Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-04-10
INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

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INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
ADOPTED AT PITTSBURGH. AUGUST IL, 1852
Having assembled in National Conyen-
ton as the delegates of the Free Democra-
cy of the United States, united by COM
mon resolve to maintain right against
wrongs, and freedom against slavery; con-
fiding in the intelligence, patriotism, and
the discriminating justice of the American
people; putting our trust in God for the
triumph Of our cause, and invoking his
guidance in our endeavors to advance it,
we now submit to the candid judgment ol
all men the following declaration of prin-
ciples and measures:
|. That Governments, deriving their just
powers from the consent Of the governed,
are Instituted among men to secure to all,
those inalienable rights of life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness, with which they
were endowed by their Creator, and OF
which none can be deprived by valid legis-
lation, except for crime.
III. That the true mission of American
Democracy is to maintain the liberties oi
the people, the sovereignty Of the States,
and the pcTpetsity of the Union, by-the
impartial application to public affairs, with
out sectional determinations, of the fun
damental principles of equal rights, strict
Justice, and economical administration.
iii. That the Federal Government is
one of limited powers, derived solely from
the Constitution; and the grants Of power
therein ought 10 be strictly construed by
all the departments and agents OF the Gov
eminent, and il is imexpedient and dan
gerous TO exercise doubtful constitutional
powers.
Nv. That the Constitution Of the United
States, ordained TO form a more perfect
union, TO establish justice, and secure the
blessings of liberty, expressly denies TO
the General Government all power to de-
prive any person of life, liberty, or prop
crty, without due process Of law; and,
therefore, the Government, having no more
power 10 make slave than to make a
king, and no more power 10 establish sla-
very than TO establish monarchy, should at
once proceed TO relieve itself from all re-
sponsbility for the existence Of slavery
wherever il possesses constitutional power
to legislate for its extinction.
v. That to the persevering and impor-
tunate demands of the Slave Power for
more slave States, new slave Territories,
and the naturalization Of Slavery, our dis
tinct and final answer is--no more slave
States, no slave Territory, no nationalized
Slavery, and no national Legislation for the
extradition of slaves.
vi. That Slavery is a sin against God
and crime against lpan, which no human
enactment nor usage can make right and
that Christianity, humanity, and patriotism,
alike demand its abolition.
VII. That the fugitive Slave Act Of 1850
is repugnant 10 the Constitution, to the
principles Of the common law, 10 the
spirit Of Christianity, aud 10 the senti-
mcnts Of the civilized world. We there
fore deny its binding force upon the
American People, and demand it's immc-
diate and total repeal. :.
VIII. That the doctrine that any human
law is 6nality, and not subject to modi-
lication or repeal, is not in accordance
with the creed Of the founders Of our Gov
ernment, and is dangerous to the liberties
Of the people.
TX. That the acts of Congress known
as the Compromise Measures OF 1850, by
making the admission Of sovereign State
contingent upon the adoption of other
measures demanded by the special inter-
est of Slavery; by their omission TO guar
anty freedom in free Territories; by their
attempt to impose unconstitutional limit
atoms on the power Of Congress and the
people 10 admit new States by their pro-
visions for the assumption of five millions
Of the State debt Of Texas, aud for the
payment Of five millions more, and the
cession of large territory TO the same
State under menace, as an inducement to
the accomplishment Of groundless claim,
and by their Invasion of the sovereignty
OF the States and the liberties of the pco-
pie, through the enactment of an unjust,
oppressive, and unconstitutional Fugitive
Slave Law, arc proved to be inconsistent
with all the principles and maxims of De-
mocracy, and wholly inadequate TO the
settlement OF tho questions of which they
are claimed 10 be an adjustment.