The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-01
THE TWO PLATFORMS.

/ convention NItlllcT the pIdliOIIll bI uOtllllt
and measures TO be adopted by that bod,
should prccede or follow the nominations AT
ter full discussion it was resolved that it SHOULD
follow and Committee on Resolutions wa
accordingly appointed. 1t soon agreed upor
a platform and minated its willingness to re-
port but the Convention preferred to complete
its nominations Meantime, it was every.
where understood that it had fully endorsed
the Compromise and Fugitive Law The re-
port made Saturday afternoon, pending
the balloting for Vice Presidential candidate
Every State we know from the ballotings
was represented at that time in the Conyen.
ton. Some of the delegates, it is asserted, had
left; but admitting this fact, it proves nothing
except assent to the adoption of the platform
They never would have deserted their posts,
had they been heartily opposed to it The re-
port was taken up, read by b B. French, who
can generally make himself understood in a
crowd the part relating to the Compromise
was read twice and vociferously applauded ::
and the entire platform was then adopted with
but few dissenting voices The Committee
appointed by the Convention to notify Mr..
Pierce of his nomination, referring to what it
calls the /" cardinal principles" of the Demo-
cratic party. says
"The Convention did not pretermit the dntv
OF rctcratng those principles, and you will
find them prominently set forth in the resolu-
tons it adopted To these we respectfully in
vte your attention.
Mr.. Pierce, in his reply, says
81 accept the nomination upon the platform
adopted by the Convention, not because this
is expected OF me ~ Il candidate, but because
the prnopteS Il embraces command he appTobd-
ton Of my judgment. and ruth them / beiieue
1 can safely sag there has been no arord nor act
Of my iye IN c0nfict.@
If Mr.. Pierce he elected, he will be elected
upon that platform, and his Administration
will be conducted in accordance with its prin-
ciples
In the Wing Convention, the adoption of the
platform preceded the nomination. 1t was
first framed in II Southern caucus then sub
mitted to the Convention, and by it referred to
its Committee on Resolutions which reported
it with IA few notifications The Convention
! was full-nobody could mistake the terms of
! the resoiutons-eyerybod was profoundly in
tercstcd in knowing what they were strug-
gle was made against their adoption, but the
/ previous question cut it short, and the States
being called, the platform was adopted there
being sxty-six votes in the negative
General Scott was then nominated, and in
n Geographic letter, read by Mr.. Jones of Ten
nessee, says, accept the nomination, and
with it the platform
Now the Wing Press or Party in particular
localities may repudate the resolutions thu,
adopted the Democratic Press or Party il
particular locations may protest against til,
resolutions of their Convention all this doe,
not alter the fact, that the resolutions adopted
at Baltimore by the National Wing Conven
ton constitute the sole platform of the Ma.
I tional Wing organization that the resolutions
adopted at Baltimore by the Democratic Ma
/ tional Convention constitute the sole platform
of the National Democratic party that Gen.
7 cral Scott and Mr. Graham having accepted
| the Wing platform, are bound by it. and Mr.
/ Pierce and Mr. King having accepted the
/ Democratic platform, are bound by it that
whoever votes for the former votes for his plat
/ form and whoever votes for the latter votes
for his platform; for each by his own act and
declaration is the full representative of the
principles and policy it asserts
That the Democrats and Wings may see dis
tnctly what they vote for in relation to Sla.
very, when they vote for their respective can
didates we place in juxtapostion the Demo
cratic and Wing resolves on the subject;
DEMOCRATIC RESOLVES
Resolved That Congress has no power un.
der the Constitution to interfere with or con
troll the domestic institutions of the several
States and that such States are the sole and
proper judges of everything appertainng t.
their own affairs not prohibited by the Consti.
ton. That all efforts Of the AboId,on;sts o,
others made to induce Congress 10 interfere c,ih
questions Of Sidrery or 10 take incipient step,
~ ,claiion thereto, are calculated 10 lead 10 III.
most alarming and dangerous consequences, and
that all such efforts have an inevitable ten
dency to diminish the happiness of the People
and cndanger the stability and permanency Of
by any friend Of our political institutions.
Rcoircd, That the foregoing proposition
covers and was intended to embrace the whole
subject OF slavery agitation in Congress, and
therefore the Democratic party Of the Union
standing on this national platform, wiW ab'dt
by and ddhere 10 a tdithfM erecution Of the acts
knorn she Compromise measures, settled byfhs
last Congre~-the act for retaining fugit,re,
from @rrice or tabor included, which act beng
designed 10 carry ont an cypress provision of The
Constitutions cannot ruth fdel,ty thereto be re-
peaied or 50 changed as 10 destroy or impair IL,
efficiency
ReSoircd That the Democratic party will
resist all attempts Mt renewing, in Congress or
out Of it, the agitation of the slavery question
under whatever shape or color the attempt
may be made
WING RESOLVE.
IS The series of acts of the Thirty-iirst Con.
grcss, commonly known as the Compromise OF
Adjustment (the act for the recovery Of iugi.
tyes from labor included are received and ac
guessed in 10y the Wings of the United State,
rs u final settlement, IN principle and sub
stance, of the subjects to which they relate
T and, SO far rs these acts are concerned, We will
maintain them, and insist ON their strict en-,
forcement until time and experience shall de.
monstrate the necessity Of further legislation
Ia guard against the evasion of the laws on the
one hand, and the abuse of their powers on
the other-not impairing their present eff.
cheney to carry out the requirements of the
Constitution and we deprecate all further agi.
tation of the questions thus settled, rs danger
GUS To our peace and will dlscountenance all