Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-14
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
ADOPTED AT BALTIMORE, JUNE |, 1856

Il
the patriotism, and the discriminating JUS
tice of the American people.
Ii. Resokued, That we regard this as a
distinctive feature of our political creed,
which we are proud to MAINTAIN before
the world as the great moral element IN a
form Of government springing from and
upheld by the popular will and we con-
trast it with the creed and practice OF
Federalism, under whatever name or form,
which seeks to palsy the will of the con-
stituent, and which conceives no impos-
ture too monstrous for the public Gre
dulity.
III. Resolped, therefore, That, entertain
ing these views, the Democratic party OF
this Union, through their delegates assem-
bled in a General Convention, coming
! together in spirit Of concord of devotion
to the doctrines and faith Of free repre-
sentative Government, and appealing to
their felow-citizens for the rectitude OF
their intentions, renew and reassert before
the American people the declarations OF
principles avowed by them when, on
former occasions. in General Convention,
they have presented their candidates for
the popular suffrages:
| I. 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
eminent; and that it is inexpedient and
dangerous to exercise doubtful constitu-
| tional powers.
2. That the Constitution does not con
| fer upon the General Government the
power to commence and carry on a gen.
eral system Of internal improvements.
3. That the Constitution does not con-
fer authority upon the Federal Govern
ment, directly or indirectly, to assume the
debts Of the several States, contracted for
local and internal improvements, or other
State purposes; nor would such assump-
ton he just or expedient.
4. That justice and sound policy forbid
the Federal Government to foster one
branch of industry to the detriment of any
other, or to cherish the interests of one
portion to the injury of another portion OF
our common country; that every citizen,
and every section of the country, has a
right to demand and insist upon an equal
ity of rights and privileges, and to COM
plete and ample protection Of persons and
property from domestic violence or foreign
aggression.
| 5. That it is the duty of every branch of
the Government to enforce and practice
the most rigid economy in conducting our
public affairs, and that no more revenue
ought to be raised than is required to de-
fray the necessary expenses of the Gov
eminent, and for the gradual but certain
extinction of the public debt.
s. That Congress has no power 10
charter National Bank that we believe
such an institution one Of deadly hostility
10 the bests interests Of the country, dam
gerous to our republican institutions and
the liberties of the people, and calculated
TO place the business of the country within
the control of a concentrated money
power, and above the laws and the will of
the people and that the results of DEM
ocratic legislation, in this and all other
financial measures upon which issues have
been made between the two political par
ties of the country, have demonstrated, TO
candid and practical men, Of all parties
their soundness, safety, and utility, in all
business pursuits.
7. That the separation Of the moneys
Of the Government from banking institu-
tons is Indispensable for the safety of the
funds Of the Government and the rights of
the people.
s. That the liberal principles embodied
by Jefferson in the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence, and sanctioned in the Consti-
tuition, which makes ours the land Of lib
erty and the asylum Of the oppressed OF
every nation, have ever been cardinal prIn-
ciples in the Democratic faith and every
attempt TO abridge the privilege Of be-
coming citizens and the owners Of soil
among MS, ought TO be resisted with the
same spirit which swept the alien and Sc
dtion laws from our statute books.
8. That Congress has no power under
the Constitution to interfere with or con-
troll the domestic institutions Of the sew
eral States, and that such States are the
sole and proper judges Of everything APP
pcrtaiUng to their own affairs, not prohib-
tied by the Constitution; that all efforts
of the Abolitionists or others, made 10 in
duce Congress to interfere with questions
of slavery, or to take incipient steps IN re-
lation thereto, are calculated to lead TO
the most alarming and dangerous conse-
quences; and that all such efforts have an
inevitable tendency TO diminish the happi-
ness of the people and endanger the sta
bility and permanency of the Union, and
ought not to be countenanced by any
friend Of our political institutions.
Nv. ResoiDed, That the foregoing prop
osition covers and was intended TO en-
brace the whole subject Of slavery agitation
in Congress; and therefore the Demo-
cratic party of the Union, standing on this
national platform, will abide by and adhere
to faithful execution Of the acts known
as the Compromise measures settled by the
last Congress, the act for retaining iu-