OCR Text |
Show 210 A POLITICAL TEXT-BOOK FOR 1860. design to trespass many moments on the Senate ; but allow me to read and otrer a very few cornment,s upon some portions of the Democratic platform. 'l'he first resolution that treats upon the subject Is in these wordsI r end just so much o! it as is applicable to my present remarks: " That Congress has no power unur r the r onstltnllou to In· lo'rfere with or control t.bc domestic lust!tnllous of llw sc,•f'ral • nlPII, aud t.bnt all such Slates are the sol<' nud proper juc!gN! of ('verythlng apprrlaiolng to their OWQ atf,\irs not prohibited by the 'ouslltut!on." I take it tbn.t this language, thus far. is language which meets a willing and ready response from every cntlt or here-certainly It does from me. Dut in the following resolution I find these words : " R~.!Oll'l'd, Th>\t the forcgolnl:' propo·dtion rovo•r,,, nml wnN Jlltcndcd to Cmbraco, the wl:olo bllhj cct of Sla1 t:• 1' u;;itn tlun in CongrcsH.11 • The first resolution which I rend was adopted yc11.rs ago In Democratic Conventions. ~'he s econd r etlolution which I read was adopted in euhsequcot years, when a d ifferent state of things had arisen, and it been me n cces, ary to apply an abstract propo:lition relating to tho SLates, to the Territories. H ence tho ad<lptjon of tho language contained in the second ltcsolullon wlllch 1 ba.vo read. No\v, sir, I deny the position thus as~umecl by tho Cincinn ati Convention. In the lnngungc of th~ Se nator fr om Kentucky (~1r. Crittenden), so ably and so appropriately used on Tuesday last, I hold that the entire IUH! unqualified sovereignty of the Terri tories is in Con gr ess. 'l'hat ia my judgment; but this resolution l.Jrings tho 'l'crrltorios precisely within tho same limitations which are applied to the States in the resolution which I first read. 'l'he two taken together d eny to Congress any power of legislation in the Territories. F ollow on, and let us sec what remains. Adopted M a pnrt of the present platform, and as n ecessary to a new s tate of things, and to meet au emergency now existing tbe Oonvention says: ' 11 Tile American Democrncy recognize nnd ndor,t the prl nclfll es contninecl in the organic lnw ~ ~ t 11bli~hing the Territories of Kno•l\8 nnd Nebraska, nH cmborl~ ing the ouly sound nnd Hflfe RQtutJoo o f the h\very qneHtion, upon which the grcnt nntiorml !dell of the people of tbiR whole t •Jtrntry cr\n rcposo, in itA !Ill· tennined con~ervatism of the Union,-non ·intcrforence by Congross with Slavery in tile Stateij ruuJ Territories." Then follows the last resolution: 11 R~olv«ll That we recognize the right or the people of all tlrc Territories, Deluding Kansfls and Nebraska, acting Uu·ough t.b•~ ftLirly ·expressed will of the majority of nctual r es idents, a r.d whenever the number of their inhabitants justifies it, to fo.>rm a constitution wit.b or without domesUc Sla.vet·y and be admitted Into tbe Union upon terms of perfect equality with t.h~ other States." Take all these resolutions together, and tho dcd..~ctlon which we mu:!t necessarily draw from them is a dental to Congress of any power whntcver to legislate upon the subject or Slavery. 'l'he last resolution denies to the people of tho 'l'cnitorles any power over thnt subject, save when they shn.ll ltave a sulllcient number to furrn t\ constitution and become a State, and abo denies that Congress bas any p ower over the suhject; and so tho re~olutlons hold that thte power is at least in alleyance whilt! tho Territory is ln a Territorial contlit.lon. That is the ouly conclusion which y ou can draw from these resolutions. Alns I for short-lived Territorial Sover eignty! It came to its d eath in the bouse of its friends ·lit wut:~ l!uried by the same hands which had given it bnpL sm I llut, sir, I ditl not rise for the purpose of discussing these resolutions, but only to rcn.tl them, and HLatc the action which 1 propose to tnke in vi ew of t.li em. 1 may - 1 probably shall-take somo subsequent occasion, when I shall endeavor to present to the Senate anti lhe country a fair a ccount of what is the true Issue presented to the people for th eir co nsideration and decision. 