The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-06-11
THE SPIRIT OF DEM CT "A :.

upon the sectional issue of Domestic Sla-
very, and concerning the reserved rights
of the States
1st. That Congress has no power under
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
pertaining to their own affairs, not pro-
hibited by the Constitution; that all eff
forts of the abolitionists or others, made
to induce Congress to interfere with ques-
tons of slavery, or to take incipient steps
in relation thereto, arecalculated to lead
to the most alarming and dangerous con-
sequences; and that all such efforts have
an inevitable tendency to diminish the hap
piness of the people, and endanger the
stability and permanency of the Union,
and ought not to be countenanced by any
friend of our political institutions.
2nd. That the foregoing proposition
covers, and was intended to embrace, the
whole subject of slavery agitation in Con-
gress: and therefore, the Democratic party
of the Union, standing on this national
platform, will abide by and adhere to a
faithful execution of the acts known as the
Compromise Measures, settled by the Con-
gress of 1850; "the act for retaining
fugitives from service or labor" included;
which act being designed to carry out an
express provision of the Constitution,
cannot, with fidelity thereto, be repealed
or so changed as to destroy or impair its
efficiency.
3rd. That the Democratic party will
resist all attempts at renewing, in Congress
or out of it, the agitation of the slavery
question, under whatever shape or colorthe
attempts may be made.
4th. That the Democratic party will
faithfully abide by and uphold the princi-
piles laid down in the Kentucky resolutions
of 1913. and in the report of Mr.. Madison
to the Virginia Legislature. in 1899; that
it adopts those principles as constituting
one of the main foundations Of its politi-
cal creed, and is resolved to carry them
ont in their obvious meaning and i'm
portant.
And that we may more distinctly meet
the issue on which a sectional party, sub.
sisting exclusively on slavery agitation,
now relies to test the fidelity of the peo'
pie, North and South, to the Constitution
and the Union:
LIST. Resolced, That claiming fellowship
with, and desiring the cooperation of al
who regard the preservation of the Unior
under the constitution as the paramount
issue-and repudiating all sectional par
ties and platforms concerning domestic
slavery, which seek to embroil the States
and incite to treason aud armed resistance
to law in the Territories; and whose avow
ed purposes, if consummated, must end IL
civil wal and diSuniOn-the American
Democracy recognize and adopt the prin
ciples contained in the organic laws es
tablishing the Territories of Kansas ant
Nebraska as embodying the only SCUM
and safe solution of the slavery question
upon which the great national idea of tn
pCOPlC vi tllfo WHOtC COuilly Sdii bCDOS'
in its determined conservatism of tn
Union--NoN-INTERFERENCE BY CONGRESS
WITH SLAVERY IN STATE n TERRITORY
OR IN THE DISTRACT OF COLUMBIA
THE reading of this resolution was in
terrupted for some time by trcmenduou'
and prolonged applause.
End. That this was the basis of thu
Compromises of 1S50-confrmed by botl
the Democratic and whig parties in ma
!ional conventions-ratiied by the PEG.
pie in the election of 1852, rightly appli.
cd to the organization of Territories in
1854.
3rd. That by the uniform application
of this Democratic principle to the organ
~ization of Territories, and the admission
of new States, with or without domestic
slavery, as they may elect-the equa
rights of all the States will be preserved
intact-the original compacts of the Con
stitution maintained inviolate-and the
perpetuity and expansion of this Union
insured to its utmost capacity of embrace
ing, in peace and harmony, every future
American State that may be constituted
or annexed, with a republican form O
government.
Resolred That we recognize the right
of the people of all the Territories, inclu'
ding Kansas and Nebraska, acting through
the legally and fairly expressed will of q
majority of actual residents. and whenever
the number of their Inhabitants j%nstiies
it, to form a Constitution, with or without
domestic slavery, and be admitted into the
Union upon terms of perfect eqality with
the other States.
Resolved, finally, That in view of the
condition Of popular institutions in the
Old World, (and the dangerous tenden'
cies of sectional agitation, combined with
the attempts to enforce civil and religious
disabilities against the rights of acqui.
ring and enjoying citizenship in our own
land, J q high and sacred duty is devolved
with increased responsibility upon the
Democratic party of this country, as the
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