The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-07-13
The Resolutions Of the Democracy of
Maine.


We COPY below portion Of the resolutions
adopted BY the Democracy Of Maine on the
Goth Of June, in the Convention which as
sembled to appoint delegates to Charleston
Ii IS proper that the Democracy Of the South
should know what the Democracy of the
North are doing, and upon what principles
they propose to conduct the approaching
Presidential contest. We will then be the
better prepared to meet the difficulties which
the party will be compelled to encounter
when it assemblies upon common ground in
1860 to adopt AGREED for the national elections
Of that year.
twill be seen that the Democracy Of Maine
have, without qualification or evasion, placed
upon the Cincinnati Platform, Squatter
Sovereignty Interpretation, and upon that
reading of the instrument, have adopted it,
Their position is therefore Numerically oppos-
ed to the Mississippi construction, as declared
by the Democratic Convention held in this
city on the 4th Of July. Both cannot be
correct II Maine is right, Mississippi is
wrong. Certain it is, that the latter never
dreamed of subscribing to creed which en-
braced the heresy of Squatter Sovereignty,
and which denied the right of her citizens to
protection IN the possession Of whatever prop
erty they might choose to carry into the ter
ritories While under the control of the federal
goverpment. And it is no less certain that
the doctrine which the Democracy of Missis-
sippi hold has the sanctionof the highest judi.
cial authority known to the government. The
Supreme Court says that it is not only with
in the power, but that lis the "duty' of Con-
gress to aprotect' slavery in the territories;
and upon this Srock" the Democracy of Mis-
sissippi are prepared to stand
Il viii be observed, further, that while our
Down East friends are bent upon excluding
US from the territories through the potent
agency of Squatterism, they are no less re-
solved that we shall not replenish our supply
of African labor. With equal energy they
protest against what Douglas has called "a
slave code for the territories as clap trap
phrase to excite sectional prejudice against
the constitutional doctrine of protection, and
the 'tre-opening Of the African slave trade
| We ask our Southern friends who are eager
to check the movement in favor of the slave
trade on the ground that it will embarrass
our Northern allies, and who yet insist upon
the operation of the right of the STAKEHOLDER
to federal protection in the territories, to look
at this significant fact The Democracy O
Maine being the judges, we are no more emit
tied to an equal enjoyment of the territories
than to the privilege of buying slaves in the
cheapest markets. Must we make haste tt
change our platform to suit this unexpected
requirement of cur Northern brethren p Oh
must we be brought to understand that tht
true philosophy of politics is to learn to d.
right and to follow the path of duty wherevel
it leads Error has never been conquered
by concession to the prejudice of which she i,
the fruitful mother. In her strongholds thu
blazing standard of Truth must be elevated
and its votaries must rally to it if they woalt
deserve success
But to the Maine platform: =
/ g. Resolved, That acting upon the princi
pie Of absolute "non-intervention by Congress
with slavery in the States and Territories,
which we recognize as eminently Just ant
wise, we are opposed to any legislation b,
Congress to establish, abolish, regulate or pro
tect slavery in the Territories.
4. Resolved, That we hold it to be the du
ty of the Democratic party steadfastly to ad
here to the principles embodied in the com
promise measures of 1850, ratified by tn
the people in the Presidential election of 1876.
and re-affirmed in the Kansas Nebraska &C
of 1854, (Which is founded upon principles a
ancient as free government ITSELF and, in &C
eordance with them, has simply declared tina
the people of Territory, like those of State
shall decide for themselves whether SLAYER,
shall or shall not exist within their limits,
and incorporated into the Cincinnati platform
4 e 1sses sna pesiss all attefnpts to interpufat
into Tie creed Of the party such new issues
and we pledge ourselves to resist any attemp
TO re-opsn the African slave trade, or a Con
gressional slave code for the Territories, o
the doctrine that the Constitution of the Uni
ted States either establishes or prohibit
slavery in the Territories beyond the power
the people to control it.