1\ly ol!j ect n ow is to show only that the Cincinnati Con· v e nlion has indorsed and approved of tho r epeal of the 1\li~:~s o uri Compromise, from which so mn.uy e vils ha\·o already flowed- fr om which, 1 fear! m ore and worse evils must yet be nnticipatetl. It wou d of course, be expected that the Presidential nominee oft hat Convention would accept, cordially nnd cheerfully, the platform prepared fot· him by his party friends. No p enwn can obj ect to that. There is n o equivocation 011 h is part about the matter. 1 b eg leave to reatla short extract fr om ;L speech of that gentleman, made at hi:~ own home. within the last few days. In reply to tho Keystone Club, whick paid him a visit there, Mr. Duchanan said : "Oenllemr u, Lwo wee k~ since I shoulol lmvo' mndu you a longer RJ>CC<'h ; but n ow I hnve b cou p l ~tct•d on n phtform of wh!c·h I most heartily npprovo, aud LhtiL t·nu Rp••nk for me. Uclng llJC rpprcsenlntivr of tho g r f'at l>t·mn<· L·ath; pnrLy, and nol s imply Jnnws llucho.nn.n, I musl !lf]l trlro rny corulucL RCcoruiug to Uu• plalfonn of tile pn1·ty, nml !m~ertno uew plllnk, nor luke one from it." Thelie events leave to me only one unpleasant duty, which is to d eclnro here that I can maintain p olitical associations with no party that Insists upon such doctrines ; that I can support no man fo1· President who avows and recognizes them; and that the little of that power with which God has endowed me shall be <'10· ployod to battle manfully, firmly, and consir-.:~ently for his d efeat, d emnndetl as it is lly tho hlghe:>t Interests of the country which owns all my allegiance. 'l'be President.-'J'he question is on tho motion or the Senato1· from Maine to l1e excused from further service on the Committee on Commerce. The motion was agreed to. ACCEPTANCE OF Pl{ESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. MESSRS. LINCOLN AND ll.A~LIN ACCEPT. THE following is the correspondence between the officers of the Republican National Con vention and the candidates thereof for President and Vice-President : CmoAoo, May 18, 1860. To tiLe IloN. ADRAJIAM LINCOLN, of Illinois. ~ r a: The representatives of the Republican Party of the U nited States, assembled in Convention at Chicago, h a ve this tlay, by a unanimous vote, selected you as th ~ R .. publican candidate for the office of President of the U nited tates to be supported at the next election; and the undersigned were appointed a Committee of the Convention to npprise you of this nomination, and respectfully to request that. you wlll accept it. A declaration of the principles and sentiments adopted by the Convention accompanies this communication. ln 'he performance or this agreeable duty we take leave to atld our confident assurance that the nomination of the Chicago Connution willlle rl\tlfted by the suffrages ot the people. We h~ve the honor to be, with great respect and regard, rour fnends and fellow-citizens. GEORGE ASHMUM, or Massachusetts, President of the Oonvention. WM. M. EVARTS, of New-York, Jow. llunLINQ.uu:, of Oregon, EPrrnAtM ~r.