The New York Times, June 13, 1860
The Democratic Convention at Richmond has adjourned, to await the action of their Northern brethren at Baltimore. They have done exactly nothing else. They took no action concerning a platform, said nothing about candidates, rigorously suppressed all freedom of debate, and severely snubbed the irrepressible Col. BALDWIN, of Syracuse, for pertinaciously protesting his devotion to the Union.
The fact is, the Richmond gathering was designed simply as a sort of screw for coercing Baltimore. It was intended to intimidate the Northern Democrats by the imposing spectacle of a united South, solemnly and sullenly resolved to have no further concert with the North, except upon their own terms and conditions. They are imperative on the subject of protection for slave property in the Territories. They are immovable in their hostility to Squatter Sovereignty. They demand the sacrifice of DOUGLAS, and the repudiation of his platform, as the only peace-offering which they can be induced, under any circumstances, to accept. They assembled at Richmond merely to assure each other that they had not changed their minds. They are going next to Baltimore to assure the Northern Democrats of the same thing. And afterwards they will meet again at Richmond to compare notes, and see what they have made by the whole operation.
We must do the Southern Democrats the justice to say that, in this matter, they appear to be quite in earnest. So far as we can judge from appearances, their purpose is fixed not to have anything to do with the National Democratic Party unless that party will concede the positions which they claim,—unless they will espouse the principle, in its fullest extent, that slaves as property may be taken into the Territories, and that when there they are entitled to precisely the same protection at the hands of the General Government as horses, mules, hogs, or any other species of property whatever. They consider this concession as absolutely essential to their safety and relf-respect; and they aparently put no value upon any political victory which shall not embody and secure it to them.
Next week we shall see what the Northern Democrats will conclude to do about it. They resisted the demand with firmness and courage at Charleston. Will they still hold out? We believe they will at the outset make every possible attempt at a compromise. We believe they will concede everything which may be asked, provided the concession can be so covered up as not to shock the public sentiment of the Northern States. We are prepared to see them go considerably further than they went at Charleston, in the matter of a platform. And as to a candidate, we have very little doubt that they will consent to take Judge NELSON, or almost any other man whose position is equally conservative and who has not already been irretrievably damaged by being pressed as a candidate. If all these overtures shall be rejected, then we presume they will nominate Judge DOUGLAS—the seceders will return to Richmond and nominate DAVIS or HUNTER, and then we shall have the alternative of Mr. LINCOLN or no election by the people; and to this complexion we presume it will come at last.