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Valley Spirit: September 26, 1860 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

Regular Nominee
(Column 01)

Summary: The Spirit changes its position and decides no longer to support Douglas. It denies that Douglas is really the regular nominee of the party, since he never received the required two-thirds of the vote from the National Convention.

Full Text of Article:

The only hold Mr. Douglas has on the Democratic party is that he claims to be the "regular nominee." Take that away and his last and only prop is knocked from under him. Let us briefly examine his claim: The National convention expressly decided that it required two-thirds of the whole vote of that body to impart regularity and validity to a National nomination. The two- thirds of the Convention was 202. Mr. Douglas never received that vote. The highest vote he did receive on any ballot was 181 1/2. Had the Convention remained in session until dooms-day he could not have received the two-third vote--the vote necessary to make him the "regular nominee." It was secession alone that gave him a nomination of any kind. He is merely the nominee of a conclave of his partisans.

How does the case stand with Mr. Johnson; We suppose that he claims to be a "regular nominee" also. Mr. Fitzpatrick declined the honor of running on the same ticket with Mr. Douglas, so did Mr. Yancey. But the convenient Mr. Johnson accepted the nomination from the hands of three men in a back parlor of a hotel at Washington. How easily regular nominees are manufactured now-a-days! The Democratic party we trust will not suffer itself to be cheated and deceived any longer by this clamor about regular nominations.

Bad Faith
(Column 01)

Summary: States that the paper can no longer support Douglas because he flip-flopped on a key issue. In 1856, Douglas said that no power could deprive slave-holders in the territories of their slaves after the Supreme Court stated that slavery was recognized in the territories. However, in the Lincoln-Douglas debate at Freeport he stated that the Territorial Legislature could legally exclude slavery.

Full Text of Article:

The chief objection to Judge Douglas is his want of faith. In July, 1856, in his seat in the United States Senate, he declared that if the Supreme Court should decide that slavery was recognized in the Territories under the Federal Constitution, there was no power on earth could deprive the owner of his rights. Mr. Douglas then agreed to submit the whole question of slavery in the Territories to the adjudication of the Courts. After the question was decided, however, in favor of the equal rights of the South in the Territories, Mr. Douglas declared, at Freeport, that it did not "matter what the decision of the Supreme Court might be, the Territorial Legislature might legally exclude slavery, either by non-action or unfriendly legislation."

It is because Mr. Douglas has thus shown his hands--because he has declared that he would submit to the decision of the Court, and they declared that the decision might be legally overthrown by a Territorial Legislature, that the Constitutional Democracy can no longer trust him. They have no confidence in a public man who openly proposed to cheat any section of the Union out of the rights adjudicated to them by the Supreme Court, especially by such unmanly legislative tricks as "non-action" or "unfriendly legislation."

Mr. Douglas's Latest Insult
(Column 01)

Summary: Accuses Douglas of sneering at the courage of Southerners by stating that they want to break up the Union, but are afraid to be sent to the gallows.

Then and Now
(Column 01)

Summary: In 1851, Herschel V. Johnson stated that the right of secession must be maintained. However, on September 12, 1960, he denounced the conservative Democrats of New York as secessionists.

Work! Work!! Work!!!
(Column 01)

Summary: Urges Democrats to organize and work for the election of Foster for governor.

The Cresson Compromise
(Column 02)

Summary: If the party supports a straight Douglas ticket, it will be defeated. Only the Cresson compromise will lead to victory.

Origin of Article: The Democratic Messenger (Douglas) of Indiana, PA

Extract from Gen. H.D. Foster's Philadelphia Speech
(Column 02)

Summary: Foster denies the Republican charge that he is a free-trade man.

Highly Interesting Document
(Column 02)

Summary: Reprint of Herschel V. Johnson's letter from 1851 in which he states that secession is the only hope of the South.

Township Meetings of Breckinridge Clubs
(Column 04)

Summary: Letter states that the county has a number of Breckinridge clubs. Many of the most prominent Democrats in the county support Breckinridge.
(Names in announcement: Esq. William Stenger, Mr. Douglas, Mr. Brewer)

Hope Fire Company
(Column 05)

Summary: The Hope Fire Company passed a resolution that its equipment was to be used by the company only.
(Names in announcement: John Montgomery, A.C. McGrath)

Our Band and the County Fair
(Column 06)

Summary: Discussion of why the Fayetteville Band rather than the Chambersburg Brass Band was chosen to play at the County Fair.
(Names in announcement: P.D. Frey, D.K. Wunderlich)

Letter of Rev. Daniel Wm. Cahill, D.D. to the Small Farmers, Tradesmen and Laborers of Ireland
(Column 01)

Summary: Description of his trip by train from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. He is amazed and impressed by the engineering and genius of American railroad builders.

The Pacific Railroad Contract
(Column 03)

Summary: Discussion of the awarding of the contract for building the Pacific telegraph.

Origin of Article: New York Herald

Letter from Pike's Peak
(Column 05)

Summary: Extract of a letter from "A.R.K.", a young man who went west, to his sister.

Democrats Organize!
(Column 05)

Summary: Urges Democrats to organize to elect Foster for governor.

[none]
(Column 06)

Summary: The Republicans claim to support protective tariffs. However, there is no evidence that Lincoln is a "protective tariff man" and Hamlin is a known free trader.

