The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-15
From the Manchester (N. n Democrat Radi-
col Dem0cratic)-June Nth.
DATES

But it is in the Platform laid at Baltimore
and upon which every man is commanded to
stand or suffer the penalty of eIcOmmUnic dttOn
that we see the absence of any recognition of
the fundamental principles Of Democracy, as
they were underitood and declared by Jeiier-
son and the Fathers of our glorious COnstitu-
ton. True, some wOrdy valOr is shown over
the grave of National Bank the Land Dis
trbution scheme Assumption Of State Debts
and other fossil issues long since buried and
well nigh forgotten Worse than this, they
even 20 back half century to dig mp and en-
dorse the Virginia Resolutions of 1873 and 80
though not one voter in three hundred knows
what those resolutions are, and their most de-
voted admirers have always disputed as to their
meaning But these long -winded resolves of
the Convention We're got up for II show TO
mystiiy the whole subject and thereby divert
the attention of the mass of the Democratic
voters from the real question ut issue
The Washington Union says and we think
with truth that the great question TO enter
into the coming Presidential election is, "Shall
Anti-Sayery agitation in any shape be any
longer tolerated - In other words shall free
dem Of speech, thought, and action be tolerated,
aud slavery be restricted designed by the
Constitution, within its present limits--Or shall
oil discussion Of The subject be forever aienced,
and The institution be .foaered, supported, and
eItended 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 fugitves from service.
Second This law the party shall hereafter
regard as 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
agitate the slavery question. 1t is IA subject
that shall not be investigated
Fourth. Every man who dares 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 as an agitator and nm
enemy to good order,
Such is the present platform, as laid down at
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 To
dedicate yourselves and your children to be the
perpetual defenders of the Slave system, and
Slave laws. Will you, by your vote Mt the
coming Presidential election, lend yourselves
to the suicidal task of conquerng the free spirit
of our people, and making them the bondmen
of designing, corrupt and merciless 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 deieo-
ton has led the party managers to return 10