increase in population, its surprising development of material
resources, its rapid augmentation of wealth, its happiness at home,
and its honor abroad; and we hold in abhorrence all schemes for
disunion, come from whatever source they may; and we congratulate
the country that no Republican member of Congress has uttered or
countenanced the threats of disunion so often made by Democratic
members, without rebuke and with applause from their political
associates; and we denounce those threats of disunion, in case of a
popular overthrow of their ascendancy, as denying the vital principles
of a free government, and as an avowal of contemplated treason, which
it is the imperative duty of an indignant people sternly to rebuke and
forever silence.
4. That the maintenance inviolate of the rights of the States, and
especially the right of each State to order and control its own
domestic institutions according to its own judgment exclusively,
is essential to that balance of power on which the perfection and
endurance of our political fabric depends; and we denounce the lawless
invasion by armed force of the soil of any State or Territory, no
matter under what pretext, as among the gravest of crimes.
5. That the present Democratic administration has far exceeded our
worst apprehensions, in its measureless subserviency to the exactions
of a sectional interest, as especially evinced in its desperate
exertions to force the infamous Lecompton Constitution upon the
protesting people of Kansas; in construing the personal relation
between master and servant to involve an unqualified property in
person; in its attempted enforcement, everywhere, on land and sea,
through the intervention of Congress and of the Federal courts, of the
extreme pretensions of a purely local interest; and in its general and
unvarying abuse of the power entrusted to it by a confiding people.
6. That the people justly view with alarm the reckless extravagance
which pervades every department of the Federal Government; that a
return to rigid economy and accountability is indispensable to arrest
the systematic plunder of the public treasury by favored partisans;
while the recent startling developments of frauds and corruptions at
the Federal metropolis show that an entire change of administration is
imperatively demanded.
7. That the new dogma that the Constitution, of its own force, carries
slavery into any or all of the Territories of the United States, is a
dangerous political heresy, at variance with the explicit provisions
of that instrument itself, with contemporaneous exposition, and with
legislative and judicial precedent; is revolutionary in its tendency,
and subversive of the peace and harmony of the country.
8. That the normal condition of all the territory of the United
States is that of freedom; that as our republican fathers, when
they had abolished slavery in all our national territory, ordained
that no person should be deprived of life, liberty, or property
without due process of law, it becomes our duty, by legislation,
whenever such legislation is necessary, to maintain this provision
of the Constitution against all attempts to violate it; and we deny
the authority of Congress, of a territorial legislature, or of any
individual, to give legal existence to slavery in any Territory of the
United States.
9. That we brand the recent reopening of the African slave-trade,
under the cover of our national flag, aided by perversions of judicial
power, as a crime against humanity, and a burning shame to our country
and age; and we call upon Congress to take prompt and efficient
measures for the total and final suppression of that execrable traffic.
10. That in the recent vetoes, by their Federal governors, of the
acts of the Legislatures of Kansas and Nebraska, prohibiting slavery
in those Territories, we find a practical illustration of the boasted
Democratic principle of non-intervention and popular sovereignty,
embodied in the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and a demonstration of the
deception and fraud involved therein.
11. That Kansas should of right be immediately admitted as a State
under the Constitution recently formed and adopted by her people and
accepted by the House of Representatives.
12. That, while providing revenue for the support of the General
Government by duties upon imports, sound policy requires such an
adjustment of these imposts as to encourage the development of the
industrial interests of the whole country; and we commend that policy
of national exchanges which secures to the workingmen liberal wages,
to agriculture remunerating prices, to mechanics and manufacturers an
adequate reward for their skill, labor, and enterprise, and to the
nation commercial prosperity and independence.
13. That we protest against any sale or alienation to others of
the public lands held by actual settlers, and against any view of
the free-homestead policy which regards the settlers as paupers or
suppliants for public bounty; and we demand the passage by Congress
of the complete and satisfactory homestead measure which has already
passed the House.
14. That the Republican party is opposed to any change in our
naturalization laws, or any State legislation by which the rights of
citizenship hitherto accorded to immigrants from foreign lands shall
be abridged or impaired; and in favor of giving a full and efficient
protection to the rights of all classes of citizens, whether native or
naturalized, both at home and abroad.
