The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-07-04

:
therein ought to be strictly construed by all
the departments and agents OF the govern
ment and that Il is inexpedient and danger.
GUS to exercise doubtful constitutional pow
ers.
Q. That the Constitution does not confer
authority upon the Federal Government,
directly or indirectly, to assume the debts Of
th Q several States, contracted for local and
internal improvements, or other State pur-
poses nor would such assumption be just or
expedent. ..-....-.-.--....-..
8. That Justice and sound policy forbid
the Federal Government to foster one branch
Of industry to the detriment of any other, or
to cherish the interests of one portion to the
injury of another portion of our common
country that every citizen and every sec.
ton of the country has right to demand
and insist upon an equality Of rights and
privileges, and to complete and ample pro.
lection of persons and property from domes.
tic violence or foreign aggression.
4. That it is the duty Of every branch OF
the Government to enforce and practise the
most rigid economy in conducting our public
affairs, and that no more revenue ought t6 10
raised than is required to defray the neces-
sary expenses Of the Government, and for
the gradual, but certain extinction Of the
public debt.
s. That the proceeds Of the public lands
ought to be sacredly applied to the national
objects specified in the Constitution /; and
that we are opposed to any law for the dis
tribution of such proceeds among the States,
as alike inexpedieDt in policy and repugnant
to the Constitution.
6. That Congress has no power to char.
ter a national bank that we believe such
an institution one of deadly hostility to the
best interests Of the country, dangerous to
our republican institutions and The liberties
Of the people, and calculated to place the
business Of the country within the control oil
a concentrated money power, and above the
laws and the will of the people and tina,
the results Of Democratic legislation in this
and oil other financial measures upon which
issues have been made between the two po'
litical parties of the country, have demon
strated 10 candid and practical men of al
parties, their souDdness, safety and utility
insall business pursuits.
| 2. That the separation OF the moneys O
the Government from banking institution
is indispensable for the safety Of the fund.-
OF the Government. and the rights OF tht
people.
8. That we are decidedly opposed 4
taking from the President the qualified vett
power, by which he is enabled, under restric
tions and responsibilities amply sufficient t
guard the public interests, 10 suspend thu
passage OF bill whose merits cannot secure
the approval of two.thirds of the Senate ant
House of Representatives, until the judg
ment OF the people can be obtained thereon
and which has saved the American people
from the corrupt and tyranical domination oil
the Bank of the United States, and from q
corruptiBg system of general internal i'm
provements.
9. That the liberal principles embodied
by Jefferson in the Declaration OF Ind pen
dence, and sanctioned in the Constitution,
which makes ours the land of liberty, and
the asylum OF the oppressed OF every nation,
have ever been cardinal principles in the
Democratic faith, and every attempt to
abrldge the privilege of becoming citizens
and the owners of soil among US, ought to
be resisted with the same spirit which swep,
the alien and eedition laws from our statute
books.
And WHEREAS, Since the foregoing de-
cluration was uniformly adopted by our pre-
decessors in National Conventions, an ad-
verse political and religious test has been
secretly organized by purity claiming to be
exclusively American, it is proper that the
American Democracy sh ould clearly define
its relations thereto, and declare its deter
mined opposition to all secret political So
cletles, BY whatever name they may be call
ed,
Resolved, Thut the foundation of this un-
ion OF Stutes having been laid in, and its
prosperity, expansion, and pre- eminent ex-
ample in tree government built upon entire
freedom in matters of religious concernment
and no respect OF person in regard to rank
or place OF birth ; no party can Justly be
deemed national, constitutional, or in &C.
cordance with American principles, which
bases its exclusive organization upon reli-
glous opinions and accidental birth. place.
And hence political crusade in the nine
teenth century, and in the United States of
America, against Catholics and foreign
born, is neither justified by the past history
or the future prospects OF the country, nor
in unison with the spirit of federation and
enlarged freedom which peculiarly dstin-
guishes the American system OF popular
government.
RESOLVED, That we reiterste with renewed
energy OF purpose, the well.considered de-
clarations of former Conventions upon the
sectional issue of Domestic Slavery, and
concerning the reserved rights OF the States,
!. That Congress has no power under
The Constitution, to interfere with or control
The domestic institutions of the several
States, and that such States are the sole and
proper judges of everything appertaining to
their own affairs, not prohibited by the Con-
that oil efforts of the abolitionists
Or others, made to induce Congress to in
terfere with the question of slavery, or to
take incipient steps in relation thereto, are
calculated to lead to the most alarming and
dangerous consequences and that all such
efforts have an inevitable tendency to dimin.
'h the happiness of the people, and endan-
ger the stability and permanency of the Un.
ion, and ought not to be countenanced by
any friend Of our political institutions.
2. That the 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 execu.
lion OF the acts known as the Compromise
settled by the Congress of 1850 :;
'the act for reclaimiDg fugitives from ser.
vice 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 de-.
stroy or impair its efficiency.
8. That the Democratic party will resist
all attempts at renewing, in Congress or out
of it, the agitation Of the slavery question
under whatever shape or color the attempt
may be made. 5s 1876