Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-10
THE DEMOCRATIC STATE CONvEN-
TION AZ HARRISBURG.

The Pennsylvania Democracy assembled in
convention al Harrisburg, on the 4th of July, and
its proceedings are before US.
The Convention organized by selecting for
President the Hon. I. Clancy Jones, of Berks
county, who on taking his seat, made brief and
eloquent speech.
The morning session taken up in making
the nomination for Canal Commissioner. Mr.
Arnold Pumer was nominated, and the nomna-
ton . made unanimous, " amidst great applause
The Committee on Resolutions was composed
of twenty eight persons, one from each Senate
rial District to be selected by their respective rep
resentatives.
Upon the re-assembng of the convention
evening session-at 7 clock. Mr.. S. w. Black,
from the Committee on Resolutions, submitted
the following
Resolred, That the Democratic party need not,
on old and settled issues, To declare its principles
in detail. Ii is sufficient for us to say that we
belong TO the Democracy Of the Unon and
cognize no geographical lines between the North
and South. The interests Of all parts Of the
country are the same to us, and SO far as in
power Will maintain the constitutional
rights of every Stale with uniform fidelity.
ReSOlred, That every one who makes coun-
and the liberty of the Union, is in its largest
sense, true american. His birthplace was not
of his own selection, and should do him neither
good nor harm-hs religion is between himself
and his God, and should be left to his own judg-
ment, conscience and responsibility.
Resolved, That we regard the secret order,
commonly called g know-nothings," as an or
ganization dangerous to the prosperity and peace
of the country We consider its designs as un7
constitutional and void of patriotism; being at
once opposed to the spirit of true Christianity and
just and manly American sentiment.
RESOLVED, That the Democratic party reiterate
and reassert their confidence in, and adherence
to, the political creed promulgated by Thomas
Jefferson in his first inaugural address, and prac-
tced by Madison Monroe, Jackson, Van Buren,,
Polk, and Pierce, in their admnistrations-tha
these principles require no conceament, and that
experience has fully determined their applicability
to all the interests of the American people.
Resolved, That we have undiminshed conf
dence in the ability and integrity of Franklin
Pierce, and his administration of the government
of our country.
Resolved, That the views and principles of the
present State administration, embodied in the
acts passed by the recent Legislature and APP
proved by the Governor, by which the interest of
the State have been, or are proposed to be- seri-
ousy and injuriously affected, contrasts strongly
with the wise and judicious management of the
government by Governor Bigler, and tend to
show the danger Of entrustipg the control of the
Commonwealth TO the hands of men who are
swayed by fanaticism and governed by prejudice.
Resolved, That we pledge our party and united
ddate for Canal Commissioner, whom we have
this day nominated without dissenting voice.
After the reading Of these resolutions, the Hon
ii. B. Wright, from the same Committee on Res
olutions, rose to present the Minority Report,
and said:
will now read the minority report, and will
state in advance, that the principal bone Of con-
tention was upon the Temperance and Abolition
questions. They are the points | wish to sub
scribe to the resolutions which the majority of the
committee have reported, but my objection to
them is that they do not 90 far enough. As chair
man of the committee, / drafted a set of resolu-
| tons which will new read to the convention as
| the
Minority Report.
The Democracy of the State of PENNSYLVANIA
assembled by their delegates, at Harrisburg, on
the 4th of July, 1855, do resolve
/. That the Democratic party in Pennsylvania
stands to-day where it ever has the broad plat
| form of the Consttution-nor does il know or
acknowledge any "higher laws or better rules OF
political action than are embraced within its pro-
visions. Perfect in itself, it requires no mplca-
ton or constructon-the rights Of the people
4
| be misunderstood.
2. That obedience should be given to the
solemn Injunction of w ashington, in his farewell
address, by frowning Indignantly on everything
calculated to sever the Union or weaken the
bonds which holds the great family of the States
together; and this can only be done by combining
the national government strictly within the lin.
its Of the Constitution.
3. That the peace, harmony, and prosperity oil
the country depend on the undisturbed enjoyment
Of the rights guaranteed 10 the States and Ter
ritsries; and that among these stand prominently
and in bold relief, State rights State sovereignty
and the freedom of the people to make their own
laws and govern and direct their own local insti-
tutions in their own way.
4. That any intervention by the Federal Gov.
eminent to alter, change, direct the rights ves-
ted and reserved in the States and the people
thereof, Is an act Of usurpation, and of no power
OK force whatever. Nor have the people Of one
State the right TO interfere in the domestic and
social relations of another because il is in viola
ton of the federal compact, and fraught with i'm
minent peril TO the best interests Of the whole
country.
5. That the Constitution gives no power TO the
General Government upon the subject Of Negro
slavery, but on the contrary, commits all legsla-
ton that subject 10 the States in which il does
now or may hereafter exist Any direct interfer-
ence with il by the people Of the non-slaveholdng
States, or by their representatives, is a violation
Of the Constitution, and every attempt TO evade
the Constitution by indirect interference, is 4
fraud upon il, which no honest and fair minded
| citizen should couhtenance.
| 6. That when a portion Of our fellow citizens
choose 10 settle upon territory Of the United
States beyond the jurisdiction Of any State, they
have the same right that enjoy, to regulate
their domestic affairs, and establish their own in
sttutions, and every refusal by Congress to con
cede this right, is violation Of the cardinal prin-
ciples on which all republican governments exist
: That if the people Of the whole Union, by
their representatives. in Congress assembled, have
| no legitimate power to force slavery or anti
slavery on the people Of territory il follows by
much stronger reason that no such power can be
rghtfully exercised by any self-constituted body
within the States, and composed Of part only
Of the people.
g. That every new State ought TO be admitted
| into the Union with such constitution MS a ma
Jority Of the citizens thereof shall adopt, pro.
vided there &c nothing therein conflicting with
the Constitution OF tho United States, and
whether such Stale shall have adopted or rejected
slavery is not a matter Of inquiry by the general
government.