Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-06-12
NUMBER 4.

ture prospects of the country, nor in unison
with The spirit of federation and enlarged free
dom which peculiarly distinguishes the Ameri-
can system Of popular government.
Resofped, That we reiterate, with renewed en-
ergy of purpose, the well considered declara
tions of former Conventions upon the sectional
issue of Domestic Slavery, and concerning the
reserved rights Of the States:
]. That Congress has no power, under the
Constitution, 10 interfere with or control the
domestic institutions of the several Statts. and
that such States are the sole and proper Judges
Of everything apper.aining 10 their own affairs,
not prohibited by the Constitution that all ef-
forts OF the AbOlitionists or others made tO in
terfere with questions OF slavery, or TO take In
cipient steps IN violation thereto, are calc LATED
to lead TO the most alarming and dangerous
consequences aud that all such efforts have an
inevitable tendency TO diminish the happiness
OF the people. and endanger the stability and
permanency Of the Union, aud ought not to be
countenanced hy any friend Of our political in
- hst 1he foregoing proposition eoEsr,, and
was intend ] u fnbffce. tie whole slibiect Of
slavery agitation in Cougrrss aud 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
Compromises Measures, settled by the Congress
oil 1880 /" the act for reclaiming 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be repealed.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 rs 10 destroy or i'm
pair its efficiency.
D lhat the Democratic party viii resist all
attempts atrenewing, in Congress or out OF II
the agitation of the slavery question. under
whatever shape or color the attempt NAV 10
made
A That tba na,,oo. 49,. -. a, - r. \,
abide by and uphold the principles laid down
in the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions Of
1875, and in the report Of Mr. Madison 10 the
Virginia Legislature. in 1879: that il adopts
those principles rs constituting one Of the main
foundations of lis political creed. and is rcsoly.
ed TO carry them ont in their obvious meaning
and import.
And that We may more distinctly meet the is.
sue on which n sectional party. subsisiins cx
elnsively on slavery agitation. now relies to
the fidelity of the people, North and South, 10
the Constitution and the Union:
4 ReSoi0ed, That claiming fellows ship with.
and desiring the cooperation of all who regard
the preservation Of the Union under the Consti-
tuition as a paramount isSue-and repudiatino
all sectional parties and platforms concerning
domestic slavery, which seek to embroil the
States and incite 10 treason and armed resist
| ance To law in the Territories and whose
avowed purposes, If consumaled, must end in
civil war and disnnion-ihe American Dcinoc-
! racy recognize and adopt the principles contain
ed in the organic laws establishing the Terri.
tories Of Kansas and Nebraska as embodying
the only sound and safe solution OF the slavery
question" upon which the great national idea
of the people OF this whole country can rcpose
in its determined conservatism of the Union
| Noy ISrERFEREycE BY CoSGRrss wITu SLAVERY
~ STATE AND TERRITORY, or IN THE DISTRICT OF
CoLUMBIA.
The reading Of this resolution was inter-
rnpted for some time by tremendous and pro-
longed applause.
2. That This was the basis Of the Compro-
misses of ls.stl-confinned by both the Democrat
ic and Whig parties IN national conventions
ratified by the people in the election of 1882
and ri ,hIly applied 10 the organization of Ter
ritories in 1851.
3. That by the uniform application of this
Democratic principle to the organization of Ter
ritories, and to the admission of new States,
with OF without domestic slavery. as they may
elect-lhe equal rights of all the States will be
preserved iniact-thc original compacts of the
Constitution maintained inyiolate-and the per
petuity and expansion Of this Union insured 10
its utmost capacity of embracing, in peace and
harmony, every future American State that may
be constituted or annexed, with q republicao
form Of government.
ResOtcsd, That we recognize the right Of tho
people Of all the Territories, Including Kansas
aud Nebraska, acting through the legality aud
fairly expressed will Of majority Of actual res
idents. aad whenever the number of their in
habitants justi6es it, TO form n Constitution.
with or without domestic slavery, and be adj
mitted into the Union upon terms of perfect
equality with the other States.
RfsolUeJ, finally, That in view Of the cOndi
of nonplar in eftfnffnpr n tbsaI IiI N,rlI
land the dangerous tendencie Of sectional agi
tation. combined with the attempt 10 enforce
civil and religions disabilities against the right.
! Of acquiring and enjoying citizenship in oui
land, y a high and sacred duty is deyolved viii
/ increased respectabil;ty upon The Democratic
party Of This country, as the party of the Union
! to uphold and maintain the rights of every
State, and thereby the Union Of the States: anc
/ to sustain aud advance among US constitutions
liberty. by continuing to resist all monopoliei
and exclusive Legislation for the benefit of th,
few ut the expense of the many. aud by vigi
! lant aud constant adherence 20 those principles
and compromises Of the Constitution which ar
broad enough and strong enough TO embrace
and uphold the Union as IL was, the Union a
it 10, and the Union "a it shall he, in the ful
expansion Of the energies and capacities Of thi
great and progressive people.
| I. Rssclued, That there are questions con
nected with the foreign policy OF this countr
] which are inferior e. no domestic question
whatever. The time has come for the peopl
Of the United States TO declare themselves i
favor Of free seas aud progressive free trad
throughout the world. and. Sy solemn manifest
atoms, TO place their moral Influence at the sid
of their successful example.
9. Reso!oed, That our geographical and po
liticsl position with reference TO other States q
this continent. no less than the interest Of on
commerce and the deveiorement of our CROWN
; power, requires that we shonld bold as sacre
) the principles involved in the Monroe doctrine
Their bearing nnd ip,pss; admit Of no mseor
struction; they should he applied with uubent
ing rigidity.
g. Resoired. That The great highway whic
nature as we'll rs the assent of the States mo
Immediately interested in its maintenance h:
marked out for free communication l., twec
? the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans constitutes oi
: Of the most important achievements realize
by the spirit of modern times and the uncar
querRble energy of our people. That rcsu
; shonld be secHred by timely Rni efficient o
ertion of the control which we have the rigl
= 10 claim over IT, and M power on canh Shonl
: be suffered TO impede clog its progress I
j any interference with the relations 10 iuay su
: our policy 10 establish between our govermei
and the governments Of the States within who
e dominions il lies. We can, under no circun
G stance, surrender our preponderanee ia the a,
J. lustment Of all questions arising ou; oft
$ L. Rssolced, That in view Of so commandin
: an interest the people Of the United States ca
not hut sympathize with the efforts which n
v being made by the people of Central Ameri,
!. to regenerate that portion of the contine
h which covers the passage across the IntsrocrAn
n lsthmns.
T S. RESOLVED, That the Democratic party "
C expect of the next Administration that eve
i proper effort will be made TO insure our asce
II dancy in the Gulf Of Mexico, and 10 maintain
e permanent protection to the great oullC
n through which are emptied into its waters d
products raised out of the soil and the commo
tiles created by the industry OF the people
N our Western valleys, aud Of the Union at larl
n B. r. HALLETT, Chairman.
q ReSoiced, That the Democratic party recc
a a nizes the great Importance in a political a
- commercial point Of view Of a safe and spec
a communication, by military and postal roa,
-e through our own territory. between the Allan
~ and Pacific coasts of this Union, and that il
the duty Of the Federal Government Ia eNsrc
oi promptly all its constitutional power for the
y, ieinment Of that object.
l. IL. n