Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-09-25

the land OF liberty and the asylum OF the oppressed
OF every nation, have ever been cardinal principle
! of the Democratic faith, and every attempt t,
abrdge the privilege of becoming citizens and III,
owners of soil among liz, ought to be resisted viii
the same spirit which swept the alien and sedition
Laws from our statute books.
AND. WHEREAS Since the foregoing declaration
was uniformly adopted by our predecessors in Ma
tional Cony cntion, al aovetsc political and rclig
ious test has been secretly organized 10y party
claiming to bc exclusively American: it is proper
that the American Democracy should clearly define
its relations thereto and declare It's determined op-
position to all secret political societies, by whatever
name they may he called
Res0iced. That the foundation of this Union of
states, having been laid in, and it, prosperity. ex-
paIs'on. AMI pre- eminent example in free govern
BlcntS built upon entire freedom in matters of
religious conccrnmcnt. and that respect
of person in regard to rank or place of birth;
no party Justly be deemed national, constitlI-
ton1l. or i'm accordance with American principles.
which bases its exclusive organization upon reli @iOuS
opinions and accidental birth place. And hence. a
political crusade III the nineteenth century. and in
the United States of America. against Catholics
and !Oreien-hoIn. neither justified by the past his
tory or the future prospects of the country nor in
unison with the spirit of liberation and enlarged
freedom which peculiarly distinguishes the Ameri-
can system Of popular government.
/ hcSoired That vertebrate. with renewed cner-
~ of purpose, the wcll-considcrcd declarations OF
former Conventions upon the sectional issue of do
nestle Slavery, and concerning the reserved rights
of the States:
/. That Congress has no power. under the Con
stutIon, to interfere with or control the domestic
institutions of the several States, and that such
States are the sole and propcrudgcs of everything
/ appcrtaining to their own lIirs, not prohibited by
the Constitutions that all efforts of the Abotionsts
int,
slavery, to take incpicnt 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 10 diminish the happi-
ness OF the people, and cndangcr the stability and
permancncy OF the Union, and not to be countenan-
ccd by any friend of our political Institutions.
:. hat the foregoing proposition covers. and
nted to embrace, the whole subject Of slavery
i'll Congress; and therefore, the Democratic party of
the Union, standing on this national platform, will
abide by and adhere faithful execution of the
acts known as the Compromise Measures. settled
BIZ the Congress of 1880: the act retaining fu.i-
tives from service or labor. nclu,lud: which act
being designed TO carry out IN express provision of
the Constitution. cannot. with fidelity thereto. be
repealed changed to destroy or impair its
efficiency.
3. That the Democratic party will resist all at
tcmpts at renewing, in Congress out of it, the
agitation of the slavery question, under whatever
1. That the Democratic party Will faithfully
abide by and Uphold the principles laid down in the
kentucky and Virginia resolutions of ~. and in
the Report of Mr.. Madison to the Virginia. I;cgis-
a;ure, in 1893: that it adopts those principles as
constituting oi thc main foundations Of political
creed. and is resolved carry ;hcin oft in their OBJ
vious meaning and import.
And that may more distinctly meet the issue
on which a sectional party. subSistin~ exclusively
on SLAYER" agitation, now relies to the fidelity of the
people, north and south. 10 the Constitution and the
Union:
|. Rcsolred. That. claiming fellowship with, and
desiring the cooperation Of all who gard the pre-
scryatiOn of the Union under the Constitution AZ n
paramount ssuc-and rcpudiatinr all sectional PAR
ties and platforms concerning domestic slavery.
which seek to embrol the States and inctc 70 trca-
son ana armed resistance 10 law n the Territories:
and whose avoved purpose, Il conSummatoG. must
end in civil war and disuni0n-;hc American De
m0eracy recognize and adopt the principles con
tanned in the organic laws establishing the Terrific
ries of Kansas AMI Nebraska. a. embodyine the on
" sound and safe solution oi the slavery question
upon which the great national idea of the people of
this whole country can repose in lis determined
consery ati7m of the Union-Nov- INTERVENTION EY
CONGRESS WITH SLAVERY IN STATE AND IERRTORY.
OR IN THE DISTRICT oF CoIrMaIA.
=. That this the basis at the Compromises Of
ls.a-conirined bv both the Democratic nd y lir
people in the election of $50. and ii. l;v applied
to the organization o., the Territories Of 1851.
;. That by the uniform Application OF This Demo
cratic principle To the organization OF Territories
and the admission of new States with or without
domestic slavery, IS they may cicct-hc equal
rights of ell the States will be preserved intact
the original compact> ofthc Constitution IN limtnin-
ed inyiolatc-and the perpctuity and expansion OF
this Union insured to It's utmost capacity of cnlbr.,-
eng, iii peace ana harmony. every future Amcri-
en- Stat" hat may be constituted or annexed. with
a republican form Of government.
Resoirei, That We recognize the right of the
people Of all the Territories. including Kansas AID
Nebraska, acting acting throu2h the legality and
fairly expressed will of ioritv of actual resi-
dents, and whencyerth the number OF their inlabit-
ants iu>tes it, to form Constitution. with or
without domestic slavery. and he admitted into the
Unon upon terms Of perfect equality with the other
States.
Resolved, finally, That in view of the condition
0t popular institutions of the Old World, land the
dangerous tendencies of sectional aeitatiOn,
bined with the attempt to enforce civil and regi
Gus disabilities against the rights Of acquiring and
enjoying citizenship in land, high and sacred
duty Is dcvovcd with increased responsibility upon
the Democratic party of this country, the party
of the Union, to uphold and maintain the fights of
every State, and thereby the Union the State =;
and to sustain ana advance among Us constitution
E
and exclusive legislation for the few at the expense
of the many, and by vieilant and constant adhcr-
encc to those principles and compromises of the
Constitution which are broad enough and strong
enough to embrace and uphold the Union it was.
the Union as il l. and the Union Is it shall he, in
the full expansion of the energies and capacities of
this ere At and progressive people
L. ResoLced, That there questions connected
with the foreign policy this country which in
eror To no domestic questions whatever. The
time has come for the people OF the United Sta ties
to declare themselves in favor of free trade
Throughout the world and. 10y solemn manifestations,
to place their moral influence at the side OF their
successful example.
2. Resolred, That our geographical and politi-
cal position with reference to other States of this
continent, less than the interest of COM
mercc and the development of our growing power,
requires that should hold rs sacred the princi-
pies involved in the Monroe doctrine; their bear
ing and import ADMIT of no misconsruction; they
should be applied with unbendng rigidty.
! ;. ResoLred, That the great highway which ma
turc, as well as the assent of the State most inn
mcdlately Interested in its maintenance has mark
ed out for free communication between the At
lantc and Pacific Oceans, constitutes one of the
most important achievements realized by the spir-
it of modern times and the unconqucrable energy
of our people. That result should be secured by Il
timely and efficient exertion of the control which