Year: 1860

decision TO these cases,out coneuus ltse win u
sweeping afrmance Of that charge We shall therefore
dismiss Il with a few reflections which must sugges
themselves 10 any fair-minded man.


lst No prncple can be clearer than the right OF re
preventative assemblies to judge Of the qualifications
the members Dictates Of obvious propety and neces
sity commend the general adoption of this rule in all de


Lucrative bodies The Constitution Of the Union and th
organic law OF every State in the Confedeacy, contain
provisions similar to that in Constitution ArtV
Section 9 Each House shall judge of the election, quail
| ihoston, aud return OF its members"


To recognize the right and object to is exercise, e1
cent in accordance with our wishes or interests s pc
siton too puerie TO merit discussion and hence we fine
the most unwarrantable acts borne under its operation


Il was under the force Of this Identical rule that Frank
Blair Black Republican, was few weeks since admit
ted TO seat in Congress from 81. Louis over Demo
cratic competitor who had beaten him 600 votes Th:
clear outrage though perpetrated bY strict party vote
was not thought by the Virginia delegation in Congress
| just ground for secession


Cd In the cases in Massachusetts, and Missouri the
Convention decided that when delegate fails from any
TO accept his trust and his alternate take his place
the latter Is forthwith invested with full powers as dele
gate.


ANY other course would Il appears to US lead to per-
peua conflict 10 confusion and uncertainty as TO the


limits of the power Of the aternates and TO the was oi
the time of the Convention in petty personal squabbes
as would be competent for principal to appear at auy
moment aud oust Il substitute who might have been 20
connected with the action Of the body committee man.
author of resolutions otherwise that the substitution
of new man would seriously retard the business Of the
body By no fair construction the refusal OF the
principal to attend the Convention be regarded other
wise than as surrender of his Office and the alternate
is always less the choice Of the people than the prn-
cpa Il is obvious that justice be done to the
constituencies except by the appointing power the peo-
pie themselves.


Sd In the case Of Arkansas all the contestants
admitted and authorized in conjunction the vote
Of the Stae-a decision for which abundant precedent
may be found in the past history Of Democratic Conven-
tions as for example, in the of Georgia in the Bal
timore Convention Of 1852.


4th There remain only the cases Of alabama and Lou
isiana in each of which two sets Of deltgaes-he
Seceders and delegations appointed subsequent to the
secession by State Conventions representing the anti
seceders. The Convention was called on to choose bo
tween them there was for compromise for the
parties refused compromise. On the one side was
party prepared abide the decision OF the Convention
ou the other party instructed 10 Withdraw IL they did
not obtain their desires party which had demonstrated
its purpose of secession by previous consummaton OF
that act Both claimed TO represent the people-and 1t
cannot be thought matter OF wonder that the Conyen
ton in each case admitted that delegation which came
prepared to act in good faith for the interests
of all.


But admitting for the sake ofargument that the decis
sion erroneous is t not the oil absutdity TO
pretend that such objection furnished the shadow Of
a reason for the rupture OF the De.ocrac party? Ina
gue the storm OF indignant rcbuke with which State
Democratic Convention would baye received resolution
nstructing the Virginia delegates TO withdraw from
National Convention unless their wishes as TO the dec-
sions of contested seats complied with. This
not the contingency provided for in the Alabama
resolutions Such an act of folly would have been as
promptly secuted there here. Still the adoption
Of the ma joiy report the representative oil several
Southern States abandoned their seats and twenty-five
Virginia delegates who could not be driven out at Charles
ton on a question of fundamental principle seeded at
RllIimnrp a question OF OfUIHIEdfIOU An act
venture affirm unwarranted by any express or implied
Instructions lsfcd by consideration OF principle
true policy condemned in advance by the endorsement
by their constituents Of the opposite course as .hey
themselves admit and unauthorized by any precedent in
the history OF Virginia Democracy.


The Platform insuperRble OH bjsction, for it
be forgotten that they tried at Char for
three days place Mr.. Hunter upon il the National
Democra c candidate for the Presidency. Hostility to
Judge Douglas with all his unconstitutional herees the
Address in terms denies aud disClaims a reason for
their The ruling contested seats could have
been tho reason, however it was Elde the OesGsioH for
the cause is absurdY inadequate the eec. What
the cause. determination to have Mr.. Hunter
bodyg desire 10 spite the friends Of Judge DOughs?
4 resolve rNla rniny A tame subserveuce TO tue
traitor spirit of disunouy The AdGresi is fully silent
But IL proceeds:


Those who remained in the Northern Sectional Coa
venton made nominations OF candidates for the offices Of
President and Vice President; The ormers reported to
have received only 1871 votesless than two-thrds of
full Convention.


This is an error of fact Judge Douglas received the
unanimous vote OF the Convention, (which 's reported
to have contained 200 votes aud considering how
many States represented in that body than in
the Seceders' convention at loss the pro-
pety of the sectional applied thereto. II the
number of States or the number OF delegates determine
the question oil nationality be ut loss TO de-
eide TO which body this term appliea,


The secession having been elected, the National Con-
hiah
being accomplished the following resolution adopted
a. a part OF the platform;


"RssolUed That it il in accordance with the true in
terpretation of the Cincinnati platform that during the
existence Of Territorial Government the measure OF
friction whatever il may be- imposed by the Federal
Constitution on the powers OF the Territorial Legislature
over the subject of domestic relations the same las
been shall hereafter be-, finally determined by the SUI
preme Court of the United States shall be respected by
all good ciiZens and enforced with pIomptness pnd f.
deity by every branch o. the Federal Governments.


resolution which removes the last shadow OF an ex-
cuse for Southern opposition to the platform.


Hitherto we have confined ourselves to considerations
growng out of the acts oil the la0 Convention abstain
ing from any reference TO the characters or purposes OF
the authors of the secession aud make bold TO claim
that there is tho ssmbAnce of reasonable pretext
in those acts for the disruption of that historic party
which for so many years has controlled the acts shaped
the fortune and worked out the destiny of this great
republic.


The Address which we have briefly reviewed studi0ls
y avoids all discussion indeed allirmance Of the prn
cipe which is elsewhere avoSed constitutes this issue
The silence is cminous, If the authors Of the Address
imagine that The rejecting, patriqc people of Virginia
can be welded at will by any man or body Of they
have apprehend, greatly underraed their intelligence
and public virtue Before they will abandon their party
ties and disrupt that political organization which they
have proudly claimed TO DO the only conservative power
in this republic adequate TO the maintenance Of const
tuonal liberty and StateS-Rights they will demand
some higher motive than the viii Of any body of
men, however respectable for their talents or influence
or numbers The attempt of "leaders" to swerve the
Democratic of Virginia from their political faith
has been often tried and with uniform result-he po-
ilical destruction Of the evil counselors.


What then the issue Of principle upon which the
cesSionists divide the Democratic partyy


They contend that is the duty Of Congress to pro-
vide for the protection Of slave property 10 the Terrific.
es by special legislation il the Territorial legislatures
fall 70 make such provision.


The objections TO this doctrine numerous, and
it appears TO US unanswerabe. And firstly we contend
that the power and duty claimed for Congress are
alous.


It pretended that it the duty of Congress to
intervene for the protec ion of any other description of
property. billiard table for example is as obviously
subject of property slave; yet the beneficial Of
billiard table may be prevented in Territory, as in
State by lI high to prohibition; vet
is pretended that it is the right duty Of Congress
to intervene for the protection Of this property The
same ia true Of spurious liquors. aud is generally true Of
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