The Nevada Democrat., 1858-07-28
TILE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

tic institutions Of the country:
RESOLVED. That the American Democracy place their
trust in the intelligence the patriotism and the dscrimi-
mating justice Of the American people
RESOLVED That we regard This as distinctive feature
Of our political creed which proud to maintain be-
fore the world the great moral element IN ion oil
government springing from and upheld by the popular
will and we contrast it with the creed and practice OF Fed
eralsm under whatever name or form, which seeks to
palsy the will of the constituent ana when c0ncees no
imposture too monstrous for the popular credulity.
RrsoJ yrp TBxRypoRE That entertaining these views
the Democratic party of this Union, through their Dele
gates assembled in gener Convention coming together
l snrit Of concord of devotion to the doctrines and
faith Of free representative government and appealing to
their fellow citizens for the rectude Of their Intentions
and reasser before the American people the decar
atoms of principles avowed by them when former oc
casons general Convention they have presented their
candidates for the popular sufrages.
l. That the Federal Government is Of limited power
derived solely from the Constitution and the grants Of
rover made therein ought to be strictly construed by all
the departments and agents Of the government and that
II is inexpedent and dangerous 10 exercise uouDu CON
stitutonal powers
q That the Constitution does not confer upon the Cen
era Government the power to commence and carry on
general system OF internal improvement
s. That the Constitution does not confer authority upon
the Federal Government directly indirectly TO ass me
the debts Of the several States contracted for local and IN
ernal improvements other State purposes nor "ouio
such assumption be just or expedient
That Justice and sou policy forbid the Federal Gov
ernment to foster branch Of industry to the dermen
any other cherish the interests OF one portion 10
eyery citizen and every Of the country has right
to demand and upon equality Of rights and priv
Ieges and ample protection OF persons ana
property from domestic violence or foreign aggression
That IL is the duty every branch OF the Government
to enforce and practice the most rigid economy in conduct
ing our public affairs and that more revenue ought TO
be raised than required to defay the necessary e1pen
e, ofthe Government the gradual but certain eI
tinction of the public debt
That the proceeds of the public lands ought to be sa
credy applied to national objects specified in the Con
suton and that opposed TO any law Tor the dla
rbution of such proceeds among the states as
pedient in policy and repugnant 10 the Sonsu'uuon
7 That Congress- has no power to charter a national
bank that we believe such institution one OF deadly
hostility to the best interests OF the country dangerous
to our republican institutions and the liberties OF the peo
pe and calculated place the business Of the country
within the control Of concentrated money power ana
above the laws and the will OF the people ana InSt tue
results of Democratic legislation in this and other imam
ca upon which issues have been made between
the political parties OF the country have demonstrated
to candid and practical men OF all parties their soundnes
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 we are decidedly opposed TO taking from the
President the qualified power by which he is enabled
under restrictions and responsibilities amply suihcent 70
guard the public interests to suspend the passage o
whose merits the approval of twothirds oil
the Senate and House of Representatives until the ueg
ment Of the people be obtained thereon, and which
has the American people from the corrupt Jranca
domination of the Bank of the United States and from
corruptng 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 tho oppressed OF every nation nave ever
been the cardinal principles in the Democratic ah and
every attempt to abrdge the privilege Of becoming citizens
and the Of soil among u.s. ought To be resisted with
the spirit which swept the alien and sedition laws
from our statute books
And wHERsAs, Since the foregoing declaration was uni
formy adopted by predecessors in National Conven
tons an adverse political and religious test has been
crety organized by party claiming to be exclusively
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 its prosperity expansion and
pre eminent example in free government built entire
freedom in matters Of religious conccrnment and no
spect person in regard to rank place Of BIRTH parry
can Justly be deemed NATIONAL constitutional in accord
ance with American principles which bases its exclusive
organization upon religious opinions and accidental birth
place And hence political crusade In the nineteenth
century, and in the United States of America against
Catholic and foreign born is neither justified BY the past
history the future prospects, OF the country nor in uni
son with the spirit OF liberation enlarged freedom
which peculiarly distinguishes the American system Of
popular government.
RESOLVED That we reterate with renewed energy of |
purpose the well considered declarations o: former Con-
yenons 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 institutions OF the
several Sta and that such States the solo and prop
er Judges of everything apportaning to their affairs,
not prohibited by the Constitution that all efforts Of the
aboonists others made to induce Congress to inter
fee with questions of slavery TO take ncpen steps in
relation thereto calculated 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 endanger the stability and permanency Of
the Union, and ought not to he countenaneed by any
friend OF our political institutions.
O. That the foregoing proposition covers, and in
tended to embrace the whole subject Of slavery agitation
Congress- and therefore, the Democratic party Of the
a1,,1ot x-in ht
and adhere to faithful execution oil the acts known as
the promise settled by the Congress OF $780,
"the act recaimng fugitves from service or labor
included which act being designed to carry out an eI
press provision of the Constitution cannot with fidelity
thereto be repealed 80 changed as to destroy or i'm
pair its efficiency.
g. That the Democratic party will resist all attempts at
renewing in Congress out of it, the agitation of the
slavery question under whatever shape color the
attempt 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 179S and in the report Of Mr. Mad
son to the Virginia legislature in 1893 that it adopts
those principles as constituting of the main ounda
OF its political creed and resolved to carry them
out in their obvious meaning and import.
And that we may more distinctly meet the issue on
which sectional party subsstng exclusively slavery
agitation now relies TO test the fidelity of the people
north and south, the Constitution and the Union
l. RESOLVED That claiming fellowship with and dcsr-
ing operation OF all who regard the preservation of
the Union under the Constitution the paramount issue
and repudiang all sectional parties and platforms
cernng domestic slavery whch seek 10 embro the states
and nco to treason and armed resistance to law in the
Territories and whose avowed purposes if consummaed
must end in civil and disuuion. 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 and safe solu
ton of the slavery question: upon which the great
tona idea of the people of this whole country repose
in its determined conservatism of the Unon-Non Inter
ference By Congress % Slavery in State and Territory
in the District Of Columbia.
That this the basis of the Compromises of 1850
confirmed by both the Democratic and Wing parties in
onal Conventons-ratded by the people in the election
of ls62and 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 and the
mission OF States with without domestic slavery
they may electthe equal rights of all the States will
be preserved nac-he original compacts of the Constitu
ton maintained nyolateand the perpeuity and expan-
sion of this Union insured to its utmost capacity
bacing in peace and harmony, every future American
State that may be constituted annexed with republi-
can form OF government.
RESOLVED, That recognize tho right OF the people