Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-17
INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
ADOPTED AT PITTSBURGH, AUGUST u, 1856

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-
6ding 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 OF
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 OF
the people, the sovereignty Of the States,
and the perpetuity 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.
Ill. That the Federal Government is
one Of limited powers, derived solely from
the Constitution; and the grants of power
therein ought TO be strictly construed by
all the departments and agents Of the Gov
ernment, and il is inexpedient and dam
gerous to exercise doubtful constitutional
powers.
w. 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
erty, 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 to establish sla-
very than to establish monarchy, should at
once proceed TO relieve itself from all re-
sponsibility for the existence Of slavery
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 naiionalized
Slavery, and no national legislation for the
extradition Of slaves.
vi. That Slavery is sin against God
and crime against man, 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 to the Constitution, to the
principles of the common law, to the
spirit OF Christianity, and 10 the senti-
ments Of the civilized world. We there
fore deny its binding force upon the
American People, and demand its imme-
date and total repeal.
VIII. That the doctrine that any human
law is finality, and not subject to modi-
fcation or repeal, is not in accordance
with the creed Of the founders Of our Gov
eminent, 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 a sovereign State
contingent upon the adoption Of other
measures demanded by the special inter-
est Of Slavery; by their omission TO guar
anty freedom III free Territories BY their
=
atoms on the power Of Congress and the
people to 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 REIMBURSEMENT Of groundless claim,
and by their invasion Of the sovereignty
Of the States and the liberties Of the peo-