Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-07-25
CAMPAIGN DOCUMENTS,
DE,fOCRATIC PLATFORM.
The following resolutions were adopted at the ,'n'
aiDnnti Convention. in June, lSo6:

Rrsolrci, That the American democracy PncI
their trust in the intelligence, the patriotism anu
the discriminating Justice vi ihs american Peopie.
Pr,olrL That we regard this as 4 distinctive feature
,f mr. nolitical creed, which We ae proud TO maintain
before the world rs q great moral element IN 4 iorHoi
Urv,rnmeu, spriuging from aud upheld by the popu'
lar will; and we contrast II vita lie creed aau pInC'Nr
NJ federalism, under whatever name or form, wi'!cI
o..Ls n nnl.y the will of tie constituent, aud whicn
cuuceives no imposture too nlonstrous Tor INC popD
EcsOIrrd, therefore, That entertaining these views,
the Democratic party OF this Union, through .uem lev
delegates assembled in a general cohVen',o"
couinS together in a spirit Of concord oil aeso.
tion TO the doctrines and faith OF 4 Tree i1pn.-
sentative government, aud appealing 10 thetl io anaw
! citizen. for the rectitude OF their lntentiohs' So"
and re.assert before the American people tHe 80 80
rations Of principles avowed by them, wnch, W. ~ ~
er occasions, III general cunreuti1i' .ney na'' P'
scented their candidates for popular sunr"he', ,,ni,od
l.. That the federal government IS Que OF in,'.Su
power, derived solely from the Cols..'a,'In' " a,ri.,iv
grants of power made therein ought ~ oo euHu'
Construed by all the departments and agents "l luc
governments: aud that il is inexpedient anu uon1''o"'
to exercise doubtful constitutional powers ,,, tho
.. That the Constitution does not confer upo" 'n1
general government the power ~ "mnnwarro,,s
carry on a general system Of Internal Improvements.
3.'That tGe Constitution does not confer "utnoln!
uunu th. t.Gsrnl noyernlnent, directly Ut ihutecliS,
10 assume the debts Ut the se'cla' '".eS - H". 60
for local aud internal improvements " ~ sN"a'
purposee; nor Houid SUCH
dient. erhi1 tLs r.dere,
ov,ru,ueiI, to foster one branch oil INDUSTRY 10 'he
delrj,nent OF any o;lier, or to cherish 'ne Interests " r
one portion to the injury OF anotner portion "
mn, ,yommuu country; that every citizeh anu
AIRY section of tho country has a rlSht 10
demand and insist upoa an equalliy OF rishis anu
privileges, and 10 ~cumpletu and ample protection OF
persons ard property from domestic Vioisnce Ut io'
reign aggression. ID, 80,
eminent To eufurce and practice The most rigid ec"no'
my in conducting our public affairs, and that no "io'e
revenue ought ~ be raised than Is required 10 deiIey
thu Unnecessary expenses Of the government, hhu VI
the gradual but certain extinction Oh me puo,' I 49,.
Il. That In. proceeds OF tho pubic ihnue
oupbt To be sacredly applied 10 the national o'9rcts
sn.ciGed in the constitution, and that we are opposed
10 anv law for the distribution OF sucI proceeds
among the States, as alike ineApedlent IN policy ana
repugnant to tho Constitution. ,
That Congress has no power to charter a National
Bank; ,ha, we believe such an institution one Oideadly
hostility to tho best Interests of tie oountry, dan
ceruus 70 u2r republican institutions and the liberties
Of the people, iiI calculated 10 place the business ui
the country within the control Of Il concentrated money
power, ANA above the laws all" the will OF the people;
aud that tho results Of Democratic Legislation III this
and all other financial metsires upuii "nich !s"Gss
have been mazda between The two pollt.ca! parties oi
the country. have demonstrated TO candid aud practl'
chi men OF all paTiicc !heIr Soundness' Safely anu uu-
lily in all business pursuits.
$. That the separation OF the moneys OF the GoV-
eru.nent from banking institutions IS iaiispcl!Sa.
bio i0r the safety Of the funds Of the Governments; aud
the righIs CT the people.
9. that we sre decidedly opposed to taking
from the President, ;Lo qualified Veto power, by which
he is enabled, under restrictions and responsibilities,
amply sufficient to guard the puo:ic interests, TO sus.
peui the passage OF @ bill whose merits cdalnt Sc.
cure the approval Of Two thirds ot the Senate and
House of Representatives, Until the Judgment Of the
people can DO obtained thereon, aud which has saved
the American people from the corrupt aud ty-alnlcal
domination of the Bank Of the L. States. and from a
corrup.iug system of general internal improvements.
10. That the liberal principles embodied by Jeffer-
SOL in the Declaration of lude pendence, aud sanction
ed in the Constitution, which makes ours the land OF
liberty, and thSnsyluul Of the oppressed uf every ia
ton, have ever beer cardinal principles III the Demo.
cratic faith, and every stieSlp. 10 abridge The privl-
le.e of becoming citizens and IE5 oSners oiso'l among
us ought to be resisted with the sarrs spi.i; which
swer; the alien and sedition lava from u. statute
books.
