The Nevada Democrat., 1858-08-04
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

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RESOLVED, That the American Democracy. place their
trnst In the intelligence the patriotism and the discrmi
Mating justice Of the American people.
RESOLVED That We regard this distinctive feature
fore the world, the great moral element in form Of
government springing from and upheld BY the popular
will and contrast 1t with the creed and practice Of
palsy the win Of constituent and which conceives no
mposture too rnonsrous for the popular credulity.
RESOLVED, 1HzEDoR. That entertaining these views,
the Democrstc party Of this Union, through their Dele
gates assembled in general Convention coming together
IN spirit Of concord Of devotion to the doctrines and
bsr fellow citizens for the recttude Of their intentions
assert before the American people the decar
atoms Of principles avowed by them when on former oc-
casions general Convention they have presented their
candidates for the popular suffrages.
l. That the Federal Government is OF limited power
derived solely from the Constitution and the grants Of
power made therein ought to be strictly construed by all
the departments and agents Of the government and that
It nexpedsnt and dangerous to exercise doubtful
| stitutional powers.
@ That the Constitution does not confer upon the Gen
era Government the power to commence and carry
general system OF internal improvements
That the Constitution does not confer authority upon
the Federal Government directly indirectly to assume
the debts Of the several States, contracted for local and in
ternal improvements other State purposes would
such assumption be just expedisnt.
4. That justice and sourd policy forbid the Federal Gov
ernment to foster branch Of industry to the drment
Of any other to cherish the interests Of portion to
the injury Of another portion oeur common country that
every citizen and every section OF the country has right
70 demand and insist upon equality Of rights and priv
eges and to complete ample protection Of persons and
property from domestic violence foreign aggression.
g. That It is the duty every branch of the Government
enforce and practice the NEST rigid economy in conduct
ing public affairs and that more revenue ought to
be raised than is required to deay the necessary e1pen
ofthe Government and for the gradual but certain ex
tinctien Of the public debt
O. That the proceeds Of the public lands ought to be
credly applied to the national objects specified in the Con
sttution and that opposed to any law for the dis
nf fho
pedient in policy and repugnant to the Constitution
Z. That Congress has power to charter national
bank that believe such an institution one oil deadly
hostility to the best interests Of the country dangerous
to republican institutions and the liberties of the peO
pie and calculated to place the business of the country
within the control Of concentrated money power and
above the laws and the will Of the people and that the
results of Democratic legislation in this and all other 6nan-
caI upon which issues have been made between
the two political parties of the country have
to candid and practical men OF all parties their soundness
safety, and utility, in all business pursuits.
g. That the separation Of the moneys Of the Government
from banking institutions is indispensable for the safety Of
the funds Of the Government and the rights OF the people
o. That decidedly opposed to taking from the
President the qualified veto power by which he enabled
under restrictions and responsibilities amply sufficient to
guard the public interests to suspend the passageoa bill
whose merits cannot the approval Of twothrs Of
the Senate and House of Representatives, until the judg
men Of the people be obtained thereon, and which
has saved the American people from the corrupt anical
domination Of the Bank of the United States and from
corrupting system of general internal Improvements
TO- That the liberal principles embodied BY Jefferson in
the Declaration of Independence and sanctioned in the
Constitution which makes the land of liberty and
the asylum Of the oppressed Of every nation have
been the cardinal principles in the Democratic faith and
every attempt to abdge the privilege of becoming citizens
and the ofso among ought to be resisted with
the spirit which swept the alien and sedion laws
from our statute books.
And WHEREAS Since the foregoing declaration was uni
formly adopted by predecessors in National Conven
tions adverse political and religious test has been
| ere nv "A claiming In be
American, it is proper that the American Democracy
should clearly define its relation thereto and declare its
determined opposition to all secret political societies. by
whatever name they may be called.
RESOLVED That the foundation Of this union Of States
having been laid in and It's prosperity expansion and
pre- eminent example in free government built entire
freedom In matters of religious concernment and
spec OF in regard to rank place Of birth party
justly be deemed national constitutional in accord.
with American principles which bases its exclusive
organization upon religious opinions and accidental birth
place. And hence political crusade in the nineteenth
Catholic and foreign born neither justified by past
history the future prospects Of the country uni
with the spirit Of liberation and enlarged freedom
which peculiarly distinguishes the American system OF
popular government.
RESOLVED That we reiterate with renewed energy of
purpose the well considered declarations ot former Con
ventons upon the sectional issue Of Domestic Slavery and
concerning the reserved rights OF the States.
l. That Congress has power under the Constitution
to interfere with control the domestic the
several Sta tes and that such States the sole and prop
judges of everything appertanng to their affairs
not prohibited by the Constu tfon that all efforts of the
abotonists Others made to induce Congress to inter
fere with questions of slavery to take ncpent steps in
relation thereto calculated to lead to the most alarm
ing and dangerous consequences and that all such efforts
have inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness Of
the people, and endaDger the stability and
the Union and ought not to be countenanced by any
friend Of cur political institutions.
That the foregoing proposition covers and was in
tended to embrace the whole subject of slavery agitation
and therefore the Democratic Of
Union standing on this national platform, will abide by
and adhere to faithful execution of the acts known
the measures settled by the Congress of 1885,
1.-THE act for reclaming fugitves from service labor "
included which act being designed to carry
press provision OF the Constitution. cannot with fidelity
thereto, be repealed changed to destroy
pair its efficiency
g. That tho Democratic party will resist all attempts at
renewing, in Congress out Of the agitation Of the
slavery question under whatever shape color the
attempt may be made
l. That the Democratic party will faithfully abide by and
uphold, the principles laid down In the Kentucky and
Virginia resolutions of 179S and in the report of Mr. Mad
son to the Virginia legislature in 1899 that It adopts
those principles as constituting une of the main founda
tions Of its political creed and is resolved TO carry them
out In their obvious meaning and import.
And that may more distinctly meet the issue on
which sectional party subsisng exclusively slavery
agitation relies to test the fidelity of the people
north and south, to the Constitution and the Union
l. RESOLVED, That claiming fellowship with and desir
ing the cooperation OF all who regard the preservation
the Union under the Constitution the issue
parties ana platforms
cerning domestic slavery which seek embro the States
and ncite to treason and armed resistance to law the
Territories and whose avowed purposes, If consummaed
must end in civil and disunOn The American De-
mocracy recognize and adopt the principles contained in
the organic laws establishing the Territories of Kansas
and Nebraska embodyng the only sound sou
ton of the slavery question" upon which the great ma
ona idea of the people Of this whole country can repose
in its determined conservatism Of the UnionNon Inter
ference By Congress ,cih Slavery in State and Territory or
in the District Of Columbia
That this the basis of the Compromises of 1850
confirmed by both the Democratic Whg parties in ma
tional ConventonsratHed by the people the election
Of s5and rightly applied to the organization Of Terri
tories in 1854.
g. That by the uniform application of this Democratic
principle to the organization OF territories to the ad
mission of new States with without domestic slavery
as they may elsctthe equal rights of all the States will
be preserved ntactthe original compacs of the Consu
ton maintained inyoateand the perpetuity and expan
sion OF this Union insured to its utmost capacity en-
state that may be constituted annexed with repub
eau form Of government.
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