The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1859-08-03
THE CINCINNATI PLATF0RM-iS 1T
COMPLETE?

and tile limitations 6f the powers OF tiie fedeFa
d Government, and their opinions to the legalit
: or illegality--e fitness or unftness-of measnre
enacted OF proposed. With this declaration the,
chose their candidates who were pledged t.
the maintenance of the party manifesto. Will
this they went before the people, demanding tn.
cooperation of all who asscnted to it and chal
longing the opposition of those dissenting. By
this they tested the democracy Of candidate!
whether before the people or in tue actual discharge
of their official functions, and by this they measured
the democracy OF voters. The Platform was tfsr
and has ever been the gauge BY which the candidate
elected to Office was measured, the rule by which
he was tried. None were taken and received as
Democrats who did not subscribe to the platform
none were rejected from tie party who followed il
as the guide OF their political conduct.
At first the Democratic declaration cnunciated
but few leading principles: the absolute equality
Of the states--the limitation of Federal powers
the necessity Of construing strictly the instrument
which created the Federal Government--the rights
reserved to the states aud the people, "-opposi-
ton to consolidation Capitalization, implied
powers and assumed perogatives--these were the
leading features of early declarations of Democratic
faith. " 8
New issues we're presented-new heresies were
deciared-new abuses were perpetrated by the
Federalist party, Democrats met these-not with
new declarations Of doctrne--tut with an applica-
ton of the principles which they had already pro.
claimed. One by one, as they successfully arose,
our party encountered and oyereame the PROPOSE
| tons of their adversaries. Declaration against
Federal abuse was the foreunner of a victory over
it--and the platform became thus the record of
successive declarations OF war upon wrong and the
chronicle Of successive trumphs over it.
The original platform was thus the trunk of the
Democratic tree all subsequent additions have
been no moro than the branches growing out OF it,
Everything added since has been but logical ard
neeessarrq deduction from the Democratic truths
proclaimed in the first days Of our party, and
these successive outsrowths from the parent stem
form with it a tree of symmetrical and majestic
proportions, strong enough to resist all the Gle
,nents of opposition, broad enough to shelter milf
lions of the descendants of those who planted if
glance at the Cincinnati platform will shoS
any one how the Democratic party has beepaceas- !
toned to try new propositions by their ancient and
received declarations and to enlarge their resolu-
tons so as to meet new issues In the application /
OF State rights and State equality to the subject of
slavery, this is especially apparent. Every new
heresy of our fanatcal Northern foes has been met
with new proclamation adapted to it. There is I
then, no lack of precedents in making additions to
the Democratic platform whenever demanded by /
the appearance OF new forms Of political heterodoxy
From its nature the platform can never be complete
until our opponents have adopted one by one all
the catalogue of false theories, thus affording to
Democrats all opportunity to test them by our
venerable rules OF Of faith. AS often as there ap-
pears new form of popular delusion, new error
or widely difused political ialacy, so often will
there be opposed to it a new feature of the Demo.
cratic creed. As often as new poison taints the
political air new antdote will be sent forth by
'S'ooSi"t7 w at ~ pldtlOl Dt1-
feet as far as it goes: nothing is required to be-
struck out or altered; additions, only, are needed
from time to time.
Such an addition seems to be required now
pephaps Two or three of them For example, there
ire those who claim to be Democrats yet who as
'ert that popular majority in territory can
7gbtaly and legally exclude from it the property
which emigrants from slaveholding States may
AIRY into it-that such majority of settlers have
light to egislate as they please however great the
lamage may be to the minority. We feel that this
is as undemocratc as it is unjust but
There in the Democratic platform can we find an II
xpress declaration to that effect? 1t is yolative
the equal rights of the States and therefore op-
osed to the spirit and theory of the platform.
his ought to be declared; it should not be left a
pen to discussion whether Squatter Sovereignty is
r is not possible as feature Of Democratic doc
Flne 1t should be put beyond dispute that those
Tho hold to this glazing heresy cease to be Demo
rats, This can be done efectually by briet sup.
lemcnt to the platform as the CINCINNATI Conyen-
on left it,
Again, there are those who profess to believe that =
lie noninterference item of the platform is con- =
sssion made by the Democratic party to the effect ~
Int the Federal Government has not the power to
rotect the rights of the citizens Of territory. u
hey say that the party is pledged to "nonnter- IS
ention," and then proceed to give meaning to %
lat term inconsistent with The Constitutional pow a
3 of the common Government over the common III
'man Tbisis grave error, and tits all the more Iii
ischieyous because it is held and advocated in the SO
'me OF Democracy; wherefore it seems necessary III
add clause which shall give the true Legal and 70
doctrine on this important point 81
We deprecate new tests of Democracy and we I'll
low that entire uniformity of opinion among Ia
'moerats is out OF the question; but surely it is te
duty to guard against such loose constructions nil
Oh monstrous assumptions as these Whateveris ne
institutional and right in doetne the Democratic "
rty may safely declare at all times they cany6I
ely fail to declare it when the opposite errokfe in
iustrlously taught by aspiring aemsgogues No
Let the Charleston Eonvonf.cn