Year: 1860

Acceptance


inat.on for the Presidency.


DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION


BALTIMORE, Md June %, 1860.


SIR Il am directed by vote sf the Democratic Ma
tiona Convention, to inform you that you have been
this day unanimously nominated by it the candidate
OF the democratic party for the office OF President of the
United States and in their behalf to request you to
cept the nomination. beg leave at the time to
enclose to you copy of the resolutions adopted by the
convention the political platform upon which the
party stands


have the honor to be, very respectfully,


q. CUSHING, President.


Hon. j. c. BREcKINRrDGE.


WASHINGTON CITY, July 9, 1860.


DEAR SIR have your letter of the 23d ult, by
which am officially informed of my nomination for the
office of President OF the United States by the Demo-
cratic National Convention, lately assembled at Balti
more The circumstances of this nomination will iusti-
fy me in referring to its personal aspect.


have not sought nor desired to be placed before the
country for the office of President. When my
presented to the convention at Charleston it with
drawn by friend in obedience to my expressed wishes.
My views had not changed when the convention reas-
sembled at Baltimore, and when heard of the differ
ences which occurred there, my ndispostion to be
nected prominently with the confirmed and
expressed to many friends.


Without discussing the occurrences which preceded
the nominations, and which are will be, well
understood by the country have only to say that
approved just and necessary to the preservation of
the national organization, and the sacred rights of
presentation the action of the convention which
you continued to preside; and thus approving it, and
having resolved to sustain it, feel that does not be-
come to select the position shall occupy, nor to
shrink from the responsibilities of the post to which
have been assigned. Accordingly accept the nomina-
tion from sense of public duty, and, think uniu-
uenced in any degree by the aurements of ambition


avail myself of this occasion to say that the conf
dence in my personal and public character, implied by
the action of the convention, will always be gratefully
remembered, and it is but just also to my feelings
to express my qualification at the association of my
with that of my FRIEND Gen. Lane, patriot and
soldier whose great services in the field and in council
entte him to the gratitude and confidence of his coun-
trymen.


The resolutions adopted by the convention have my
cordial approval They are just to all parts of the Uu
on to all citizens native and naturazed and they
form a noble policy for any administration.
The questions touching the rights of persons and
property which have of late been much discussed find
in these resolutions constitutional solution. Our Un
ion is cOnederacy of equal sovereign States for the
purposes enumerated in the federal constitution What
the government holds in trust for all the
States must be enjoyed equally by each 1t controls the
Territories in trust for all the States Nothing less than
sovereignty destroy impair the rights of persons
or property. The territorial governments subord
nate and temporary and not sovereign hence they
not destroy impair the rights of persons property
While they continue to be territories they under the
control of Congress but the constitution nowhere con-


rs any branch of the federal government the power
discriminate against the rights of the States the
property of their citizens in the Territories 1t follows
that the citizens of all the States may enter the Terri
tories of the Union with their propery-of whatever
kndand enjoy during the territorial condition with
out let hndrance either by Congress by the sub
ordinate territorial governments.


These principles flow directly from the absence Of
sovereignty in the territorial governments and from the
equality OF the States Indeed they essential that
equality which is and has been the vital principle
OF constitutional Union. They have been settled
egislatvey-settled judciaily-and are sustained by
right and reason They rest the rock of the consti
tuition. They will preserve the consttuton-they will
preserve the Union.


1t is idle to attempt to smother these great issues or
to misrepresen them by the of partisan phrases
which are misleading and deluSve The people will
look beneath such expressions intervention, con-
gressonal slave code, and the like and will penetrate
to the real questions involved The friends of consu
tional equality do not and never did demand con-
gessonal slave code" any other code in regard to
property in the Territories They hold the doctrine of
non-inervention by Congress or by territorial Legis
ature either to establish prohibit slavery but they
assert Fortified by the highest judicial tribunal in the
UnoD) the plain duty of the federal government in all


its departments to when necessary to the citizens
OF all the States the enjoyment of their property in the
common Territories, everywhere else within its urs
dlcon. The only logical answer to this would seem to
be to claim sovereign power for the Territories or
deny that the constitution recognizes property in the
services OF negro slaves or to deny that such property
can exist


Inexorable logic which works its steady way through
clouds and passion, compes the country to meet the is
sue. There evasve middle ground. Already the
signs multiply of fanatcal ald growing party which
denies that under the constitution by any other law,
slave property can exist and ultimately the struggle
must come between this party and the national democ
racy sustained by all the other conservative elements
the Union


think it will be impossible for candid mind to dis
hostility to the Union faint of sectionasnl
ol,1fio @oI 4looa
,. stuton and the Union repose the equality of the
States, which lies like broad foundation underneath
our whole political structure. AS construe them the
- resolutions simply assert this equality. They demand
nothing for any State section that not cheeruy
conceded to all the rest 1t is well to remember that


the chief disorders which have afflicted our country have
grown out of the violation of State equality and that
Id long as this great principle has been respected
have been blessed with harmony and peace. Nor will


it be easy to persuade the country that resolutions
sectional which command the support of the majority
the States and are approved by the bone and body
the old democracy, and by vast mass of conservative
d, opinion everywhere, without regard to party.
1t has been necessary than in our history
to pause and somny assert the true character of th
q, government. A memorable instance occurred in tn
struggle which ended the civil revolution of 1900. Tn
republicans OF that day. like the democracy of this
K stgmatized as disunonsts but they noby conducte
the contest under the constitution, and saved po


cal system. BY like constitutional struggle it is in
tended to assert and establish the equality of th
~ States the only basis of union and peace. When thi
e. object national constitutional SO just shall be &C
complshed the last cloud will disappear from the Amer
ican sky and with common hands and hearts the State
and the people will unite to develop the of th


whole country to bind together with the bonds of il


tercourse and brotherhood, and to inpe it onward


its great career. The constitution and the equality
ur the States These are symbols of everlasting union
pc Let these be the rallying cries of the people
= trust that this canvass will be conducted withou
VI rancor, and that temperate argument will take th
place OF hot words and passionate accusations. Abov
ve ALL venture humbly to hope that Divine Provdenc