Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-03-01
THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM

as the foremost and mightiest political power
on earth,-a party that would regulate and
direct the progress of modern civilization, and
be thought of with hope and glad enthusiasm
by the lovers of freedom in every oppressed
nation. Samuel Adams dreamed of such a
party; Jefferson planned it; slavery has inter
fered to make it impossible. But the hope
of it is not lost, as the thoughts and aspira'
tons of all earnest republicans now bear wit
ness; and it will yet be realized.
1t can not be pleasant to any patriotic Amer
lean, to observe how the party now called
democratic" has fallen away from the high
professions and grand ideals with which its
founders Tor some of them) started. 1t has
always failed to keep its promises to the ear
nest men who have cherished the ideals of
democracy as religion; and year by year,
it has fallen away more and more, until its
name has become in American politics what
Austrianism is in Europe, -the watchword of
oppression,-and its platform a den of refuge
for all the barbarism, tyranny, and hatred of
free institutions, that may still be found haunt
ing the republic. This is not the party thai
Jefferson and Franklin dreamed Of nor did the
revolutionary fathers contemplate the estab-
ishment of such a political agency as pos
sible result of their work. The country can
not have peace and be true to itself, until this
fallen and INSCRIPTIONS party is broken down.
The seven resolves adopted by the demo-
cratic senatorial caucus at Washington show
very clearly the present character and aims of
the democratic party. The whole business of
that party now is to uphold and strengthen
the institution of slavery. 1t does nothing
else it means nothing else; the only indis-
spensable qualification for membership in
it,-such membership as entities man
to be spoken of as Sound democrat"
lis profession of faith in slavery. Its whole
tendency is to extermnate republican ideas,
and introduce a new philosophy of politics, by
which the federal constitution would be trans
formed into barbaric slave case.
Let Us examine these resolves little more
closely. The first and second affirm that it is
violation of the Constitution" "a manifest
breach of faith" and "a violation of the most
solemn Obligation" for citizens of the free
states to speak against slavery. The meaning
is that laws should be enacted to suppress free
speech on the subject of slavery,-such laws
as have been proposed in the Senate by Mr.
Douglas, who has taken pains to profess entire
agreement with the southern extremists on
this point. The two resolutions in question
are nothing less than demand to have the
free states subjected to the same atrocious and
most violent despotism which slavery has es-
tablished in Virginia and South Carolina
Austrianism does nothing worse. Russian
czarism does nothing as bad The federal
constitution, which these democracy hating
vandals use sacreligiously to establish slavery
in the territories, must next be used to author
ize sedition laws and make it a crime to speak
what is true and just. Free speech violation
of the Constitution What will come next?
Is it not time for all honest Democrats to ask
themselves WHITTIER are we drifting2"
The third of these resolves gives formal
sanction to the new and most villainous doc
trine, that the right to hold slaves is precisely
like the right to own oxen, resting on the same
basis, and appealing to the same reasons.
There neither is nor can be any warrant for
slavery beyond the local law which gives it
existence. Such has been the doctrine here
tofore, even in the darkest places of the
institution. But slavery now demands
change, and the democratic party has I'M
dertaken to make it, The fourth and fifth
resolves are directed against Douglas and
popular sovereignty" They affirm that the
constitution itself authorizes slavery in the
territories, and that every power of the gov
ernment should be used to protect and main
tain it there. special and imperative de-
mand is made for the enactment of a congress
sional slave code for the territories. The sixth
declares explicitly that slavery cannot be for
hidden in territory while it remains a terri
tory; and the seventh is devoted to the Sub.
lime merits" of the fugitive slave bill.
Such is the new democratic platform, which
has the sanction of all the democratic Senators
in Congress, save Douglas and Pugh, and they
object only to that part of it which crucifies
the bastard popular sovereignty of the Illinois
Senator. The Democrats have in Congress-
ten Senators from the free states, eight of
whom have adopted these resolves without
scruple or hesitation. They will be the par.
ty platform for the next four years. They
show what the party will do, or aim to
do, in and out Of Congress. That party sell
dom puts its whole meaning into the platform
adopted at the nomination of presidential
candidate. 1t may not do SO at Charleston
but these resolves leave its purposes unmis.
taxable. The men who sanction them are the
masters and Iaw-givers of the party. They
have supreme control over its action in Con-
gress. Northern democrats have always sub
mitted to their sway; and they will, doubtless,
continue to do 80 while the party lasts.