The bitter estrangement of Douglas and President Buchanan made an
impassable gulf between Douglas and the radical Southerners who
stood by Buchanan. Douglas had a desperate contest in his State for
re-election to the Senate in 1858, when he was opposed by Lincoln as
the Republican candidate, and was even more vindictively opposed by all
the power of the national administration. Lincoln won the State, as
he carried the Republican or Union State ticket, but the legislative
districts were so gerrymandered that Douglas won the Legislature and
came back in triumph to defy the President. There was no reasonable
prospect, therefore, of Democratic unity in the campaign of 1860.
Douglas, who was the most astute of all the Democratic politicians of
his day, clearly foresaw that the violent attitude of the South must
result in the defeat of the slavery party and the early extinction of
slavery; but slavery had always been omnipotent since the battle began,
and it would not learn that its mastery could be overthrown.
The Democratic National Convention was called for the first time to
meet far South, in the city of Charleston, the home of Calhoun, the
cradle of nullification, and the one place in the Union where secession
ran rampant. It was obviously intended to environ the convention with
an army of the ablest Southern leadership. The convention met on
the 23d of April, 1860, and every State was fully represented, with
double delegations from Illinois and New York. The few administration
followers in Illinois had made a rump Democratic organization and
sent an anti-Douglas delegation to Charleston, and in New York they
had another contest between the “Hards” and the “Softs,” the “Hards”
being opposed to Douglas and the “Softs” for him. Caleb Cushing was
made permanent president, and it was decided that no ballot should be
had for President until a platform was adopted. On the following day
the convention did not get beyond the settlement of contested seats,
admitting the “Softs” of New York and the Douglas men from Illinois,
and the debates on even the most trivial disputes were unusually
bitter. On the third day threats of bolting became common among the
Southern delegates, as the admission of the Douglas delegates from New
York and Illinois clearly indicated that the Douglas people controlled
the convention. On the fourth day majority and minority reports were
made on the platform, the majority by Mr. Avery, of North Carolina, and
the minority by Mr. Payne, of Ohio. General Benjamin F. Butler, who was
a prominent delegate in the convention, as he would be anywhere, and
who voted for Jefferson Davis for the Presidency right along, presented
a minority report of his own, and Senator Bayard, of Delaware, followed
with a platform of his invention. On the fifth day Senator Bigler,
of Pennsylvania, moved to recommit the platforms to the committee
with instructions to report in an hour, and the motion to recommit
was carried, 152 to 151, while the motion to instruct was lost by a
very large vote. On the same day Mr. Avery, from the majority of the
committee on platform, reported a new declaration of principles, and an
elaborate discussion followed, and Mr. Samuels, of Iowa, presented a
new minority report.
After a protracted and ill-tempered debate, it was finally decided
that the vote on the platform should be taken on Monday, the 30th, and
on that day the convention proceeded to vote without debate. Butler’s
platform was rejected by 198 to 105. Next the minority report of Mr.
Samuels, being the Douglas platform, was carried by 165 to 138. The
report of the committee as amended was then adopted without a vote
by States, upon which the Alabama delegation presented a written
protest announcing the purpose of the delegates to withdraw from the
convention. The Mississippi, Florida, and Texas delegations gave like
notice, and the Louisiana delegation excepting two, the South Carolina
delegation excepting three, with three of the Arkansas delegation, two
of the Delaware delegation, including Senator Bayard, and one from
North Carolina then withdrew from the convention. There were great
pomp and ceremony in this proceeding, as formal protests and elaborate
speeches were made by the retiring delegates. The convention was thus
largely depleted, but a resolution, declaring that two-thirds of a full
convention, being 202 votes, shall be necessary to make nominations,
was adopted by 141 to 112. The convention then proceeded to ballot for
President with the following result:
════════╤════════╤════════╤═══════╤══════════╤═══════════╤══════╤════════════╤═══════╤══════════
BALLOTS.│Douglas.│Guthrie.│Hunter.│Dickinson.│A. Johnson.│Lane. │Jeff. Davis.│Toucey.│F. Pierce.