~nMr, of New-Jersey, G ro~;oN W r~LI.s, of Connecticut, D. l(. CARTI>:H, or Ohio, CAnL Cll unz, of Wisconsin, JAMES Jr'. IMMONS, of Uhode I sland, J onN W. No nTJr, of Minne ota, GKO. D. BLAK~;y, of Kentucky, PETKR 1'. WASUIIUHN, ofVenuont, A. C. WILDER, of Kansas, EDWARD II. RoLr.tNS, of New-ITampshlre, FRANCIS~. CoRKRAN, of Maryland, NORMAN ll. Juon, of Illinois, N. ll. SMtTIJKRS, or Dolnwnre, WM. II. l\IcCnruts, of Maine, ALFRED 0ALDWELL, of Virginia, CALEB n. 8MtTU, o f Indiana, AuSTIN DL.Ain, of ~llchigan, WM. P. CLARKE, of Iowa, n. GRATZ DROWN, of Missouri, F. P. 'l'~AOY, of California, Fl. D. W~DSTEn, of Nebraska, G. A. HALL, or District of Oolumbla, Jonlf A. ANDREW, or Massachusetts, A. II. RERDEn, of Pennsylvania. SPRINOFILD, ILL., ]Jfay 23, 1860. lloN. GBonom' Asiuo~:uN, Pr88ident of tho R6p'l~bUca• BaUonal O~ention. Sm: I accept the nomination tendered me by th, Convention over which you presided, and of which I am ACCEP1\tKCE OF LINCOLN, HA.YLI~ AND ll.RECKINRIDGE. 211 rormally apprised in the letter of y onr!lclf :m tl ot her s, I as ju ·t a nd n eceR~a ry to the p reservation of th0 Nat!ou11.l nct iug a~ a Commit.to::o:: of tire Con vcut.ltm for that pur- orga nlz1Ltion a rul tho sa cr ed right of repre~:;cututluu, tilt:: ose. actl~ n of the Conven tion ovc1: which you continuNl to p l'lle tleclnratlon or prin ciples and sentiment , wh ich I pres1de · ancl thu~ appro ving. 1t, and having r Cl>olvt:d to nccompunlcs y our le tter, rucct!l rny .npproval; and it! bU~~<t.in h, 1 feel that it docs not be.come we to sckct U.c shall ue ury c1uc u ot to v iolate or d1~ n:gard it, in any po~1 t1o n 1 !Jail occupy, nor to shnuk from the n· ~p<m~i-tlrt. ' hilitlt·s. of the pm.t to wlllch ! h:we been ussigo1.d. p I 111 ploring the as~ist :Lnte of D!vlnc Providenre, nr.tl A\:c~1·dmgly, I accept tl~e IIOinllHttiOn from a l::lcme of with due n ·ga rli to the views a llll feelings of ull who 11•·ro:: ,,uuhc duty, and , as 1 tlrnJ~, un luflucnced io uny d<:j,'T£e reprcHcntcd in ti re Con v ention ; to the right~ of ull 1loe by the ~ll u rements o ~ amhit10u. Sttttes, a n ti 'J'c rl'lt ories, a nti people of tire nation ; to _lire I ava1lmyselfof th1s o~cnslon to sn.y th~l tire confidence iuviolauility of tire C o n~;tit u tio n, ancl the perpetual un1on, in my pcrson:tl.und 1~nbhc clro.mcter unplleu hy tire actlou lial'lrrOilY a nd p ru~ peri ty of al l, 1 11 rn 111u:.t ha ppy to co- of tire Co n v~.·r~tiO n, w1ll :liw:tj'!l he grat?fully reuiCJulJcn.l; openttc fur tlr ~ practi c al ::; ucccs~ of the p riuciplcs dec lu.r ~:d and it Is but J Ust, also, to 111y own fcclmgi:!, to cxprt·~:s my uy the Cuu VCII t ion. gratificaliou at the assoclatiuu of my uame witlr that r,[ Your obliged friend antl fo.:llow-d t izen , tny ft·lend U en. Lane, a patriot and a ::~oldicr , wlrollc j,'l'Cat, A ll l<AIIA ~t LJ:<CuLN. servlccs in the iidtl ILIId in council cutitlo him to the A similar letter was sent to tho Vice-Presidency, to whit:h tho reply. the nominee for the following is W ASIIING1'0N1 .'. !fay 80, 18G0. GKNTLJ.o:MEN: Your o fficial COillll\UII icalion of the 1 't lr l os~uut, In forming me t h l\t the r l.'p r e;;entnttvcs of tl•.e Republican party of the U ni ted Stat e~:~ , a::~semblcd at. Chi cago on th a t <lay, had , uy a unanimous vote, selecLed me a~ thei r candidate for the oOice of V ice-Pre~.-!deu t of the Uult c!l ::ltat es, has been r eceived, t ogeth~· r with the resolutio ns :ttloptetl by the Conventitm us its tlecluration of princ ipl e:;. 'J'hoHc resolu ti ons e n unc iate clearly nnli fo rcibly the prin c ip le~ which unite u~; , 1tntl the objects proposed t.o lie accornplis lr ed. 'l'hey a tldress thc tnsel vcs to a !~, ltnd there Is neither necessity u or prop riety in my enter tng u pon IL discussion of any o f th em. 'l'hey hav • tile a pproval of 111y judgment, and in :~ uy n.ctlon of lll ino will be fa. itltfu lly and cord ially sus tained. lam pro fou ndly g rateful to th o~e with whom It is my pride a nd p k awrc p oli t ictLtly to coupaatc, J~>r the nolllint\ tlon so unexpectedly confi.'Jrt:d; HIHI I dt:stre to teuder through y ou, to ti re rneruuc rs of the Cunvcntion , my sin cere tlio.uks for the cou ti dence tli\1~ repo!