Year: 1860

"
enridge ratification meeting. recently held
iu the city Of New York. We commend il
to the perusal Of every unprejudiced man
New YORK, July 18th 1860.
GENrLEMEN.-Coadially approving the nom
instion Of John G. Breckenridge for Presi.
dent, and Joseph Lane for Vice President
Of the United States. regret that it will
not be in my power to address the rati
fication meeting appointed to be held to
morrow evening at the Cooper Institpte.
However deeply it is to be deplored that
rival platforms and rival candidates are pre-
sented to the Democratic party, threatening
to divide its strength and deliver it over as
an easy prey into the hands of its opponents,
yet snch being unhappily the fact, the duty
OF making choice cannot be avoided.


The difference between these platforms,
like every political question of the times,
derives all its significance from the subject
Of negro slavery. Its relations to the Terri
tories and to the mode of governing them
is merely incidental; it is merely the form
in which this perpetually recurring subject is
here depeloped as an element Of strife. The
controversy in all its practical bearings is
merely this! How is negro slavery to be
dealt with!


In its moral, political, legal and economi
cal aspects, my views on that general subject
have been so distinctly and so often express
ed, that my position in reference to the RI
val platforms now before US could not be
doubted.


The most fertile regions of the globe
bo oA f,,Il 70
ope their natural resources for the benefit of
mankind, except by negro labor. Negro la
Dor cannot be there employed except through
the judicious compulson Of a superior race;
and in no way can so great measure of
physical enjoyment and moral improvement
be impaired to the negro as by his conpul
sorry servitude in these very regions.


From these very undeniable facts, written
in the great book Of nature, proven by ex-
perience, and not without sanction from rev
elation, my reason draws the inference that
negro slavery is not repugnant to justice-is
not Improbable to the white man-is not
oppressive to the negro, and is not inexpedl-
ent as II matter Of social policy.


Let US apply these views to our own
country. Since the foundation of this Re.
public negro slavery has ever been main
pillar Of our strength, and indispensable ele-
ment of our growth and prosperity. 1t is
now an integral part Of our being as ma
tion; to expel il by fraud or tear it out by
violence would be national SUICIDE.


1t follows that "to v!ndicate its essential
justness and morality, in all courts and pla-
ces, before men and nations, is the duty Of
every American CITIZEN


A moral war has been made upon this in
stitutiop by infidels and a quasi-religous
crusade has been preached against it by an.
other class. Hitherto, at least in the North,
no one has defended it, and its Southern al.
vocates have not been heard. The natural
results have ensued. judgment has passed
against it by default, and the idea that it
conflicts with natural justice and with di
vine law has taken possession Of the North
ern mind.


This state Of things formed most prom.
ising qnarry for the industry Of political
party makers, and they have avaied them.
selves Of it. They thus argued: with the
national conscience on our side, and against
our antagonists, surely We must win." Ac-
cordingly, this bright idea has been worked
into political organization, and here stands
before us at the North the Black Republican
party, almost, if not absolutely, invincible.


Why has that party any strength9 Why
does it now threaten to destroy harmony
between the North and South, leading to
disunion and to disasters deep and irremedi
rble?


It is simply because the false assumption
Of abolitionists, that negro slavery is unjust,
has been permitted to pass unrefqted.


How is that destructive part to be shorn
of its pernicous strength? There is but one
method by which this object can be effected,
and that is by denying and disprovng the
false position on which it is founded.


We must as party, insist unqualifiedly
that in the institution of negro slavery there
is nothing whatever which calls for unfavor
able action by Government; that the right
Of the white master to the services of his
negro slave is in every moral sense precisely
the same as bis right to any other property.


Ifthis proposition be not true, no honest
man ought to desire the permanency Of our
Republic; if it be true the Black Republican
doctrine is reasonable and destructive fal.
lacy.


am in favor Of the principles enunca.
ted in the Senate resolutions of 1850, and
in the report Of the committee on resolutions
made to our National Convention at Charles
ton, because they come up to this point.
They meet the exigency before us; they
fairly and directly meet the issue as it is un
derstood by all honest and sensible men on
either side.


am in favor Of Breckenridge and Lane,
because they stand upon platform distinct
ly expressing these principles


Mr.. Douglas declines practically to stand
up to them. He blipks the main issue, and