Election of 1860, Democrats (Channing, 1922)

Up to this time the Democratic Election of party had remained united — at least outwardly. Now, however, the demands put forth by the slave power were more than Northern Democrats could endure. The Democratic National Convention met at Charleston, South Carolina, in April, 1860. The Northern Democrats, with Douglas for their candidate, were willing to accept the Dred Scott opinion, and any decision which the Supreme Court might make as to slavery. The Southerners demanded that the convention should lay down as one of the principles of the Democratic party that Congress should assume the protection of slavery in the territories. They also declared that the Northerners must advocate slavery and acknowledge that slavery was morally right — nothing else would satisfy the South. The Northern delegates were in the majority; they adopted the Douglas platform and the Southern men withdrew. The convention then adjourned to Baltimore in the hope that time would bring about a reconciliation. In the end, the Northern Democrats nominated Douglas, and the Southern Democrats Breckinridge.