Davis，whowasdestinedeventuallytobecomethetargetofYancey\'sbitterestenmity，hadrefusedtenyearsbeforetojoininthesecessionmovementwhichignoredCalhoun\'sdoctrinethattheSouthhadbecomeasocialunit。Thoughabelieverinslaveryundertheconditionsofthemoment，Davishadnoneofthepassionoftheslavebaronforslaveryatallcosts。Furthermore，aseventsweredestinedtoshowinastartlinglydramaticway，hewascarelessofSouthCarolina\'spassionforstaterights。Hewasapracticalpolitician，butnotatalltheoldtypeofthepartyofpoliticalevasion，thetypeofToombs。NoothermanofthemomentwasonthewholesowellabletocombinetheelementsofSouthernpoliticsagainstthosemorenegativeelementsofwhichToombswasthesymbol。ThehistoryoftheConfederacyshowsthatthecombinationwhichDavisnoweffectedwasnotasthoroughashesupposeditwas。ButatthemomentheappearedtosucceedandseemedtogivecommonpurposetothevastmajorityoftheSouthernpeople。WithhisallyBenjamin，hestruckattheToombspolicyofaNationalDemocraticparty。
OnthedayfollowingtheelectionofPennington，DavisintroducedintheSenateaseriesofresolutionswhichweretoserveastheSouthernultimatum，andwhichdemandedofCongresstheprotectionofslaveryagainstterritoriallegislatures。ThiswasbutcarryingtoitslogicalconclusionthatDredScottdecisionwhichDouglasandhisfollowersproposedtoaccept。IfCongresscouldnotrestrictslaveryintheterritories，howcoulditscreature，aterritoriallegislaturedoso?AndyettheDouglasmenattemptedtotakeawaythepowerfromCongressandtoretainitfortheterritoriallegislatures。SenatorPughofOhiohadalreadylockedhornswithDavisonthispoint，andhadattemptedtoshowthataterritorialLegislaturewasindependentofCongress。\"ThenIwouldasktheSenatorfurther，\"retortedthelogicalDavis，\"whyitishemakesanappropriationtopaymembersoftheterritoriallegislature；howitisthatheinveststheGovernorwithvetopowerovertheiracts；andhowitisthatheappointsjudgestodecideuponthevalidityoftheiracts。\"
IntheDemocraticconventionwhichmetatCharlestoninApril，1860，thewaningpowerofpoliticalevasionmadeitslastrealstandagainsttherisingpowerofpoliticalpositivism。ToacceptDouglasandtheideathatsomehowterritoriallegislatureswerefreetodowhatCongresscouldnotdo，ortorejectDouglasandendorseDavis\'sultimatum——thatinsubstancewastheissue。
\"Inthisconventionwherethereshouldbeconfidenceandharmony，\"saidthe\"CharlestonMercury\"，\"itisplainthatmenfeelasiftheyweregoingintoabattle。\"InthecommitteeonresolutionswheretheStateswereequallyrepresented，themajoritywereanti-Douglas；theysubmittedareportaffirmingDavis\'spositionthatterritoriallegislatureshadnorighttoprohibitslaveryandthattheFederalGovernmentshouldprotectslaveryagainstthem。TheminorityrefusedtogofurtherthananapprovaloftheDredScottcaseandapledgetoabidebyallfuturedecisionsoftheSupremeCourt。Afterbothreportshadbeensubmitted，therefollowedthecentraleventoftheconvention——thenowfamousspeechbyYanceywhichrepudiatedpoliticalevasionfromtoptobottom，franklydefendedslavery，anddemandedeithercompleteguaranteesforitscontinuedexistenceor，asanalternative，Southernindependence。PughinstantlyrepliedandsummedupYancey\'sspeechasademanduponNorthernDemocratstosaythatslaverywasright，andthatitwastheirdutynotonlytoletslaveryalonebuttoaidinextendingit。\"GentlemenoftheSouth，\"heexclaimed，\"youmistakeus——youmistakeus——wewillnotdoit。\"
Inthefullconvention，wheretherepresentationoftheStateswasnotequal，theDouglasmen，afterhotdebate，forcedtheadoptionoftheminorityreport。ThereupontheAlabamadelegationprotestedandformallywithdrewfromtheconvention，andotherdelegationsfollowed。TherewaswildexcitementinCharleston，wherethateveninginthestreetsYanceyaddressedcrowdsthatcheeredforaSouthernrepublic。TheremaininghistoryoftheDemocraticnominationsisamatterofdetail。TheCharlestonconventionadjournedwithoutmakingnominations。Eachofitsfragmentsreorganizedasaseparateconvention，andultimatelytwoDemocraticticketswereputintothefield，withBreckinridgeofKentuckyasthecandidateontheYanceyticketandDouglasontheother。