Washington sentinel., 1856-08-02

\ permanent protection Of the great outlets
through which are emptied into its waters the
| products raised upon the soil, and the com
modities created by the industry of the people
of our Western valleys and the Union at large
PLATFORM OF JAMES BUCHANAN, OF
PENNSYLVANIA.
"ReSolced, That in the present distracted con-
dition Of parties, in which sectional and par
tial issues have been allowed to attain
dangerous supremacy, we recognise in the
policy of the Democratic party, that which
rests upon the Constitution as its basis and
that i Is the party yhieh above all others has,
I III the language OF the iustrious Madison, ever
continued ito hold the Union Of the States as
the basis Of their peace and happiness; to sup
port the Constitution, which is the cement Of
the Union, as well in its limitations as its au-
thorities; to respect the rights and authorities
| reserved TO the States and to the people, as
equally Incorporated with, and essential TO, the
| success Of the general system; aud to avoid
| the slightest interference with the rights OF
conscience or the functions OF religion, SO
wisely exempted from civil jurisdiction
"Resoired, That BY the general consent of the
wise and yirlanps of all nations, the trainers of
the Republic OF the United States exhibited, in
their individual characters and In the result Of
their public deliberations, a degree of virtue
and a practical statesnianship TO which the
history Of the world affords parallel; that in
no part-of the federal compact is the wisdom
of our Fathers more conspicuous, than in leav-
ing the whole question ol slavery to the States
in their separate capacities, and that in the pro-
vision for the re-deiiyery of fugitives escaped
frpt,, laha cAr, b thoN Ia,. ta1
sense of justice, an appreciation Of the value of
the Union, an attachment to its preservation,
an avoidance OF one-sided philanthropy and
impracticable theories of government, which
present proper example for the guidance and
imitation of US their descendants.
+" "ReSoived, That we look only to the Constitu
ton, and the exposition thereof which has been
afforded BY the practices of the Democratic ad
mnistrations, for the chart Of our policy. That
these constitute, until the fundamental law is
changed by methods which itself provides, the
highest latc Of our obedience as citizens; and
that we utterly discard that particular and ex
aggerated sympathy, the attempt to carry
which into practice is at the peril Of our dear
est interests as a nation, and threaterA the ~
Fiction Of evils.of teniold magnitude 10 those.
which II proposes to heal
" "Resotced, That the eqaaiitYof the Staiss is
the VlLll element OF the ltSeIi, aHU
that all interference with the rights of the
States, by those who seek TO disregard the
sacred guarantees Of the past, aud by all Others
should be rebuked with the same spirit that
would dencunce and repudiate all attempts to
erect odious distinctions between those who are
entitled to share the blessings and benefits Of
our free Institutions ya.a so gsltt
"Resolced, That the effort to direct the power
Of the government By antislavery agitation4
under the various names and phases of Free
Soilism, Anti-Nebraskasm, Fusonism, and Re-
publicanism, and by interfering with the rights
Of conscience in establishing religious test as
qualification for Office by the secret oath-bound
society Of the Know.nothings, is opposed both
to the letter and the spitit OF The Constitution,
and to the earnest teachings and practice of its
earliest aud most honored administrators.
"Resolped, That we are nov as ever unaiiera-
bly, opposed 10 the doctrines and designs Of all
organizations which contemplate the uyerihro~
Of the civil and reli igious rights Of the citizen.
which, like the equality Of the States is sacred
and nalienabe right, neverto be inlerered with
by factious parties and reckless legislation, with
out subversion of the primary objects Of our
political system, and Reputation of the guar.
antees of the past, and the hopes Of the future.
+" heSotced, hat 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 unconstitu-
tional restrictions, the last Congress performed
work OF patriotic sacrifice, in meeting the
demands Of sectional excitement by unshaken
adherence TO the fundamental law.
"Resolved, That this legislation cannot be
deemed unnecessary, but that it was expedient
to meet the questions OF which it disposed, and
which could never admit Of more easy settle
rnent than at present That we recognize in
il 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 Con
itderacy, 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 Pennsyl.
vana, following the counsel OF some Of the
wisest statesmen Of the North and South, we're
ready on more than one occasion IN the past 10
extend the Missouri Compromise line 10 the
Pacific, so as TO make il the basis of a final set
tlement of the question Of slavery in the Terri
tories; but when this proposition was rejected,
in lS48, on the ground that it involved an un.
due concession 70 the South, by the very men
who now clamor for restoration Of the Mis-
souri, line, there seemed to be but one wise
alternative left, aud that was to refer the whole
question Of slavery in the Territories to the
people thereof, TO be regulated rs they may
deem proper; and we, therefore cheerfully ex-
tend our hearty support to the policy of the
Government as recognized in the compromise
measures Of 1850, aud embodied in the laws
organizing the Territories OF Kansas and Ne
braska."