────────┼────────┼────────┼───────┼──────────┼───────────┼──────┼────────────┼───────┼──────────
1 │ 145-1/2│ 35 │ 42 │ 7 │ 12 │ 6 │ 1-1/2 │ 2-1/2│ 1
2 │ 147 │ 36-1/2│ 41-1/2│ 6-1/2 │ 12 │ 6 │ 1 │ 2-1/2│ ――
3 │ 148-1/2│ 42 │ 36 │ 6-1/2 │ 12 │ 6 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
4 │ 149 │ 37-1/2│ 41-1/2│ 5 │ 12 │ 6 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
5 │ 149-1/2│ 37-1/2│ 41 │ 5 │ 12 │ 6 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
6 │ 149-1/2│ 39-1/2│ 41 │ 3 │ 12 │ 7 │ ―― │ ―― │ ――
7 │ 150-1/2│ 38-1/2│ 41 │ 4 │ 11 │ 6 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
8 │ 150-1/2│ 38-1/2│ 40-1/2│ 4-1/2 │ 11 │ 6 │ 1-1/2 │ ―― │ ――
9 │ 150-1/2│ 41 │ 39-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ 6 │ 1-1/2 │ ―― │ ――
10 │ 150-1/2│ 39-1/2│ 39 │ 4 │ 12 │ 5-1/2│ 1-1/2 │ ―― │ ――
11 │ 150-1/2│ 39-1/2│ 38 │ 4 │ 12 │ 6-1/2│ 1-1/2 │ ―― │ ――
12 │ 150-1/2│ 39-1/2│ 38 │ 4 │ 12 │ 6 │ 1-1/2 │ ―― │ ――
13 │ 149-1/2│ 39-1/2│ 28-1/2│ 1 │ 12 │20 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
14 │ 150 │ 41 │ 27 │ 1/2 │ 12 │20-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
15 │ 150 │ 41-1/2│ 26-1/2│ 1/2 │ 12 │20-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
16 │ 150 │ 42 │ 26 │ 1/2 │ 12 │20-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
17 │ 150 │ 42 │ 26 │ 1/2 │ 12 │20-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
18 │ 150 │ 41-1/2│ 26 │ 1 │ 12 │20-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
19 │ 150 │ 41-1/2│ 26 │ 1 │ 12 │20-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
20 │ 150 │ 42 │ 26 │ 1/2 │ 12 │20-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
21 │ 150-1/2│ 41-1/2│ 26 │ 1/2 │ 12 │20-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
22 │ 150-1/2│ 41-1/2│ 26 │ 1/2 │ 12 │20-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
23 │ 152-1/2│ 41-1/2│ 25 │ 1/2 │ 12 │19-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
24 │ 151-1/2│ 41-1/2│ 25 │ 1-1/2 │ 12 │19-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
25 │ 151-1/2│ 41-1/2│ 25 │ 1-1/2 │ 12 │19-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
26 │ 151-1/2│ 41-1/2│ 25 │ 12 │ 12 │ 9 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
27 │ 151-1/2│ 42-1/2│ 25 │ 12 │ 12 │ 8 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
28 │ 151-1/2│ 42 │ 25 │ 12-1/2 │ 12 │ 8 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
29 │ 151-1/2│ 42 │ 25 │ 13 │ 12 │ 7-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
30 │ 151-1/2│ 45 │ 25 │ 13 │ 11 │ 5-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
31 │ 151-1/2│ 47-1/2│ 32-1/2│ 3 │ 11 │ 5-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
32 │ 152-1/2│ 47-1/2│ 22-1/2│ 3 │ 11 │ 5-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
33 │ 152-1/2│ 47-1/2│ 22-1/2│ 3 │ 11 │14-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
34 │ 152-1/2│ 47-1/2│ 22-1/2│ 5 │ 11 │12-1/2│ 1 │ ―― │ ――
35 │ 152 │ 47-1/2│ 22 │ 4-1/2 │ 12 │13 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
36 │ 151-1/2│ 48 │ 22 │ 4-1/2 │ 12 │13 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
37 │ 151-1/2│ 64-1/2│ 16 │ 5-1/2 │ 1/2 │12-1/2│ 1-1/2 │ ―― │ ――
38 │ 151-1/2│ 66 │ 16 │ 5-1/2 │ ―― │13 │ ―― │ ―― │ ――
39 │ 151-1/2│ 66-1/2│ 16 │ 5-1/2 │ ―― │12-1/2│ ―― │ ―― │ ――
40 │ 151-1/2│ 66-1/2│ 16 │ 5-1/2 │ ―― │12-1/2│ ―― │ ―― │ ――
41 │ 151-1/2│ 66-1/2│ 16 │ 5-1/2 │ ―― │12-1/2│ ―― │ ―― │ ――
42 │ 151-1/2│ 66-1/2│ 16 │ 5 │ ―― │13 │ ―― │ ―― │ ――
43 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 5 │ ―― │13 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
44 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 5 │ ―― │13 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
