Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-10-20
ILLINOIS DEMoCRACY-oLD-F
IOSED FESTIVAL.

On the 18th instant, the Democracy Of Chi.
cago, joined by large representation from the
State generally, held a meeting which was dis.
tinguished by several features Of interest-not
the least of which is the admirable platform
adopted on the OCCASION platform that
smacks Of the oden time, the days Of 1919.
This platform, excluding the jargon and Chi.
canery Of the day. promulges the very ele.
mentary principles Of the Democratic creed.
In obedience to the advice Of one Of the sages
Of better days, il recurs to first principles, and
presents the true theory Of the relations be.
tween the States and the Federal Government.
a theory which is the foundation Of the Demo
cratic party. These resolutions are as follows:
|. Resolred, That the Constitution Of the
United States is a political contract between
the people Of independent sovereigntes, which
bestows paramount authority to the extent OF
the powers delegated, but leaves those not del.
egated to the States respectively, or TO the PEG.
pie; that vigilant guard against the central
ization of the reserved powers is essential TO
the preservation Of our institutions; and that
Congress has no rigbtful authority to establish.
abolish, or prohibit slavery in the States or Ter.
ritories.
2. Resolred, That we reaHirm the time.hon-
ored principles Of the Democracy, and believe
that the only sure guarantee for the public
tranquility is by a strict adherence to the pro.
visions Of the Constitution and by non.inter-
vention upon the subject Of slavery APPLYING
alike TO the States and Territories. observed in
the passage Of the Compromise measures OF
1850, and confirmed in the Kansas and Ne.
braska act, the corollary Of the former measure.
BY which Congress have declared that it is their
"true intent and meaning not TO legisate sla.
very into any State or Territory nor to exclude
il therefrom, but to leave the people thereof
perfectly free 10 form and regulate their do
nestle institutions in their own way, subject
only 10 the Constitution Of the United States:
and that we do pledge ourselves to maintain
and execute the Compromise Of 1850. includ.
ing the Fugitive Slave law and the Kansas and
Nebraska act OF 1884, as we hold that they are
wise and jost measures, and should remain IN.
disturbed for the preservation of .be national
peace and the Union Of the States.
3. Resolred, That the Constitution Of the
United States is founded upon the fundamental
principle Of entire and absolute equality
among all the States Of this Union, and il Is
not competent for the Congress OF any other
power TO impose upon new States coming into
the Union any condition or restriction in re-
spect to their domestic institutions or internal
concerns which the Federal Constitution has
not imposed upon the original States and
that any effort on the part of Congress or any
other power, to violate this principle, should
be met and resisted by all good citizens as an
attempt to trample upon the Constitution and
destroy our Union.
T. Resolred, That all men have natural
right, antecedent 10 the formation Of civil so.
eiety, and beyond the control Of government,
to religious freedom, the surrender Of which is
not necessary to the temporal welfare OF the
State, and cannot be relinquished even by the
consent Of the citizen, in free government
that much less can any mere party or faction
regulate that right by any party compact
against his consent, without violating this car
dinal principle and the spirit Of our Constitu.