Year: 1860

Union.
in convention assembled, hereby declare our affirm.
alton of the resolutions unanimously adopted, and
declared as a platform of principles of the demo-
cratic convention at Cincinnati in the year 1856 be-
lievng that democratic principles are Interchangeable
IN their nature when applied TO the same subject
matter; and we recommend as our only further
resolutions the following


THAT, inasmuch as differences of opinion exist in
the democratic party as to the nature and extent
OF the powers and duties OF Congress under the
sitution of the United States oVehe institution of
slavery within the territories,


Resolved, That the democratic party will abide by
the decisions of the supreme Court of the United
States over the institution of slavery in the terrific
ries.l


Resolved That it is the duty of the United States
TO afford ample and complete protection to all its
citizens. whether at home or abroad, and whether
native or foreign born.


IN military, commercial, and postal point of view,
is speedy communication between the Atlantic and
Pacific states; and the democratic party pledge such
constitutional government aid will ensure the
construction of railroad to the Pacific coast at the
earliest practicable period.


Resolved, That tile democratic party are in favor
OF the acquisition of the island of Cuba on such
terms as shall be honorable to ourselves and to
Spain.


Resolved That the enactments of state legislatures
to defeat the faithful execution of the fugitive slave
law, are hostile in character, subversve of the con-
sttution, and revolutionary in their effect"


After rejecting, by a vote OF 105 to 1913, Mr.
Buffers proposition to adopt the Cincinnati
platform pure and simple, a motion was made
to substitute the resolves reported by Mr..
Samuels, for the majority report. There was
some confusion in telegraphic account of
what followed this motion. 1t appears that
the motion was carried by vote of 165 to
l3S and that this vote was the provocation
which presently led to a stampede of the
southern delegations. Then followed the yot-
ing to adopt or reject the minority resolves.
Each resolve was voted on separately, and all
were adopted save the preamble and resolu-
ton which we include in brackets. Our tele-
graphic report left it doubtful whether this
preamble and resolution had been adopted or
rejected. 1t was rejected by vote of 40 for
it to 230 against it. Those voting against it
were evidently willing TO put in its place some
thing more satisfactory to the extremists. But
the bolt followed Immediately, and the con-
vention adjourned for general "consuIta.
ton"


1t is difficult to explain the policy of the
seeding delegations. Most of them have pro-
fessed willingness to go no further than re-
affirmation of the Cincinnati platform, with
Hunter or some other southern man nominat-
ed for the presidency, or with almost any body
but Douglas. There was nothing like pres
sure of honest principle to produce the disrup-
ton The "irrepressible conflict" which led
to it was not a struggle between the antislave-
ry sentiment and slavery propagandism. A
great deal of personal feeling between Doug
las and certain leaders of the democracy
North and South, has been mixed up in the
matter and intensified the quarrel; but the
chief force at work against the extreme men
of the south, has been a conviction among the
northern democrats, that their party has al
ready been loaded with quite as many declara-
tions in behalf of slavery as it could carry just
now. They could not go any farther at pres
ent. The Cincinnati platform itself with the
Kansas business that brought it into existence
had nearly destroyed the party in the North.
Their Southern friends were asked to wait
awhile before adding to the load Four years
hence, or at some time in the future, the party
might be ready for the slave code and some
other things of the kind that have heen sug-
gested But, for the present, they must wait
No scruples arguments have been used or
heard of on the northern side of the conflict
at Charleston, save those drawn from expe.
diency. "If we do what you require, the
black republicans will exterminate us p That
is all. "If the slave interest will hold back the
slave code business until the time is ripe for
it, there will be no difficulty on the score of
principle" The slave power is relentless
task master, else it would listen to such pleas
with more eomplacency and forbearance.


The CHARLESTON MERCURY never tires of
exhorting the southern people to seek "protec-
tion in the union or independence out of it,"
and we are never able to make out what the
exhortation means, nor have we been able to
get an explanation. We learn from the Mer.
curry that "t!e south" must make a revou.
tion,-that the faithful must begin it with
out waiting for ga united SOUTH" because
"no revolution ever took place By united
people, and that mighty demonstration
will carry with it "the whole south" Why
there must be revolution is not distinctly
stated. If the Mercury will state clearly what
are the grievances of the south which Justify
It's talk of independence out of the Union"
it will confer favor on some of its readers


The most specific state ment we have seen in
the columns of that journal is the following -


"When the coniederacy commenced, the


south was the stronger portion. The north


has grown relatively stronger and the south


weaker, by the course Of time and events pro


duced by the govern ent of the Union. Whv


were not these events resisted, or made 10 re-


dound equally 10 the advantage and STRENGTH
of the south? This was her right-this was
the constitutional order of things by her rela.
tions towards the north. The answer is-tbat
there was certain portion of the south who
paralyzed her action and counseled and com
PEELED her submission"


We infer from this that it is a deadly sin for
any free state to grow and prosper 1t is very
certain that Massachusetts and New York have
outgrown South Carolina and Virginia, and
that Ohio and Wisconsin have far outstripped
Kentucky and Arkansas; but the Mercury
falls short of its duty to South Carolina, when
it imputes this difference to acts of the federal
government, which the south has usually con-
troled, or finds in it a grievance. Would it
make South Carolina very happy to see
the free states full of ignorance and
poverty, and utterly incapable OF material
prosperity? The Mercury would show itself
much wiser, and much more faithful to "the
south" by studying carefully the true causes
oil this difference, and making an honest re.


port regard to them. We fear that it will


nel'her do this, nor give that explicit statement


oi the reasons why the Union should be dis.


so'eu' LOT which we have asked several t;p,os