45 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 5 │ ―― │13 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
46 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 5 │ ―― │13 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
47 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 5 │ ―― │13 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
48 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 5 │ ―― │13 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
49 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 4 │ ―― │14 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
50 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 4 │ ―― │14 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
51 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 4 │ ―― │14 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
52 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 4 │ ―― │14 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
53 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 4 │ ―― │14 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
54 │ 151-1/2│ 61 │ 20-1/2│ 2 │ ―― │16 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
55 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 4 │ ―― │14 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
56 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 4 │ ―― │14 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
57 │ 151-1/2│ 65-1/2│ 16 │ 4 │ ―― │14 │ 1 │ ―― │ ――
════════╧════════╧════════╧═══════╧══════════╧═══════════╧══════╧════════════╧═══════╧══════════
Douglas had a large plurality of the votes, but could not obtain even
a two-thirds vote of the remaining delegates. After the 57th ballot a
motion was made to adjourn the convention to reassemble at Baltimore on
the 18th of June. That was adopted by 195 to 55, whereupon President
Cushing adjourned the convention to reconvene in Baltimore. The
retiring delegates met at St. Andrew’s Hall, in Charleston, elected
Senator Bayard, of Delaware, president, and after much discussion
adopted a platform of its own. After spending four days wholly
devoted to discussion, that body adjourned to reconvene in Richmond
on the second Monday in June. This convention reconvened in Richmond
on the 11th of June, with delegates from Alabama, Texas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia.
John Erwin, of Alabama, was made President, when it adjourned to meet
again in Richmond on the 21st of June, and reassembled on that day
and awaited the action of the Democratic seceders of the Baltimore
convention, who nominated Breckenridge and Lane, when it accepted the
candidates of the seceders and their platform, and adjourned _sine die_.
The regular Democratic National Convention reassembled in Baltimore on
the 18th of June, and the first three days were devoted to a wrangling
discussion on rules, platforms, rights of delegates, etc. The first
disturbing questions the convention had to meet were the admission of
delegates and the right of partial delegations representing States to
cast the full vote of the State. The decision of the convention started
another small tidal wave of secession and Virginia retired. North
Carolina followed, then Tennessee, and a portion of Maryland. Later
California and Delaware withdrew with a part of Kentucky, and President
Cushing became so disgusted that he resigned his position and bolted
himself. The convention finally proceeded to ballot for President, and
two ballots were had, with the following result:
══════════════╤═══════════════════════════════╦═══════════════════════════════
│ 1ST BALLOT. ║ 2D BALLOT.
STATES. ├────────┬─────────────┬────────╫────────┬─────────────┬────────
│Douglas.│Breckenridge.│Guthrie.║Douglas.│Breckenridge.│Guthrie.