[none]
(Column 06)

Summary: Col. Curtin concedes that Gen. Foster is a protective tariff man. Many Bell supporters and Republicans will vote for Foster.

Severe Sentences
(Column 06)

Summary: Two women were convicted of keeping a "house of ill fame" in Cumberland County and were sentenced to one year in prison. "An example or two of this kind might have a tendency to close some of the many pitfalls that beset the path of the youth in our city."

[none]
(Column 06)

Summary: The Pittsburgh Gazette accused the Catholic priests of Berks and Schuylkill of telling their followers to vote for Foster for governor. The Church denied the charge. The Spirit accuses the Gazette of routinely making false charges against Catholics and failing to respond with any proof.

[none]
(Column 06)

Summary: The Tribune, the "leading Republican journal of the United States," called for New York state to outlaw the property qualifications for blacks.

Origin of Article: New York Tribune

Editorial Comment: "Republican principles are clearer and more forcibly expressed in this little paragraph than all the platforms of that party made in the last twelve months."

County Committee Meeting
(Column 01)

Summary: The Democratic County Committee will meet on Oct. 3rd in Chambersburg.
(Names in announcement: Geo. Brewer, J.R. Orr)

To the Democracy of Franklin County
(Column 02)

Summary: Reminds voters that the local and state elections are only two weeks away and that this is an extremely important election. The article then goes on to state why the paper turned against Douglas, who "prefers the election of Lincoln to that of Breckinridge."

How Does It Look?
(Column 04)

Summary: In Massachusetts, an immigrant has to wait two years before he can vote while a black man only has to wait for six months. The Spirit sees this as an example of Republican attitudes toward foreigners and blacks.

[none]
(Column 04)

Summary: Continues to support the Cresson compromise.

Origin of Article: Lewistown Democrat (Douglas)

Old Line Whigs
(Column 05)

Summary: Accuses Douglas of slandering Henry Clay in 1844, while pointing out that Breckinridge always admired Clay. Since many former Whigs have moved into the Democratic Party, the Spirit asks "which of these two men you could support without sacrificing your personal pride or self-respect?"

Johnson on Free Labor
(Column 05)

Summary: In a 1856 speech, Herschel V. Johnson placed the white worker of the North on the same level as a southern slave.

How Is It?
(Column 05)

Summary: The Spirit responds to Douglas' charge that every disunionist in America is a Breckinridge supporter by stating that Herschel Johnson is a noted leader of disunion.

Foster Triumph
(Column 06)

Summary: States that Foster has effectively crushed the Republican charge that he is a free-trade man.

Haldeman's Proposition
(Column 06)

Summary: Criticizes R. J. Haldeman's proposal for a fusion ticket because it disproportionately favors Bell supporters.

Hurrah for Democracy
(Column 01)

Summary: The Spirit believes that Foster is very likely to win.

Changes in the Campaign
(Column 01)

Summary: The various factions of the party have come together to support Mr. Foster.

Republican Mass Meeting
(Column 02)

Summary: The Republicans had a mass meeting in Chambersburg, but few people attended.

Inconsistency of Douglas
(Column 02)

Summary: States that Douglas appears to have few fixed principles. He has contradicted himself on both the Dred Scott decision and the Missouri Compromise.

Douglas and the English Bill
(Column 02)

Summary: Cox voted for the English bill after consulting Douglas and receiving his approval. However, Douglas voted against the bill in the Senate.

Origin of Article: Columbus Fact

Editorial Comment: Mr. Cox, M.C. of Ohio, claimed that Douglas is not always straightforward.

The Country in a Blaze
(Column 03)

Summary: Brief paragraphs about numerous meetings held in support of Breckinridge and Lane throughout the state and country.

[No Title]
(Column 04)

Summary: Lytllenon Tyler requests the Spirit to inform its readers that he is no longer a candidate for Assistant Elector for Prince William County. He had supported Douglas until the latter's speech in Norfolk convinced Tyler that Douglas was no friend of the South.

Married
(Column 04)

Summary: Married on September 12.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Wm. West, Daniel Johnston, W.J. Harrison, Clarinda Johnston)

Married
(Column 04)

Summary: Rev. Shoaff married Sue Peters on September 18th at the Pleasant Retreat Parsonage.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Jas Bishop, Rev. J. Gideon Shoaff, Sue Peters)

Deaths
(Column 04)

Summary: Died on September 15th at 51 years of age.
(Names in announcement: Nancy Brandt)

Deaths
(Column 04)

Summary: Died on September 17th at 71 years of age.
(Names in announcement: Mrs. Eve Kobler)

Deaths
(Column 04)

Summary: Died on September 20th at 72 years of age. She was a member of the 2nd German Reformed Church of Chambersburg.
(Names in announcement: Margaret Detwiler)

Hon. Wm. P. Schell
(Column 01)

Summary: The Register supports Mr. Schell for Congress and denies that he had any role in starting the Juniata True Democrat, as the opposition claims.

Origin of Article: Juniata Register

Hon. William P. Schell
(Column 01)

Summary: States that Mr. Schell is a fine Democratic candidate who the paper supports. Mr. Schell has come out in favor of the Union Electoral Ticket.

Origin of Article: Juniata True Democrat

Hon. W.P. Schell
(Column 01)

Summary: The Gazette heartily supports Mr. Schell for Congress.

Origin of Article: Bedford Gazette