Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-03-15
Democratic State Convention.


matt. and the Electoral ticket:
RrSolrcd, That in the present distracted con
dition of parties in which sectional and par
tial issues have been allowed to attain dan
gerous supremacy, we recognize III the policy
of the Democratic party, that which rests up
on the Constitution as its basis and that 1t
is in the party which above all others has, III
the language Of the iluStriOuS 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 author
tiles reserved to the States and TO the people,
as equally incorporated with, and essential to
the success ofthc general system and to avoid
the slightest interference with the rights of
conscience or the functions of religion, SO wise
" exempted from civil jurisdiction
Rcsoirm, That by the general consent of all
nations, the trainers of the Republic of the
United States, exhibited in their individual
characters and in the result of their public de-
liberatons, degree Of virtue and practical
craftsmanship, to which the history Of the world
affords no parallel that in no part of the Fed
eral Compact is the wisdom of our fathers
question of slavery to the States in their sepa-
rate capacities and that in the provision for
the re-dcvery of fugitves escaped from labor
or service they demonstrated a sense OF JUS
ticc-n appreciation of the value of the Tn
ion, an attachment to its prcservaton-an
avoidance of one-sided philanthropy and i'm
practicable theories of government, which pre-
sent proper example for the guidance and
-, @l,o,,
Rcsolrcd, That we look only to the ConSti-
tuition, and the exposition thereof which has
been afforded by the practice Of Democratic
administrations, for the chart oil our policy
That these constitute, until the fundamental
law is changed by methods which itself pro-
vides, the highest lar of our obedience as citi-
zens and that we utterly discard that partial
and exaggerated sympathy the attempt to car
ry which into practice, is at the peril of our
dearest interests as nation, and threatens the
infiction of evils of ten-fod magnitude to those
which it proposes to heal
Resol,ed, That the equality of the States is
the vital element of the Constitution ITSELF
and that all interference with the of the States
by those who seek to disregard the sacred
guarantees of the past, and by all Others
should be rebukcd with the same spirit that
would denoucc and repudiate all attempts TO
erect odouS distinctions between those who
are entitled to share the blessings and benefits
of our free institutions.
Rcolrcd. That the effort to direct the pow
er of the Government by ant-slayery agitation,
under the various names and phrases Of Free
Soilism, Anti-N Nebraskaism, FuSonism and Re
publicanism and by interfering with the rights
of conscience in establishing religious test
as a qualification for Office, by the sccret-oath
bound society of the know-Nothings as op-
posed both the letter and the spirit of the Con
Stitution, and the earnest teachings and prac-
tcc of its earliest and most honored admin
iSrators.
Rcs0lrcd, That we are now as ever unaltera-
bly, opposed to the doctrines and designs Of all
organizations which contemplate the overthrow
of the civil and religious rights of the citizen :;
that the equality of the citizen, like the cquali-
ty of the States, is a sacred and inalicnable
right. never to be intcrfercd with by factious
parties and reckless legislation without sub
version of the primary objects of our political
system, and rcpudiaton of the guarantees
of the past and the hopes of the future.
Rcsolred. That in the repeal of the act known
as the Missouri Compromise act, and the pas
sage of the act organizing the Territories of
Kansas and Nebraska, free from unconStitll-
tional restrictions, the last Congress perform
ed a work of patriotic sacrifice in meeting the
demands of sectional excitement by mistaken
adherence to the fundamental law.
Rcsoircd, That this legislation cannot be
deemed unnecessary, but that it was cXpedient
to meet the questions of which it disposed
and which could never admit of more easy
settlement than at present. That we rrcog
n;zc 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
confederacv, which was designed by the fra
merS of our government, and which was dcfn-
ed as one of its essential principles by the i'm
mortal Jefferson.
Res0ired, That the Democracy Of Pennavl-
vaDia, following the counsel of some Of the wi
scSt statesmen of the North and South, were
ready on more than one occasion in the past
to extend the Missouri Compromise line to the
Pacific, so as to make it the basis of final
settlement Of the question of slavery in the
Territories : but when this proposition was re-
jcctcd in 1913, OH the ground that it involved
an undue concession the South, by the very
men who now clamor for a restoration Of the
Missouri line. there seemed to be but one wise
alternative left and that was to refer the whole
question of slavery in the Territories to the
people thereof, to be regulated as they may
deem proper and We therefore checrfully ex-
tend our hearty support to the policy of the
government as recognized in the Compromise
Measures of 1850, and embodied in the laws
organizing the Territories of Kansas and Ne
braSka.
RPcojr1H M 70
the Hon. j AMES BCCHANAN-distingu alike
by his high personal character, his tried De
mocracy, his great abilities, experience and
for the Office of President of the United States
for the term commencing on the 4th of March
1857 and that we do hereby instruct our de-
IL NJ: 70