The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-03-18

pennsylvania DEMOCRACY.
AN ADMIRABLE PLATFORM OF PRIN-
CIPLES.

Pennsylvania Democratic State Convention
at Harrisburg. They show that the DEM
ocracy of the noble keystone State are
true to the Constitution, the Rights of the
States and the Union, and truly national
and sound in the great struggle between
National Democracy and Black Republi-
canism:
ReSoIred, That in the present distracted
condition of parties, in which sectional and
partial issues have been allowed to attain a
dangerous supremacy, we recognise IN the
policy of the Democratic party, that which
rests upon the Constitution as its basis;
and that it is the party which above all
others has, in the language of the illustrious
Madison, ever continued 'to hold the union
of the States as the basis of their peace and
happiness; to support the Constitution,
which is the cement Of the Union, as we'll
in its limitations as its authorities; to respect
the rights and authorities reserved to the
States and to the people, as equally incor-
porated with and essential to the success of
the general system; and to avoid the
slightest interference with the rights of con-
science or the functions of religion, so wisely
exempted from civil jurisdiction.
ReSoLUed, That by the general consent of
the wise and virtuous of all nations, the
trainers of the Republic ofthe United States.
exhibited in their individual characters and
in the result of their public deliberations,
degree of virtue and practical statesman
ship, to which the history of the world at
fords no parallel: that in no part of the
Federal Compact is the wisd' m of ourtathers
more conspicuous, than in Ledring the WhOle
question Of slarery to the States an their
Separqte capacities; and that III the pro-
vision for the re-delivery of fugitiyes es-
caped from labor or service, they demon
strated a sense of iustice-an appreciation
of the value of the Union-am attachment to
its preservation-an avoidance of one sided
philanthrophy, and impracticable theories
of government-whichp presents a proper ex-
ample for the guidance and imitation of US,
their descendants.
ReSOiUed, That we look only to the COnSt5-
tuition, and the exposition thereof which has
been afforded by the practice of Democratic
administrations, for the chart of our policy.
That these constitute, till the fundamental
law is changed by methods which itself
provides, the highest lar of our obedience
as citizens; and that we utterly discard that
partial and exaggerated sympathy, the at
tempt to carry which into practice, is at the
peril of our dearest interests as a nation,
and threatens the inAiction of evils of ten
fold magnitude to those which it proposes
to heal.
ReSolred, That the equality of the States
is the vital element of the Constitution itself,
and that all interference with the rights of
the States by those who seek to disregard
the sacred guarantees Of the past and by
all others, should be rebuked with the same
spirit that would denounce and repudiate
all attempts to erect odiOuS distinctions be-
tween those who are entitled to share the
~ &C f.on
tions.
ResoIved, That the effort to direct the
power of the Government by anti-slavery
agitation, under the various names and
phrases of Free Soiism, Anti -Nebraskaism,
Fusonism and Republicanism and by in
terfering with the rights of conscience in
establishing religious test as qualifca-
ton for office, by the secret oath-b bound
society of the Know Nothngs, is opposed
both to the letter and the spirit of the Con-
stitution, and to the earnest teachings and
practice of its earliest and most honOred ad-
miniStratOrS.
Resolved, That we are now as ever un-
alterably opposed to the doctrines and
designs of all organizations which contem-
plate the overthrow of the civil and religious
rights of the citizens; that the equality of
the citizen, like the equality of the States,
is a sacred and nalienable right, never to
be interfered with by factious parties and
reckless legislation, without subversiOn of
the primary objects of our political system,
and reputation of the guarantees of the
past and the hopes of the future.
Resolved, That in the repeal of the act
known as the Missouri Compromise act, and
the passage of the act organizing the Ter
ritories of Kansas and Nebraska, free from
unconstitutional restrictions, the last Con-
gress performed a work Cf patriotic sacrifice
in meeting the demands of sectional excite
ment by mistaken adherence to the funda-
mental law.
ResoLved, That this legislation cannot be
deemed unnecessary, but that it was ex-
pedient to meet the questions of which it
disposed, and which could never admit of a
more easy settlement than at present. That
we recognize in it the application to the
Territories of the United States, Of the rule
of ''equal and exact justice to all men" of
all sections of the confederacy, which was
designed by the trainers Of our government;
and which was defined as one of its essential
principles by the immortal Jefferson.
ResoLUed, That the Democracy of Penn
sylvania, followed the counsel of some of
the wisest statesmen of the north and south,
who were ready, on more than one occasion
in the past, to extend the Missouri ComprO-
basis of final settlement of the question of
slavery in the Territories; but when this
proposition was rejected in 1845, on the
ground that it involved an undue concession
to the south, by the very men who now
clamor for restoration Of the Missouri
line, there seemed to be bat one wise alter
native left, and that was to refer the whole
question of slavery in the Territories to the
people thereof. to be regulated as they
might deem proper; and we therefore cheer
fully extend our hearty support to the policy
of the government as recognized in the Com
promise measures of 1850, and embodied in
the laws organizing the Territories Of Kansas
and Nebraska.
ResoLued, That unerring Indications point
to the Hon. James ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ed alike by his high personal character, his
tried Democracy, his great abilities, exper-
-A.nA1n .i.s- u.