Year: 1860

SISSIPPI.


Hon. James A. Bayard, Of Delaware.


A studious effort has been made to misrep- |
resent the motives and action of this distin- |
guished patriot and statesman who bore so |
prominenta part in the proceedings at Charles
ton. Representing q little commonwealth
bordering upon the non-slaveholding States,
having but few slaves to identify her in inter-
terest or sympathy with the South, he stood
side by side with the Southern delegations
throughout in their attempt to secure the
adoption of platform embodying the con-
stitutional doctrines contained in the Majority
Report. The writer hereof can bear personal
testimony to the zeal which he displayed in
the Committee on Resolutions for the achieve
ment of this object. When the representa-
tives of the Southern Democracy retired from
the Convention in Institute Hall, he went
with them, thus signalling his devotion to
Hai.''sS t. 'l'llles dlssy nsd .
adhered. He was chosen to presid = ~
deliberations, and in taking the ii =
pressly stated that ths limits oflhis thority
extended no farther than the a. .EfifI xnee of
the doctrines contained in the Report which
he had signed as member of the COMMITTEES
on Resolutions. This duty he performed, and
with his full approval of the course of the re-
tiring delegates and his sympathy with them
IN whatever further steps they might feel au-
thorized by their constituents to take, eIo-
quently and warmly expressed, he resigned
MS seat pending the consideration of questions
upon which, in the beginning he had said he
had no authority to act. These questions
were disposed of in a few minutes after he
withdrew, doubtless in manner which would
have met his entire appreciation. The propo-
sltlon to issue an address was withdrawn, and
the Convention adjourned sine die after the
adoption of resolution advising the Democ-
racy of the United States who are favorable,
to the principles embodied in the Ms;oritv
Report to appoint delegates to Convention
to meet at Richmond on the ed Monday in
june /.


The speech of Senator Bayard was mas
terly vindication of the course of the retiring
delegations, and elected throughout the hear
test applause. We regret that full report
of it has rever been published, but the follow
ing imperfect sketch is amply sufficient to
vlndicate his patriotic conduct from the mis-
representations Of the unscrupulous enemies
of the South and of the Democratic cause:


EVENING SEssIoN-The Convention was
called to order at O'Clock by President Bay
ard, the boxes being thronged with ladies' and
full attendance of members.


The President Immediately called to the
chair Robert Scott, ESQ.,, of Alabama. and
proceeded to address the Convention.


Mr.Bayard (the President) thought It uroper
to express his views at this time. ON one or
two matters before the Convention. as well as
on the position in which they now find them
selves. The platform we have adopted meets
the approval of every States RIGHTS STATE of
the Union, and he heartily approved of the
principles contained in them. fhev answer
ed his purpose as an expression of the views
OF this Convention, though he would have ex.
pressed them in other language if he could
have obtained for them in such form the an
poval of his compeers.


The business now before the Convention
is the resolution offered by the gentleman
from Alabama proposing the appointment Of
Committee to prepare and publish an address
to the country in behalf of the members of
this


How would he know that the gentlemen
who may be appointed to prepare this address
may not express opinions that he would in no
wise approve? If we have been so very care
ful in preparing our platform in criticising and
weighing the meaning and effect of every
word they contain, why should we trust to a
committee to speak for US al on this vital and
important issue. If the gentleman who in
troduced that resolution had accompanied it
with the draught of an address for our exam
inatioH, amendment and ultimate approval, it
would have been different matter. The
written language is susceptible of the various
constructions that have been placed on the
language employed in the Cincinnati Platform.
Men of the brightest order of intellect, in diff
ferent sections Of the country, have honestly
construed them to express almost contrary
meanings. Therefore we ought not to put
forth anything that we have not the opportu-
nifty of critically examining and approving be-
fore it shall be spread before the country.


The second branch Of the resolution propo-
ses that the members Of this Convention shall
assemble ir Washington, one week previous
to the re-asSembling of the National Conyen-
ton at Baltimore. To this he could not pos
sibly accede, or at least give his approval. He
could not take part in any purpose of organiz-
ing Southern Convention. He came here
to assist in preserving the unity of the DEM
ocratic party, regarding it as essential to the
preservation Of the Federal Union. He was
not politician, or pledged to the fortunes of
any man. but his purpose, and sole purpose,
was to do that which would harmonize and
conciliate conflicting sentiments.


Mr.. B. reviewed the action of New York
in Conventions, and expressed his want of
confidence in its delegations, who mainly went
in, like political gamblers, for gain. He had
left the Convention because he did not choose
to bind himself to go for the nominee of that
Convention. He mistrusted the men. He
should be glad to know in the future that he
was mistaken. Would he, however, be justi-
fed now in attempting any definite action in
this body? Would it be right for him to en-
barrass his constituency by pledging them
here to candidate, or to any definite action,
when portion Of the representatives of his
State had remained in the other Convention,
and when he could go home and submit his
action and the action of his colleagues to the
people /?


These were the reasons why he could not
accede to the proposed resolution. But he
Uoald say frankly, a0ere he representative
from alabama or from Mississiyp4, he .could
support the proposition. He might recommend
their action to has constituents; he aOould sub
mil their action to his constituency, but further
than this he could not go. He would say, in
the spirit of the poet, that he who believes his
principles to be corIect should stand upon
those principles, though the ruins of q broken
world should fall around him. He felt that
thus far he could and would with honorgo.


He had now to request the Convention to
allow him to retire from their further deliber-
atoms. With the explanation he had made,
his action could not prove detrimental to the
Convention. His further continuance with
them could not benefit them, because he could
not vote or act with them. Yet he could as
sure them that they had his sympathy in their
position-his concurrence in their principles.
He expressed his confidence in the calm, sober
Judgment and the good faith Of the Northern
Democracy, despite what he designsted their
present trucking to the Abolition anaticism
rampant there.


He appealed to the South for Union. He
| did not recommend them to submit to wrong
or to sacrifice principles, but he Asked them,
in asserting rights and promulgating princi-
pies, to spare the existence of the Democrat
ic party-the only national party in the
Union. He asked them 10 pause and see
what this corrupt Convention will do at Bal
timore, before they took any final action which
they could not with honor retrace, or entered


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