not fail to be de
, stuctive to the strength and harmony Of th'
2 Democratic rarity.
e TO ohviate this serious difficulty in the oT
ean;zaton of National Convention, and a
= the same time TO leave all the States their ful
t vote. the two thirds rule was adopted 1t wa
: believed that under this rule no candidate cou''
ever he nominated without embracing within
. the two-thirds the votes Of a decided mPjorit
n of the Democratic States This was the sub
e stitute adopted to retain, at least in great de
y gree, the power to the Democratic States whic
Z thew would have lost nv abandoning 'he Con
: pressional Convention System. This rule wa
main piIfar in the edifice Of National Conven
e t ons. Remove it ard the whole must recon
ruin. This sustaining pillar was broken
pieces at Baltimore by the Convention whic
s nominated Mr.. Douglas. After this body wa
: no longer National Convention; and NJ Dem
, ocrat however devoted to regular nomination
IT was bound to give th nominee his support. b
$ his own Judgment and conscience. And here
V in passing NAV observe that the wisdom
the two-thirds rule is justified by the event
passing around us. Had it been aihfuly oil
served no candidate could have been nominf
ted against the will and wishes Of almost ever
certain Democratic State in the Union, again'
nearly all the Democratic Senators and MOI
than three fourths Of the Demociatic Represel
N taiives in Congress-. [Chcers sa
II I purposely avoid entering upon any dscu
sion respecting the exclusion from the Cenver
ton Of regularly elected delegates from diffe
ent Democratic States. II the Convenit
: which nominated Mr. Douglas was not a reg,
~ lar Democratic Convention. it must be COMES
ed that breckenridge is in tie same condtit
'e in that respect The Convention that nomin
% ted him although It was composed Of near
= al the certain Democratic States, did not CO..
70 tain the two.thirds; snd therefore every Dem
g crat is a. perfect liberty to vote as he thinl
! y nomination OF the party. Applause and cri
!, Of .threc cheers for Breckenridge and Lane :
10 Holding this position, ] shall present some
: the reasons why prefer Mr.. Breckinridge
I. MIR. Douglas. This shall do without attemp
! ing to interfere with any individual Democr
le or any State Democratic organization holdii
y different opinions from myself. The main o.
!, iect Of all good Democrats, whether belongir
!. 10 one or the other wing ofour unfortunate a
81 vision, is 10 defeat the election Of the Republ
10 Ican candidates; and I shall never oppose ar