The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-12-11
The Democratic Platform


-
The Democratic Platform
Read the platform of the Democratic
party held In Leavenworth two weeks ago
It is the most non-committal thing we
have met with for many day, and were
we to express an opinion in regard to it,
we should come to the conclusion it was
got up for bancomJe. Whilst il claims to
DO a Democratic Convention, it does not
tell us whether it is. National Democrats.
Free Democrats, or Independent Democrats.
1t does not tell us which wing of the party
it sympathises with, whether with Doug
las and Forney, or with Buchanan and the
South. True, it endorses the Cincinnati
Platform, but Buchanan claims to be the
embodiment Of that platform; while Doug
las, with very different explanation of it,
has gone before the people of Illinois, and
has triumphed over Mr.. Buchanan's inter-
probation, and the shout of the victors are
yet on the wind.
Whilst the people of Kansas have
worked out their own freedom through
the agency of the Kansas Nebraska bill,
yet they have done SO through famine,
fire and blood, which would not have been
necessary but for that bill, hence none of
us feel an Indebtedness" to the DEMO-
cratic party for it, on the contrary, for
entailing on us those Affections they
merit our severest censure.
The fourth resolution must have been
drawn up by disciple of Dairy Atchisor :
1t declares in favor of "the entire exclusion
of free negroes from the future State Of
Kansas" but has not word to say against
the settlement of negro slaves in the Ter
ritory. True, it claims that "the slavery
question is settled beyond the possibility
Of further controversy" but how settled?
By the bred Scott decision, which is en-
dorsed by Mr.. Buchanan, that the federal
Constitution carries slavery to all the Ter.
ritories of the United States; and that
the Legislatures of the Territories have no
right to prohibit the introduction ofslavery
into such Territories; and that the holding
of slaves, while in Territorial condition,
becomes vested right of which State
government cannot divest person? Or
is it Settled" in some other manner? If
so, that convention should have told the
people, so we could have known where to
find them.
The balance of the resolutions affirm
positions which all men Of all parties
endorse, hence they are not distinctive
Democratic or Republican, and would be
as likely to be endorsed by a Convention
of the latter as the former.
We look upon this movement as one to
checkmate Republican organization; but
until the latter is effected it can accom-
plish nothing. In fact the resolutions of
the convention bear upon their face un-
mistakable evidences of such intention,
and of inherent weakness. If the party
had possessed natural strength, instead of
fighting around the bush, and being all
things to all men, it would have laid down
a positive platform; but now no one can
tell where to find it, only that it is Demo-
cratic! There Uds time when that word
was tower of strength, but that was
before the enslavement of Kansas under
the misrule of that party. While many
of rs are permitted to look upon the ruins
of our property, and upon the graves Of
our dear friends, and remember our own
sufferings, under Democratic misrule, we
cannot remain silent while such party is
being organized in Kansas, especially
when we look upon it as cheat, designed
to rob somebody of their just rights.
We recognize the names of many
valued personal friends in the Leaven.
worth convention, and we would not i'm
puyn their motives; but we would urge
the Free State party to stand more firmly
together on the old land marks, and pre-.
pare to stem the tide of opposition which
they may direct against us.