The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-07-08
Lucas County Resolutions.

convention that met at the court house in
Maumee City last Saturday, July lst. The
old bunker democrats are sorely alarmed at
this platform of progressive principles which
they are called upon to either adopt or op-
pose. They seem to regard it as crowding on
their prescriptive rights. 1t is, rather.
Whereas the passage by the present con-
gress of the Nebraska and Kansas territorial
bill has produced crisis such as the coun-
try has never before witnessed, and believing
that it has been precipitated and brought
upon us by a mighty conspiracy of slave
holders and dough-fdces who have determn-
ed to nationalize slavery, and that the lber-
ties of the nation are doomed to inevitable
destruction unless the people are rallied to
her rescue, we who are this day in conven-
ton assembled, willing to relinquish all for
mer party considerations, forget all past hos
tilties, disregard all minor differences of
opinion, sacrifice everything but our princi-
pies and our manhood, in order that an eff
tectual union of true men may be secured
against the dangers that now threaten us, do
hereby agree to enter into new political
organization, for the purpose of permanently
establishing true and reliable independent
National Democratic Party, with decara-
tion of principles something like the follow
ing:
RcsolUcd, That we hereby adopt the great
principle which is the conceded basis Of all
true democracies, and demand for the whole
people the free and unrestricted exercise of
the elective franchise in the selection of all
officers from president down, and the aboi-
ton of the present dangerous and irrespon-
siblc system fof electors, and conventions
with two-third rules, where these electors
are selected and candidates dictated to the
people to vote for.
ReSolucd That the appointing and all 9th.
er dangerous and unguarded powers now
conferred upon the president, whether by
constitution or laws of congress, should be
so amended, modified or repealed as to take
from him, so far as the same can be done
consistently with plain, simple democratic
government, said powers, and confer the
same where practicable, upon the people !;
and that all officers not thus made elective
by the people, such as foreign ministers,
consuls, agents, &c, should be made elective
by Joint vote of the senate and house of
representatives Of the United States, thereby
elevating congress into an independent, hon
Orable and responsible branch of the govern
ment, free from the corrupting and danger
Gus influences of the enormous executive
patronage now welded by the president.
ReSoLpcd, That we are opposed to the dis
trbution Of the public lands to the states,
railroad companies, corporations, or individ-
uals, for any purpose whatever, except to
those who are its rightful owners-the actu-
al occupants and tillers thereof, who should
be entitled to land in proportion to the num-
her and wants of each family; and believ-
ing that the accumulation of large landed
estates, in the hands of companies or indi-
viduals, is dangerous to republican institu-
tions, and at war with the best interests of
a free laboring people, we call upon our ma
tional Legislature to prohibit by law the pur-
chase of any public lands, except by actual
settlers, and limiting the amount TO be so
purchased to maximum rate for each fam
lily.
ReSOlved, That we are uncompromisingly
opposed to the princi pies of non-interven-
ton and the mis- called doctrine Of popular
sovereignty, as contained in the Nebraska
and Kansas territorial bills-and that we
hereby pledge ourselves-individuall and
collectively to do all in our power to secure
the reelection, without regard to party, of
the representatives from this State, who
faithfully and fearlessly opposed the passage
of said bills-and that we most solemnly
pledge our sacred honors to aid bv all proper