<cd in me. 'hould the nominat ion, wlr rch I now a ccep t, be r atiticd by the people, a nd the duties devolve upon me of prcsitling over the Senate or the Unite<! States, it wi ll be my ear nest endeavor faithfu lly to d ischarge them wit!: a j ust reg~t rd for the r ights or all. lt Is to be ovserved, in conn ection with the d oings of the ltepul>lican Oonvcution, that lL 1mr:LllHHII lL ohject with u ~ Is to IH'escrvc tire n ormal condition of our 'l'erritotorial Dorwtin al:! h orncs for J<'ree men. '!'lie :tble tt tl voca te anti defend er of R epul>li cn.n pr inciple~, whom you lmve nomlnu.!cd for tiro h ighest place that cn n gmtify the 11.mhltion of man, c o nr e::~ from a Sla te wh ich lms been ~n a<ie what it i ·, l1v special a ct ion, in th a t r espect, of the wise ant! gootl urcn who founrled our institut io ns. 'l'lrc rights of free luhor h ave the re been v indica ted nnd mui nta in cd. 'l'he th rift and e n tc rp ri~e which so distin gu i ~h l ll in ui:l, o ne of the most flourishing 'ta les of the glorious West, we would sec sec u re<! Lo nil tho '1'~: rr i t o ries or the Union; anti restore p ea ce a nd har rrJOIIJ to the whole count r·y, hy bringing hack the Oo ve rnr nent to wh:Lt it was under the wise a nd p:ttriotic n1en who c reate<! 1t. If the lt1 publicans shall succeed In t l ~;H obj ect, as they !rope to, tlrcy will be held in gmtcful rcmemlmu rcc by the UU~y lLIIU LCCIIliug milliO IIS Of future 1\l~l!i:l. I am, very truly you rs , II. liAMI.l !(. The lion. G IWRO ~; AsmwN, Presitlcn t of tho Con veution, and otlrcrs or the Convention. gratitude a nd confide nce of Iris countryrnen. 'fire n·solntlo ns adopted hy the Corl\'cution have my cord ial approval. 'l 'h~:y arc jnbt to all paris of ~ he l:uion, to all our cit i:r.cn<~, native a nd naturaliz.cd, anti they lunu a noble polity for a ny adlllinlstration. 'J'he q uestion::~ touchin~; the r ights of persons anrl property, which lr :\.v~ of late been 111uch di.'lcubscd, find iu these r esolutions a cons tit utionlll solution. Our lJnion 1~ a Confederacy of equal sovcrci~n lt~lcs, fur tlrc purp u~ts euumerated iu the lr'cdcral Constitution. Wlmtcnr tl.t• common Government holds in trust for all the ~t:~te mu~t l.Je enjoyed equally IJy eaclr. H controls the 'J'crrit orhs iu t rust for all the Sta tes. Notlling lcl:ls than so1·crdgnty can del:! troy or impa ir tho righli:! of pcrtlOllS or 111 O!•l·rty. 'l'ho 'l'crritorlnl Govcrnmeuts arc subordim.ttc and kll.pomry, lllHI not sovereign; l1cuce thl'Y cnnuot <le~truy or impair the rights of per~ons or p roperty. While thty continue to he Territories they u.rc under the cont•·ol of Conr•r e!ls but the Cow;tit ution nowhere coufcrs t•n any bnu~ch of tl1e It ·dentl Uovcrurnent the (lO\\ er to di-,crhuin~ Lte ngaln t U1e rights of tho States or the JH'•IJH·rty of their citi:r.cns in the Tcrlilorics. Jt follows that tire ritizcn~ of n.ll tire dates may enter tire Tenitorki:! of ll.l' Union with their p roperty, of whatever k ind, tlll<l \'!ljoy it during the territorial COIKlition without let or hiwlr,mcc, cit her liy Congress or by the sul!onliua.te 'lt.:rri t.ri.tl Governments. 'J'hcse prindples flow directly from the nh~l.' lll't of sovcrdgnt.y in tire 'l'crritorlal Governmcuts, and ln11n tht· equality of th • l:'tateH. I ndeed, t lrty arc c~sential to tl.nt cqunlity, which is, and ever lras l!ccn, t.hc vital prindt•lt> of our Constitutional l r1ion. They ha\'C 1Jcu1 ::.ctll o;tl legislatively-sci tlc!l judiciously, and arc kuHt a!Irct\ Ly right reason. 