The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-15
From the Manchester IN. H. Democrdt-( Rad,-
cal Democratic)-June l7M
DATES

But it is in the Platform laid at Baltimore,
and upon which every man is commanded to
stand or suffer the penalty ct accommodation,
that we see the absence of any recognition OF
the fundamental principles of Democracy, as
they were understood and declared by Jeffer-
son and the Fathers of our glorious Constitu-
ton True, some wOrdy valor IL shown over
the grave of National Bank, the Land Dis
tribution scheme Assumption Of State Debts,
and other fossil issues long since buried and
well nigh forgotten Worse than this, they
even 90 back half century to dig mp and en-
dorse the Virginia Resolutions of 1898 and go
though not one voter in three hundred knows
what those resolutions are, and their most de-
voted admirers have always disputed as to their
meaningl But these long-wnded resolves of
the Convention were got up for II show TO
mystify the whole subject, and thereby divert
the attention of the mass Of the Democratic
voters from the real question at issue.
The Washington Union says and we think
with truth, that the great question to enter
into the coming Presidential election is, Shall
Anti-Slayery agitation in any shape be any
longer tolerated ~ In other words, shall free
dem of speech, thought and action be tolerated,
and slavery he restricted AS designed by the
Constitution, within it's present limits--or shall
oil discussion Of the subject be forecer aienced,
and The institution be tostered, supported, and
extended by Government The new Platform
OF the so-called Democratic party simply says
this:
First. The Democratic party shall hence
forth live by and adhere to the Compromise
measures, and especially shall they fulfil all
the acquisitions of the Fugitive Slave Law, by
aiding in the recovery Of fugtives from service.
Second This law the party shall hereafter
regard rs perpetual, and binding as the Con-
stitution itself
Third. The Democratic party pledges itself
hereafter to resist all efforts among the people,
Or in Congress, to discuss or in any manner to
agtate the slavery question, 1t is a subject
that shall not be investigated
Fourth. Every man who darcs to question
the fnality of the Fugitive Slave Law, or to
discuss the slavery question in any other way
than by approval shall be ostracised from the
party, and denounced rs an agitatOr and an
enemy to good order
Such is the present PLATFORM as laid down ut
Baltimore Friends of True Democracy Are
you prepared to join in this fragrant war against
the freedom Of speech and of Independent
thought and action Are you willing 10
dedicate yourselves and your children TO be the
perpetual defenders of the Slave system, and
Slave laws Will you, by your vote at the
coming Presidential election, lend yourselves
to the suicidal task Of conquering the free spirit
Of our people, and making them the bondmen
OF designing. corrupt and mercless politicians
We trust and believe not The refusal of the
New York Democracy in 1913 to submit to an
outrage upon their rights had well nigh placed
the Democratic masses upon the true platform
of right and equality, Their subsequent defec-
ton has led the party managers TO return "