Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-04-25
INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

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-
fding 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, aud economical administration.
iii. 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 inexpcdient and dan
gerous to exercise doubtful constitutional
powers.
Nv. That the Constitution Of the United
States, ordained to form a more perfect
union, 10 establish justice, and secure the
blessings of liberty, expressly denies 10
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 to make slave than TO make
king, and no more power 10 establish sla-
very than to establish monarchy, should at
once proceed TO relieve itself from all re-
sponsibility for the existence Of slavery
wherever il possesses constitutional power
10 legisate for its extinction.
V. That, to the persevering and impor-
innate 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 pational legislation for the
extradtion of slaves.
vi. That Slavery is a sin against God
and crime againstIn 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 1890
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-
diate and total repeal
VIII. That the doctrine that any human
law is fnality, and not subject TO modi-
fication 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 10 guar
anty freedom in free Territories by their
attempt to impose unconstitutional limit
ations 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, and 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 groundess claim,
and by their invasion of the sovereignty
of the States and the liberties of the peo-
pie, through the enactment Of an unjust,
oppressive, and unconstitutional Fugitive
Slave Law, are proved 10 be inconsistent
with all the principles and maxims of De-
mocracy, and wholly inadequate TO The
settlement of the questions Of which they
are claimed 10 be an adjustment