Year: 1860

OxGECA Uc D. ;. AA01C1 IL, UE MAoO.,


Author Of the Cincinnati Platform,


DELIVERED AT WASHINGTON CITY, June 25TH, 60


FELLOW CITIZENS: My voice is from the North
l propose to say some plain words for that por
tion of the North who in this unhappy, trust
temporary division of the Democratic party, have
felt it their duty. calmly and without reprOAch
to others. but firmly. to take the side of Nation
nlity. of the Constitution and the Union. under
the just Interpretation of that Constitution for
the equal rights of ul the States in all the Terri
tories. We nre here not for secession. but Tor
the Union We have looked through the history
Of parties in our common country. and we find
that the empire of Democracy, under which these
States have grown from thirteen to thirty three
popular sovereigntes. and have unitedly become
second to no power of the earth has been sustain
ed only by the union of the northern and southern
Democracy. We find that this united Southern
and Northern Democracy has achieved every nc
QUESTION of territory, maintained successfully
every war, and accomplished every measure OF
great national policy that has marked the pro-
gress Of this people in the grand march of popu-
lnr empire; and we have also found that this
Union is in danger only when the opponents of
the Democratic party have been permitted briefly
to hold power by the temporary division of the
Northern and Southern Democracy. And there
fore it is that the North is here with the South in
this movement which is to decide the question to
whom that national flag belongs, which is broad
enough to cover with its ample folds this whole
Union.


We have just come up from the divided coun-
ellis OF the Democratic party ut Baltimore. For
the first time since 1925 We have failed to unite
upon men and measures.


But have no purpose and no desire to censure
or condemn. l mean to utter no words of re-
proach or bitterness in this canvass. Opposed as
we are now let all Democrats treat each other


k..v,s
BE- friends | take the fact just as it s-a divi-
ded Democratic party, and not the less divided
no matter who or what is to blame for it; and out
Of this division the country must calmly select
the materials for II reconstruction of the Demo
cratic party on Il sure foundation of the Union, a
just Interpretation of the Constitution, and an EN-
tire abnegatiOn OF all sectionalsm and all negro
ism. We think it will be found in this national
nomination Of Breckenridge and Lane. whose
names and antrcedents and localities are the high
est pledges of devotion to the Union. and trust
it will yet be found in the reunion of the Demo
cracy before the election.


And now permit me to point out to you the
line of division which clearly marks the two
positions Of the Democratic party touching the
platform. | believe in platforms Us essential to
the very existence Of political faith The Demo-
cratic party has always relied on platforms since
the resolutions of '9S. and it has before re-
fused to explain its platforms when subject to u
double construction. Is not thut the present con-
dition of the Cincinnati Platform, which both
Conventions have adopted entire? In that con-
nection, | may say here to night that made all
of the Cincinnati platform which bears on this
occasion, and therefore think | understand it,
and have some little right to expound it. And
affirm of that platform that it has not nowhere
in it or under it, by line. or sentence, or word or
construction. or possible conception one particle
OF "squatter sovereignty"


'.SOlI:ltt,r SOVpreiput " if it have 0ny mean
ing, means that the Legislature of newly -orga-
nized Territory, at its first session, can prohibit
and destroy the right of the citizens OF all the
States to come into that Territory or live in that
Territory with their slave property But the Gin
cnnati platform denies that power in the most
explicit terms. Commencing with the severance
OF eight of the Democratic electoral States from
the Convention at Charleston. the division has
been consummated o. Baltimore by the seventeen
Democratic electoral States with five other States
in whole or in part, forming what their delegates
believed to BE- u National Democratic Convention,
and making the only nominations that can secure
the votes OF those seventeen reliable States. with
out which the Democratic party cannot even hope
for success The other Convention has been left
without single entire State remaining in it hav-
ing IN assured. if, indeed, hopeful, Democratic
electoral vOte-rcduced to no less than two thirds
of the electoral colleges. even with all their ad-
mitted substtut without constituencies, and





entire abandonment of the common law Of De-
mOcratic Conventions. which never before went
into Preside! tal contest without q two thirds
vote for their nominees. In fact, therefore. there
is no nomination binding on Democrats accord
ing to the uniform usages of the party.


This disruption. so momentous, so painful to
every lover of his country, must he for some
cause. And what is that cause? A division, in
part. on platform, but more especially. y division
on candidates. and forced and unjust reOrgani
zatiOn OF the convention to exclude Legitimate
and admit unauthorized delegates without Demo
cratic constituencies. in order to change the ma
jorty.


In the preamble of the Cincinnati platform
"the Democracy place their trust in the discrim
mating justice of the American pc, plc." The
North, in the Convention ut Charleston and al
Baltimore, persistently denied to tn" South this
discriminating Justice" by refusing to make
that explanation of its msinterpreted platform
wherein the South has plain right to know
what the North means touching the equal ri ghts
of the South in the common territory.


That has been the dividing difficulty on the
platform; and as to the candidate. the forced MI
merical majority in that Convention insisted upon
| having one man and no other. while all the rest
were ready to unite any other terms. After
announcing "nOn;interterence" by Congress rs the
| rule, it fixes the precise time when alone and moi
before. the pc pie OF n Territory can intervene
and act upon slavery; and that is when forming
| IL Constitution for State. 1t sums up the whole
power of the Territories over slavery thus:


"Resolued, That we recognize the right Of the
PEOPLE Of the Territories. (not the legislature
whenever the number of its inhabitants Justiic
it, to form II Constitution. with or without slave
ry, and be admitted into the Union upon terms
of perfect equality with the other States"


Thus it is defined that the right of the people
Of Territory to settle the statutes OF slavery
| begins only when they begin to form I; cOnsttu
tion, and not before That is the Cincinnati plat
form. clear and palpablc and nowise liable justly
to II double-Mcel construction. And it fixes th
sovereign power Of destroying or impairng pro
perty, at the time of making constitution. for
very sound reason. 1t is this: A territor al legs