The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-08-21

Canada? Or what should pr, ven, ~" O,
jority from making laws that ms
Irish or Dutch. or Catholics. or 70.
should settle in the territory "'o>
To my judgment, the ONLY lair nor.
that Of non-iEtervention by the ",
government. except to the extent "'at
anteeing each settler full protect SN@f
person and property, tof whatsoe,ar NJ
cription recognized by the law of tbo u>
until a sutficiency of population ami aN4
pliance with the necessary formahtias .ul
entitle the territory to enter the conf.I.~
ton as u partner State in full s,an5,a'
thenceforward the majority to rule snJ
tain, or expel slavery as 1t saw pron4r '
This view had the weight of the c,rot.n
prepared decision of the United S,".
Supreme Court, enunciated by Chi.f I
tice fancy, which declared, IN the Dra,
SCoTT case), that the Territorial Leoi~a,"
had no power to legislate against nror,'..
in slaves, and that it was the luty ~ -
general government in all its denartna~ "t
to protect the rights OF person and iron.
ty in the territories, as well as w6erar1.
else it's constitutional authority exrendat
D~OUGLAsIsM DESTROYS THE DENocR, r
The foregoing is about the gist Of -
double sets Of resolutions presented To n.
Charleston convention by the COMMITTEE oS
platform - though one set contained H.
additional clause hat whenever the settla,
of a territory with adequate populotia.
should organize q constitution. the rjpbt -.
sovereignty accrued to them, and the now
State, thus organized ought to be admir-
at once whether its constitution permitto4
or prohibited slavery.
However the convention refused to aecar,
either of the majority reports and adontsI
by vote of l65 TO Us, the following snh>,
tute =
"Inasmuch as differences of opinion exist anon,
democrats as to the powers of the Territorial Ier."
lures, and the powers and duties OF Congress, under H-
co stitution, over slavery in the territories: R..,jya5
that the Democratic Party will abide by the decisions. d.
The Supreme Court on the questions OF CoNsrIrrToS
AL LAW
This was one of those Delphic utteranc>
so common at that period with the Repui-
lican orators and conventions, admitting of
almost any construction, to suit almost anr
event, or anybody's notion. Certainly 4
was lacking III the eXplicitness which ought
to have characterized the declarations Of
great party, about to enter upon a Iittor
death struggle. Nevertheless the very fact
that such a struggle was imminent ought to
have secured the general acceptance Of that.
or any other platform which did hot actually
compromise a vital principle and there Is
reason to fear that the split which followed
the above action by the convention was due
as much to personal motives among the
leaders as to political differences. 1t is well
known that President Buchanan, whose infL-
ence was strongly felt at Charleston, had no
love for Senator Douglas, and the a
feeling was attributed to Mr.. Bright, of In
diana, Gushing, of Massachusetts,, and Other
Northern Democrats, who found the Illinois
Giant throwing them into the shadow
Notwithstanding his common appelatire-
Little. Many of the Southern men, also.
who would have gone great lengths in the
way OF concessions, personally distrusted NJ.
Douglas; particularly after his failure to fiat
ly deny the lntlmations Of +. I. Bar : let
ter that he had been not unwilling to run a,
the Republican candidate. Others, lncIUd-
ing such men as Jefferson Davis, Judah !.
Benjamin, ct a., wearied with the eTeria +
ing contention between the sections. -lwhlch
the administrations of Northern men, Bucll-
anan, Pierce, Fillmore, had not at all mc--
erated) felt that the time was come Tor al
open, standlng-up fight in behalf OF lnleH
men, with Union principles, by which meal
the Constitutional Union Of our foreiathera
The adoption Of the Douglass platform
~ Tic "IlUuIdN"i -
deIegations-to the number o.
fifty or more-(not quite half Of the South
erners in the c%envention), who called a ne"
to meet at Baltimore June ISh'
The sixty OF more border-State men IT,
named at Charleston in the hope OF angC'
ing a settlement. But after 81 baDo''
wherein Mr.. Douglass received 152 yo'e' u
66 Tor Mr.. Davis. The convention also az
Journed to Baltimore, greatly to the dI'l"'
the Republicans, who had ALREADY begun
to chuckle over the suicide of their ad'e'
sary. However, their hopes were deathg-
to be realized for at Baltimore the Sp"
which had been a mere crcvice, became "D
impossible chasm.
Upon the assembling of the two cohFt",
lions, after some further efforts at Tecoho".
alton, the border State men, vita a mum
Der of Northerners headed by Cushing,
Of the old convention, mhit"1'
to the new.
The Democrats then nominated F"1
PRESIDENT Breckenridge for PresIieA.'
Jos. Lane, Of Oregon, for Vice Pres