'J'hcy r ·Ht on the rock of the Con>-Litutlouihcy wi ll presen 'c the uiou. lt is idle to attewpt t.o srnot h cr thrse grea t i s~ucs, '>r to misq;present them IJy the usc of part!l:>an ph ra !->c~, 11 lllch are rni~ l cading and dclubive. 'l'he people will look IJt>neath such exprcs~ions a !; " l ntcrveutiotl/' "<:ongrc~ - ion ul ,_' lave Code," and the like, <tnd will penetrate to the real que~>tions in vo!ved. 'J'lte fricndw of Cun><litutlonal equality do not and never did demand a "U on ~n·~~ic•u~l ~lave (.;odo.r" nor any other code in rcg:ll'!l lo property m the Ter rito ries. Tliev !wid the doctrine of non-iut~::n cution by Congrc!IH, or l>y a. Territo rial Legis!atuo e, .cltl~ll' to estahlil:'h o1· p ro hibit ,'lavery; hut th~:y assert (luJtJted by th • highest jnd icial tribun:\1 in the nion; the pla.n d nty of the l•'c<h.:ral (lovcmmcnt, In all it:> dcpartllli:llts, to secure, when n ece:;!iary, to the citi:r.eus of all thc RtatcR ti re cujoymcnt of their p roperty in the enrumou Tcrrit~rlcs, as everywhere c l:;c Wi thin its julisdiniou. 'l'lte on ly logical a us\\ cr to tilL~ would seem to he to claim sovereign power fo r the Territories, or to deny that the Const itution recognizes propert.y in the !-er\' ~cs of negro :;!aYes, or to deny that such property can <·XIbt. l ne• or"l> lc lo!!ic. which works its teady wav thro1wh MR. nnE CKINIUDG.l<~ ~\ Cc ~: rTS. A •• .. J co clouds un<i pa~•io n , colllpcls the coun t ry to meet tho WASillNGTON CI1'Y, J uly 6, 1 GO. issue. 'J'Irc re i:; 110 eva~i\'~ nrid tllo ground. Already tb ~ DEAn Sut: I hnve y om· letter of the 2~d ultimo, hy signM multi Jri.Y of :\ fanatical a nd growing party, which which I nm ollici:Llly Info rmed of my nom l nat·t ou fo r t 1~ e denies that under the <.:on>:Jitutiou, or hy any other Ia"·· ofih:e of l't'Cbident of th e Uui tetl St!Ltcs hy t he Dcmocmt.ic shwe property can e x ibt; and ult iruaLe 1.V t 1t e blrugg1 e NationtLI Convention la tely a~:<semblcd at lla ltlmorc. must come between t his !'arty a nd the National Demo- 'l'hc cin~umHttLnccs of lliis n omination will j ust ify me in c racy, s uHt a incd IJy a ll ti re other cou~cn'ative doulent:; f · iu tile Union. rc \'l'nng to itl:l p e rson al aspect. 1 tli ink it will he irnposs!IJ ic for a candid mind to dl~:~- 1 lr~we not sought u or deHired to h placet! before ti ro cover hostil ity t() t lte L'ulon or 11 tuint of seclionalis.u couutr.v for the o!lice of President. \Vlrt:n tny ll!tme w:\s C · 'fl prrRcn lcd to tl10 Conven tion o.t Charleston, it wn.s with- in tire r~:so l utions :Hlupll'd by t11e onvcnlwn. , 10 dmwn l>y IL fri end in obedi e nce to my expres,.cd wiHhcs. Cotl"" t il u tion a n d the t '11ion l'el>Ose on the. ct,uahty 'f c 1 o f the 1-\tntcs, wlric1r llcb lil•e a broad foun rlu.t ~n n under- :> Y views had not cha nged when the on vent on rcns- J liCillhle 11 . It u It' ·,tud wht·n l licard of the diO'e re nlleS neat h our " bole pold ical st ructu re. As con ~truc • 1 a nnorc, 1 'I 1 t' .,· l JI" •lsscrt this t.'<lunlit'' They " hich occu iT<·d th e re mv indbp o~it lon to bo con ncclcd t lclll, • lC r eso u .on ''"' 1 ·' • • • • prouu• n cnt I v w1• th the' caJ n" ....s' w•a .st coufi rmcd a ll(l ex- • t 1c. u1·. u1 11 uotl1 iu !>• for '' lil•Y .~. t·' tte or sec•t 10n that 1s no \ Pre~" . 1 t · f .· . ·' clreerfully coucedcd to all lito r est. lt 1.; well to reJneul- , u o llllllry 11enus. 1 1 ·I · f l's · 1 . ·0 wl ich have alllicted our Wit hout discu~siH g the occurre nces which preceded t! H:: her t liLt t IO c 11e l 1 0 1 < cr • 1 . ; • , • 11 . nomlnatiou . . 1 .1 · .1 . on will ue we ll u n de r- country have g rOI\ n o~t of the ".JO I:It on of. t.~te cqnn .t), stood by th~' c~~~~ut;y :1 ~ ~1~1:: 0°;1y8~0 say that 1 up proved, all(l tl.Ja.t us loug a~ th 1s great pnu c1plc has h~:t:n rc~~·~ct L'U |