370 The Democratic Nominations

370. The Democratic Nominations

The Democratic convention met at Charles - ton , South Carolina . It was soon evident that the Northern Democrats and the Southern Democrats could not agree . The Northerners were willing to accept the Dred Scott deci - sion and to carry it out . But the Southerners demanded that the platform should pledge the party actively to protect slavery in the territo - ries . To this the Northerners would not agree . So the convention broke up to meet again at Baltimore . But there the delegates could come to no agreement . In the end two candi - dates were named . The Northerners nominated Douglas on a platform advocating " popular sovereignty .＂ The Southerners nominated John C . Breckinridge of Kentucky . In their platform they advocated states ' rights , and the protec - tion of slavery in the territories by the federal government .