Aud wREHEAs, Since the foregoing declaration
wes uniformly adopted by vu- predecessors IN No
,ionel Conventions, al adverse political and religious
test la. been secretly organized by q party claiming
to be exclusively Americans, II Is proper tea: ID"
American Democracy should clearly define lis rcia.
lions thereto and declare its determined oppoeitlci to
all secret puiIiica. societies, py Sa6IeScr naue lhey
may be called.
Rss1ir.d, That the foundation OF this Union OF S'aiesS
having been lad in, and Ts prosperity, expansion, and
pre-cIninrpt example III tree government, butt upon
entire freedom in matters OF religious co~acernment,
and .c respect Of persona IN regard IL rank Or piucr
of birth, ne psrty can jla;!y be deemed national, con-
sii;u;;unal, CT In c@co'dHnce with American primer.
pl' :, which Das.s liza exclusive organization upon re-
!igiuus opinions and aocide:.tc,, birth place. Aud
hence Il political crusade in the Ein.t2rn'i century,
and in the United States of America, againg: GH'ho.
lies ard iureign-bori, is neither justified by tie past
history Oh tbs future prospects OF the country, nor III
unison with the e;.r:i OF liberation and enlarged Tree.
dom which peculiarly distinguishes The AinericaA sys'
TEN Of popular government.
Rssoied, That we ~reiterate, with reheTcd energy OF
purpose, the well considered declarations OF fo-i5er
Conventions upou the sectional Issue Of domestic
slavery, and concerl:ng the reserved rights Ut the
States.
l.. That Congress has no power Under the Constl-
tuition 20 Interfere with or controi the doL.ea:lc Ins.i
tu,ions of the several S,ales, and that such States
are tho sO!s and proper judges OF everything npper-
tanning to their oyl ai:airs not prohibited by the
Constitution; that all efforts OF the Aboliiinnists or
others made To induce Congress TO Interfere with
questions of slavery, or 10 take incipicnt etepsi ~ re!a-
ton thereto, are calculated TO lead to the mos; alarm
ing and dangerous consequences, and that oil such
efforts have Ru inevitable tendcncg 10 diminish the
happiness Of the people, and eadanScr the stability
and perruauency of the Union. aud ought not TO
be Gounteuauced by any friend Of our political iIsti.
tutiuns.
2. TIA. the foregoing proposition covers and
was intended 10 embrace the whole subject OF slavery
agitation in Congress, and therefore, the Democratic
party Of the Union, staud;cg Oh this national plat
form, will abide by and adhere &c c faithful ezecu.
zion of the acts known rs the compromise measures
settled by the Congress of 1859, the act for recls!ming
fusitives from service or labor included; which Get
being designed TO carry out IN express provis!on OF
the Constitution, cannot. with fidelity thereto, be r.
pealed, or 70 changed as to destroy or lnPeir its eff.
cheney. ,
:. That the Democratic party will resist AL
attempts OF renewing in Congress-, or out of it, the
agitation OF the slavery question, under whatever
shape or color the sttempt may be made.
T.. That the Democratic party will faithfully
abide by and uphold the PRINCIPLES laid down in the
kentucky and Virginia resolutions OF 1898, and
in the report Of Mr.. Madison to the Virginia LIE.
~gislatare In l799-that it adopts those principles az
constituting ore of the main foundations Of it's politi'
| cal creed, and is resolved TO carry them out in their
obvious meaning and import.
And that we may moro distinctly meet the issue on
| which a sectional party, subsistinx exclusively on
, slavery agitation, now relies to test the fidelity o.
lii. people, North aud South, TO the Constitution aC
the Union
/. Rosoircd, That, claiming fellowship with and desi
ring the corporation of oil who regard the preserva'
ton of the Union, under the Constitution, as the par
amount issue, and repudiating oil sectional parties
and platforms concerning domestic slavery, which
| ssek to enbroil the States and incits to treason enc
armed resistance TO law III the Territories; and who's,
Gyowed purposes, If contaminated, must end in civi
war aud disunion, the American Democracy recog
uize and adopt tho principles contained in the organic
laws establishing the Territories OF Kansas and Ne
braska as elnbndying the only so@nt and sale soiu'
ton of the slavery question upon which ;he great ma
tional idea of the people Of this wholo country cal
reposs in its determined conservatism of the Union
non. interference BY Congress- with slavery in Stat
sod Territory, or in the District Of Columbia.
Z. That this VIA. the hasis Of The Compromise o
1850, confirmed by both the Democratic and WIFI
parties in National Convcu,iuus, ratified by the PEG
plo IN the election of 1852, and rightly applied 10 ID
organization Of Territories iu 1851
3. That by the uniform application Of this Demo
- --tL - ,lz ,o,,r = ft,n - nrrtf.r n N,
10 tho admission ui new States, with or without du
nestle slavery, ne they may elect, the equal rights q
all the States will he preserved intact, The originu
compacts of lle Constitution maintained invlolate, ont
the pcrpetulty and expansion OF 'lis Union ensured It
is utmost capacity vi embracing, in peace and Lar
! rnnnx. eYrrY future American State Mai mar be COZ