Year: 1860

From the Washington Constellation, of the
llth, we take the following report of Mr.. Bu-
chanan's recent speech in support of the Breck-


nridge ticket:


Friends and f9lov,cihscns thank you from,
my heart for the honor Of this visit. l cordi-
ally congratulate you on the preference which
you have expressed for Major Breckenridge and
General Lane as candidates for the Presidency
and Vice Presidency of the United States over
all competitors. (Appause.) They are men
whose names are known to the country they
need no eulogy from me. They have served
their country in peace and in war; They orc
statesmen as well as soldiers, and in the houl
of danger they will ever be at their post. They
are conservative men and in the course Of
their administration they will be equally just
to the North and TO the South, to the East and
to the West. (Applausc) Above all, and
first of all they are friends of the Constitution
and of the Union, (cheers) and they will stand
by them to the death. (Bcncwcd cheers.) But
we ought not to forget that they are also friends
to the equality of the sovereign States Of this
Union in the common Territories of the country
(crics of "good!) They will maintain that
principle which should receive the cordial ap-
probation of us all. Equality is equity. Eve.
ry citizen Of the United States is equal before
the Constitution and the laws and why should
not the equality of the sovereign States com
posing this Union be held in like reverence
This is good democratic doctrine. Liberty and
equality are the birthright of every American
citizen; and just as certain as the day succeeds
the night SO certain will this principle of demo-
cratic justice eventually prevail over all oppo-
sition. (Chcers.) But, before speak further
upon this suhject--and shall not detain you
very long-I wish to remove one stumbling
block out of the way.


have ever been the friend of regular nomi-
nations. l have never struck political ticket
in my life. Now, was there anything done at
Baltimore to bind the political conscience OF
any sound Democrat, or to prevent him from
supporting Breckenridge and Lane? r. No!
no!"l was contemporary with the abandon
ment OF the old Congressional Convention or
caucus. This occurred long time ago; very
few, ifany, of you remember it. Under thr
old Congressional convention system, no per-
son was admitted to seat except the Democrat
ic members of the Senate and House of Repre-
scntativcs. This rule rendered il absolutely
certain that the nominee, whoever he might be,
would be sustained at the election by the Denl-
ocratic States Of the Union. BY this means il
was rendered impossible that these States which
could not give an electoral vote for the candi-
date when nominated should control the nomi-
nation and dictate to the Democratic States
who should be their nominee.


This system was abandoned whether wisely
or not shall express no opinion. The Nation.
al convention was substituted in its stead. All
the States, whether Democratic or not. were
equally to send delegates to this Convention
according 10 the number Of their Senators and
Representatives in Congress.


A difficulty at once rose which never could
have arisen under the Congressional convention
system. If bare majority of the Nationa
convention thus composed could nominate
candidate, he might be nominated mainly b,
anti Democratic States against the will Of I