Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-02-28
To Candid Democrats.

u CdUQlQ UCU1OCFdlSs
Suppose John c. Breckin ridge had, been.
chosen President last November. would, one
OF his friends have daredto say tohim, "Mr.
Breckinridge, you were elected on plat
" form which afGrms the right of any slave
&c holder to take his slaves into any Federal
Territory and there hold them in Slavery
"-under the protection of the Constitution
but # you undertake to administer the
Government in accordance with that doc
trine, the Union will be dissolved !, for the
"Northern " States will not stand it. We
"uTge you, therefore, to discard the princi-
I" pie on which you were elected, and admin
" lister the Government ou the Douglas or
"the Lincoln Platform" We have but
general knowledge of Mr.. Breckinridge's
character we have always been his politi-.
cal adversary; yet we belisve it would have
been unsafe for any political friend or foe to
have approached him with such PROPOSE
.ion. We believe Mr.. B. would have regar-
ded and resented it as az impeachment of
bis integrity stain upon his personal hon.
or. And if any man had ventured to tell
him that party platforms were but gull traps,
so that one that served to win an election
upon might be utterly unsuited for further
use, and should therefore be set aside as in
convenient, we think that man should have
first taken care that the door was open be-
hind him, and he fairly out of reach of the
Presidential boot
IF Mr.. Douglas, had been elected, it is quite
psssible--judging from what has transpired
since the election-that he might have been
induced to desert his own rlatform for that
of the Breckenridge men; but he is an ex-
ception to all general rules. Any other man
likely to be run for President, having been
nominated On a platform, made the canvass
upon it, and been elected, would feel con-
strained to stand upon it after election, SO
long Us he could stand at ALL
What the Republicans are now required
By their adversaries to do, is calculated not
only to dishonor them but involve all politics
and politicians in common disgrace and dis
trust. If President just chosen on one
platform may discard it next day for one
more acceptable to his opponents, and thus
avoid peril and difficulty, platforms. parties
and politics will thenceforth be the sco-n
and jest of the masses. "This is all very
fine, Mr.. Speechmaker, the soyereigns"
would say "yo1 talk we'll and make fair
promises but what assurance have we
I" that you will net renounce all your present
professions and vaunted principles the day
" after you succeed? Suppose you advocate
"a general reduction of salaries, and we
support you on that ground, how do we
know thes you will not increase salaries in
"stead of diminishing them? Since plat
+" forms are only vote ecatchers, to be discar-
"ded when they have secured the victory,
"why shall vote for party whose plat
.' form approve rather than its opposite p
why not vote rather for the party whose
tenets l condemn, since, when that comes
" to be discarded, to purchase the submiss-
Z" ion of the varqulshed faction, the Governs
ment will be administered as wish TO haye
"it?"
Democrats you may deem it a wise party
move to bully the Republicans, if possible,
into deserving their principles and their plat>
form; bnt you will yet think differently
We ask you to do as you would be done by.
IN 7. Tribune.