──────────────┼────────┼─────────────┼────────╫────────┼─────────────┼────────
Maine │ 5-1/2│ ―― │ ―― ║ 7 │ ―― │ ――
New Hampshire │ 5 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 5 │ ―― │ ――
Vermont │ 5 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 5 │ ―― │ ――
Massachusetts │ 10 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 10 │ ―― │ ――
Rhode Island │ 4 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 4 │ ―― │ ――
Connecticut │ 3-1/2│ 1 │ ―― ║ 3-1/2│ 1/2 │ ――
New York │ 35 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 35 │ ―― │ ――
New Jersey │ 2-1/2│ ―― │ ―― ║ 2-1/2│ ―― │ ――
Pennsylvania │ 10 │ 3 │ 3 ║ 10 │ 7 │ 2-1/2
Maryland │ 2-1/2│ ―― │ ―― ║ 2-1/2│ ―― │ ――
Virginia │ 1-1/2│ ―― │ ―― ║ 3 │ ―― │ ――
North Carolina│ 1 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 1 │ ―― │ ――
Alabama │ 9 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 9 │ ―― │ ――
Louisiana │ 6 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 6 │ ―― │ ――
Arkansas │ 1 │ 1/2 │ ―― ║ 1-1/2│ ―― │ ――
Missouri │ 4-1/2│ ―― │ 1-1/2║ 4-1/2│ ―― │ 1-1/2
Tennessee │ 3 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 3 │ ―― │ ――
Kentucky │ ―― │ ―― │ 4-1/2║ 3 │ ―― │ 1-1/2
Ohio │ 23 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 23 │ ―― │ ――
Indiana │ 13 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 13 │ ―― │ ――
Illinois │ 11 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 11 │ ―― │ ――
Michigan │ 6 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 6 │ ―― │ ――
Wisconsin │ 5 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 5 │ ―― │ ――
Iowa │ 4 │ ―― │ ―― ║ 4 │ ―― │ ――
Minnesota │ 2-1/2│ 1/2 │ 1 ║ 4 │ ―― │ ――
├────────┼─────────────┼────────╫────────┼─────────────┼────────
│ 173-1/2│ 5 │ 10 ║ 181-1/2│ 7-1/2 │ 5-1/2
══════════════╧════════╧═════════════╧════════╩════════╧═════════════╧════════
As Douglas had received nearly the unanimous vote of the remaining
delegates, it was finally resolved that as he had two-thirds of all
the votes given in the convention, he was the nominee of the party for
President. Benjamin Fitzpatrick, Senator from Alabama, was nominated
for Vice-President, receiving 198-1/2 votes to 1 for William C.
Alexander, of New Jersey. Senator Fitzpatrick declined the nomination
when notified of it, and the National Committee supplied the vacancy by
the nomination of Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia. The platform adopted
by this convention was as follows:
1. _Resolved_, That we, the Democracy of the Union, in convention
assembled, hereby declare our affirmance of the resolutions
unanimously adopted and declared as a platform of principles by the
Democratic convention at Cincinnati in the year 1856, believing that
Democratic principles are unchangeable in their nature when applied
to the same subject-matters; and we recommend as the only further
resolutions the following:
Inasmuch as differences of opinion exist in the Democratic party as to
the nature and extent of the powers of a Territorial legislature, and
as to the powers and duties of Congress, under the Constitution of the
United States, over the institution of slavery within the Territories—
2. _Resolved_, That the Democratic party will abide by the decisions
of the Supreme Court of the United States on the questions of
constitutional law.
3. _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.
4. _Resolved_, That one of the necessities of the age, in a 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 as will insure the construction of a
railroad to the Pacific Coast at the earliest practicable period.
5. _Resolved_, That the Democratic party are in favor of the
acquisition of the island of Cuba, on such terms as shall be honorable
to ourselves and just to Spain.
6. _Resolved_, That the enactments of State Legislatures to defeat the
faithful execution of the Fugitive Slave law are hostile in character,
subversive of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effects.
7. _Resolved_, That it is in accordance with the interpretation of the
Cincinnati platform, that, during the existence of the Territorial
governments, the measure of restriction, whatever it may be,
imposed by the Federal Constitution on the power of the Territorial
Legislature over the subject of the domestic relations, as the same
has been, or shall hereafter be, finally determined by the Supreme
Court of the United States, should be respected by all good citizens,
and enforced with promptness and fidelity by every branch of the
General Government.
