Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-04-21
Cincinnati National Platform.

Below we give the resolutions Of the Cincinnati
National Convention, adopted June 4th, 1896,
which nominated James Buchanan for President.
We shall from time to time, rcpublish those as the
creed Of the Democracy:
Resolved, That the foundation Of this Union Of
States having been laid in, and its prosperity,
expansion, and pre-eminent example In free gov.
eminent built upon entire freedom IN matters OF
religious conccrnment, and no respect OF person in
regard to rank or place OF birth no party can
Justly be deemed national, constitutional, or in
accordance 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 hlsto-
nv or future prospects of the country in unison
with the spirit of liberation and enlarged freedom
which distinguishes the American system Of pop
ular sovereignty.
Resolced, That We reiterate with renewed ener-
gy of purpose, the we'll considered declaration of
former Conventions upon the sectional issue of
Domestic Slavery, and concerning the reserved
rights of the States.
l. That Congress has no power under the Con-
stituton to interfere with control the domestic
institutions Of the several States, and that such
States are the sole and proper judges of every
thing appertaining to their own affairs not pro-
hibited by the Constitutions that all efforts Of the
abOlitionists, or Othcrs, made to induce Congress
to interfere with questions Of Slavery, or to take
incpent steps in relation thereto, are calculated
to lead to tae most alarming and dangerous con-
sequences and that all such efforts have an inev-
liable tendency to diminish the happiness of the
people and endanger the stability and permanency
af the Union, and ought not to be countenanced
by any friend of our political institutions.
9. That tho foregoing proposition covers, and
was intended to embrace the whole subject of
slavery agitation in Congress; and therefore, the
Democratic party of the Union, standing on this
national platform, will abide by and adhere to
faithful execution Of the acts known as the Com
promise measures, settled by the Congress of 1885,
"the act for retaining fugitives from service or
labor" included which act being designed to
carry out an express provision of the Constitution,
cannot, with fidelity thereto, be repealed, or SO
changed as to destroy or impair its efficiency.
3. That the Democratic party will resist all
attempts ut renewing, in Congress cut Of it, the
agitation Of the slavery question, under whatever
shape or color the attempt may be made.
4. That the Democratic party will faithfully
abide by and uphold the principles laid down in
the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions of 1898,
and in the report of Mr.. Madison to the Virginia
Legislature in 1885, that it adopts those principles
as constituting one of the main foundations Of its
political creed, and is resolved to carry them out
in their obvious meaning and import.
And that we may more distinctly meet the is
sue which q sectional party, subsisting cx-
clusivey upon slavery agitation, now relies to test
the fidelity Of the people, North and South, to the
Constitution and the Union
l. Resolced, That claiming fellowship with, and
desiring the cooperation Of all who regard the
preservation of the Union under the Constitution
as the permanent issue-vna repudiating all Sec
tional parties and platforms concerning domestic
slavery, which seek to embroil the States and i'm
cite to treason and armed resistance to law in the
Territories and whose avowed purposes if con-
summated, must end in civil war and disunon.
The American Democracy recognize and adopt
the principle contained in the organic laws es-
tablishing the Territories Of Kansas and Nebras-
ka embodying the only sound and safe solution
Of the slavery question" upon which the great
national idea of the people Of this country can
repose in its determined conservatism Of tho
Observation-Disclosures by Congress with Slave
ry in State or Territory, in the District of Co.
lumbia.
2. That this was the basis Of the Compromise
Of 1S50-confrmed by both the Democratic and
Wing parties in National Convention-ratifed by
the people in the election Of l852-and rightly
applied in the organization Of Territories in 1854
3. That by the Uniform application Of this De-
cratic principle to the organization Of Territories
and to the admission Of new States, with or with
out domestic slavery as they may elect-the equal
rights of oil the States will be preserved intact
the original compacts Of the Constitution main
tanned invioate-and the perpetuity and expan.
sion of the Union insured to its utmost capacity of
embracing, in peace and harmony, every future
State that may be constituted or annexed, with
republican form OF government.
Resolved, That We recognizs the right of the
people Of all the Territories, including Kansas
and Nebraska, acting through tho legally and
fairly expressed will uf majority of actual resi-
dents, and whenever the number Of their inhab
ants justifes it, to form Constitution, with or
without domestic slavery, and be admitted into
the Union upon terms Of perfect equality with the
other States.
Resolved, finally, That in view of the condition
Of popular institutions of the Old World, and the
dangerous tendencies of sectional agitation COM
bined with the attempt to enforce civil and rclig-
iOus disabilities against the right Of acquiring and
enjoying citizenship in our own land-a high and
sacred duty is devolved with increased response
bility upon the Democratic party Of this country
as the party of the Union, to upheld and maintain
tho rights Of every State in the Union of the
States and to sustain and advance among US con-
sttutlonal liberty, by continuing to resist all
monopolies, and exclusive legislation for the ben
eft of the few, at tho expense Of the many, and
by vigllant and constant adherence to those
principles and Compromises of the Constitution
which are broad enough and strong enough to
embrace and uphold the Union Is it was, tho
Union as it shall be, in the full expansion Of the
energies and capacity Of the great and progressive
people.
l. Rcsolced, That there are questions CONNECT.
with the foreign policy Of this country, which are
inferior to no domestic question whatever. The
time has come for the people Of the United States
to declare themselves in favor Of free and pre-
gressive free trade throughout the world, and by
solemn manifestations to place their moral in
fuence at tho side Of their successful example.
2. Resolved That our geographical and political
position with reference to the other States of this
continent, no less than the interest Of our COM
merce and the development Of our growing power
requires that We should hold as sacred the princi-
pies involved in the Monroe doctrine their bear
ing and import admit Of no misconstruction; they
should be applied with unbendng rigidity.
8. Resolved, That the great highway which
nature, as we'll as the assent Of those most imme-
distey interested in the maintenance, has marked
out tor free communication between the Allan
tic and the Pacific oceans, and constitutes one of
the most important achievements realized by the
| spirit of modern times and the unconqucrable en-
ergy of our people. That result should be secured
by a timely and efficient exertion Of the control
which We have the right to proclaim over it, and
no power earth should be suffered to impede
or clog its progress by any interference with the
relations which it may suit our policy to establish
between our Government and the States within
VII ose dominion it lies We can, under no circum-
stances, surrender our preponderence in the i'd
justment OF all questions arising out of it.
4. Resolced, That in view OF 80 commanding
IN interest, the people of the United States can
not bat sympathize with the efforts which are
being made by the people Of Central America to
regensrate that portion Of the Continent which
covers the passage across the Isthmus.
5. ResolUed, That the Democratic party will ex-
poet of the next Administration that every prsCer
effort will be made to insure ascendency in the
Gulf of Mexico, and ~ maintain . permanent
emptsd into ito waters the products raised out Of
the soil, and the commodities created BY the in
dustsy q the people Of our Western valleys, ana
OF the Unicn ct large.