Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-11-06

AND, WHEREAS. Since the foregoing declaration
was uniformly adopted by our predecessors IN IA
ti0nal Convention, an adverse political ant ieiS-
ious test has been secretly organized by q party
claiming to be exclusively American: it Is proper
that the American Democracy should clearly define
its relations thereto and declare its determined op
position to all secret political societies. by Whatever
name tiey may he called.
Resolred, That the foundation OF this Union o!
States having been laid in, and its prosperity, eX-
panSion, and reeminent example IN Tree govern
ments built unon entire freedom in matters OF
RELIGIOUS Government, AMI that no respect
OF person in regard To r,i,6 Or place 81 bir'hi
no party can Justly be deemed national, ccns'ili-
tional or in accordance with American principles,
which bases its esclusyc organization upon religious
opinions and accidental birthplace. And hence, a
political crusade the nineteenth century, and III
the United States of America, against Catholics
and forcicn-born Is neither Justified by the past his
tory the future prospects Of the country nor in
uni ON with the spirit of liberation and enlarged
freedom which peculiarly distinguishes the Ameri-
can system of popular government.
Resoired, That we rcitcrate with renewed ener-
ey of purpose the wcll-considcred declarations of
former Conventions upon the sectional issue of do
mestic Slavery, and concerning the reserved rights
of the States:
l. That Congress has no power. under the Con
stitution, to interfere with or control the domestic
institutions of the several States, and that such
States are the sole and judges of everything
appertaining to their own Affairs, not prohibited By
the Constitutions that all efforts of the Aboltonists
or others, made to interfere with questions OF
slavery or to take incpept steps in violation there
to, are calculated to lead to the most alarming and
dangerous consequences; and that all such efforts
have an inevitable tendency 70 diminish the happi-
ness of the people. and endangcr the stability and
permanency of the Union, and not 10 be countenan-
ced by any friend of our political institutions.
>. That the foregoing proposition covers, and
was nted to embrace, the whole subject of slavery
in Congress; and therefore the Democratic party OF
the Union, standing this national platform, will
abide by and adhere to Il faithful execution of the
acts known as the Compromise Measures, settled
bv the Congress of 1880; tie "act retaining iugi-
tives from service labor, - includcd; which act
being designed to carry out an express provision oil
the Constitution, cannot, with fidelity thereto, be
repealed, changed as to destroy or impair its
efficiency.
p That the Democratic party will resist all at
tempts mt renewing, in Congress or out of it, the
agitation of the slavery question, under whatever
shape OF color the attempt may be made.
4. That the Democratic party Will faithfully
abide by and uphold the principles laid down in the
Kentucky and Virginia resolutions of 1893, and in
the Report of Mr.. Madison to the Virginia Lcgis
laturc in 1899: that il adopts those principles a;
constituting one of the main foundations of political
creed and is resolved to carry them out III their OBJ
vious meaning and import.
| And that we may more distinctly meet the issue
on which a sectional party, subsisting excusivcl ~
on slavery agitation, now relies to the fidelity OF the
people north and south, to the Constitution and the
Union:
|. Resolred, That, claiming fellowship with, ant
desiring the cooperation of all who regard the pre-
servation of the Union under the Constitution as
paramount ssue-and repudatng all sectional par
ties and platforms concerning domestic slavery
which seek to embroil the States and incie to trea
son and armed resistance 20 law III the Territories
and whose avowed purpose, if consummated, mus
end in civil war and disunon-the American De
mocracy recognize and adopt the principles con
tainedin the organic laws establishing the Terrific
ries of Kansas and Nebraska, as embodying the on
ly sound and safe solution of the "savery question
upon which the great national idea of the people o
this whole country can repose in its determine
conservatism Of the Union-Eov INTERVENTION d
/ CONGRESS WITH SLAVERY IN STATE AND TERRIToRY
OR IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
/ 2. That this was the basis OF the Compromises O
l950-con6rmed by both the Democratic and Viii
parties In national Conventions-ratifed by th
peoplein the election of 1852, and rightly applie
10 the organization of the Territories Of 1851