The seceders from the Baltimore convention, who were really
representing the seceders from the Charleston convention then in
session at Richmond, immediately organized a new convention in the
Front Street Theatre, of Baltimore, with 21 States fully or partially
represented. Caleb Cushing was made chairman, and after adopting the
two-thirds rule, a ballot was had for President, all of the votes being
cast for J. C. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, by the following States:
Vermont 1/2
Massachusetts 8
New York 2
Pennsylvania 4
Maryland 4-1/2
Virginia 11-1/2
North Carolina 8-1/2
Georgia 10
Florida 3
Alabama 9
Louisiana 6
Mississippi 7
Texas 4
Arkansas 4
Missouri 1
Tennessee 9-1/2
Kentucky 4-1/2
Minnesota 1
California 4
Oregon 3
Breckenridge, having received the unanimous vote of the convention,
was declared the candidate with great enthusiasm, and Joseph Lane,
of Oregon, received a like unanimous vote for Vice-President on the
1st ballot. The convention then adopted the following platform, being
the same that had been reported to the Charleston convention by the
majority of the platform committee:
_Resolved_, That the platform adopted by the Democratic party at
Cincinnati be affirmed, with the following explanatory resolutions:
1. That the government of a Territory organized by an act of Congress
is provisional and temporary; and during its existence all citizens of
the United States have an equal right to settle with their property in
the Territory, without their rights either of person or of property
being destroyed or impaired by Congressional legislation.
2. That it is the duty of the Federal Government, in all its
departments, to protect, when necessary, the rights of persons and
property in the Territories, and wherever else its constitutional
authority extends.
3. That when the settlers in a Territory, having an adequate
population, form a State constitution, the right of sovereignty
commences, and, being consummated by admission into the Union, they
stand on an equal footing with the people of other States; and the
State thus organized ought to be admitted into the Federal Union,
whether its constitution prohibits or recognizes the institution of
slavery.
4. That the Democratic party are in favor of the acquisition of the
island of Cuba, on such terms as shall be honorable to ourselves and
just to Spain, at the earliest practicable moment.
5. That the enactments of State Legislatures to defeat the faithful
execution of the Fugitive Slave law are hostile in character,
subversive of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect.
6. That the Democracy of the United States recognize it as the
imperative duty of this Government to protect the naturalized citizen
in all his rights, whether at home or in foreign lands, to the same
extent as its native-born citizens.
_Whereas_, One of the greatest necessities of the age, in a political,
commercial, postal, and military point of view, is a speedy
communication between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts—
_Therefore be it Resolved_, That the Democratic party do hereby pledge
themselves to use every means in their power to secure the passage of
some bill, to the extent of the constitutional authority of Congress,
for the construction of a Pacific railroad from the Mississippi River
to the Pacific Ocean, at the earliest practicable moment.
A convention of delegates, representing the Constitutional Union
party, met at Baltimore on the 9th of May and nominated John Bell, of
Tennessee, for President, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, for
Vice-President. Two ballots were had, as follows:
═══════════════════╤═════════════╤════════════
│ 1st Ballot. │ 2d Ballot.
───────────────────┼─────────────┼────────────
John Bell │ 68-1/2 │ 138
Samuel Houston │ 57 │ 69
John M. Botts │ 9-1/2 │ 7
John McLean │ 21 │ 1
J. J. Crittendon │ 28 │ 1
Edward Everett │ 25 │ 9-1/2
William Goggin │ 3 │ ――
William A. Graham │ 22 │ 18
William L. Sharkey │ 7 │ 8-1/2
William C. Rieves │ 13 │ ――
═══════════════════╧═════════════╧════════════
Mr. Bell was declared the unanimous choice of the convention, and Mr.
Everett was unanimously nominated without the formality of a ballot.
The following platform was adopted by this convention:
_Whereas_, Experience has demonstrated that platforms adopted by the
partisan conventions of the country have had the effect to mislead
and deceive the people, and at the same time to widen the political
divisions of the country by the creation and encouragement of
geographical and sectional parties, therefore—