Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-04-19
Cincinnati National Platform.

Ven the tale afloat for what it is worth"
Cincinnati National Platform.
Below we give the resolutions Of the Cincinnati
National Convention, adopted June 4th, 1856,
which nominated James Buchanan for President
We shall from time to time, republsh those as the
creed of the Democracy
Resolved, That the foundation of this Union of
States having been laid in, and its pros rerity,
expansion, and pre-eminent example in free gov
crnment 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
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 histo
~ future prospects OF the country, nor in unison
with the spirit Of liberation and enlarged freedom
| which Distinguishes the American system Of pop.
ular sovereignty.
| Resolcea, That we reiterate with renewed ener-
CIV of purpose, the well considered decarat ton 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 Con-
stitution 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 Constitution; that all efforts of the
| abolitionsts, or others, made to induce Congress
to interfere with questions of Slavery, or to take
ncipent steps in relation thereto, are calculated
| to lead to the most alarming and dangerous con-
sequences, and that all such efforts have 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.
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 a
faithful execution of the acts known as the Com
promise measures settled by the Congress of 1880.
'the act for retaining fugitves 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 to destroy or impair its efficiency.
| 3. That the Democratic party will resist all
attempts at 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 MIR. Madison to the Virginia
Legislature in 1893. that it adopts those principles
| as constituting 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 on which sectional party, subsisting ex-
cusivey upon slavery agitation, now relies to test
the fidelity of the peOVle, North and South, to the
Constitution and the Union
| L. Resolced, That claiming fellowship with, and
| desiring the corporation of all who regard the
| preservation of the Union under the Constitution
| as the permanent issue-Bnd repudiating all Sec
| tional parties and platforms concerning domestic
| slavery, which seek to embroi the States and in
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 the
J Union observation-disclosures by Congress with Slave
ry in State or Territory, in the District of Co
| lumbia.
Q. That this was the basis of the Compromise
| of 1s50-cOnfrmed by both the Democratic and
Wing parties in National Convention ratified by
| the people in the election OF lS52-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
| rgntS OF al inc SIateS Will Oc preserved
| the original compacts of the Constitution main
| tanned inviolate-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 q
republican form of government.
| Resolved, That We recognizs the right of the
people of all the Territories, including Kansas
and Nebraska, acting through the legally and
fairly expressed will uf majority Of actual resi-
dents, and whenever the number of their inhabit-
ants justifies it, to form Constitution, with OIL
without domestic slavery, and be admitted into
| other States.
Resolred, 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 relig
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 tho Union Of the
| States and to sustain and advance among us con.
| stitutional liberty, by continuing to resist ali
monopolies, and exclusive legislation for the ben.
| eft of the few, at the expense of the many, and
| by viflant and constant adherence to those
| principles and Compromises of the Constitution
| which are broad enough and strong enough t
embrace and uphold the Union it was, the
Union it shall be, in the full expansion of the
energies and capacity Of the great and progressiv,
people.
| /. Resolocd, 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
iuence at the side of their successful example.
| g. Resolred. That geographical and politica
position with reference to the other States Of thi
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 princ
pies involved in the Monroe doctrine their bear
ing and import admit Of no ms,onstruction; they
| should be applied with unbending rightly.
g. Resolred, That the great highway which
| nature as we'll as the assent of those most imme
| diately interested in the maintenance, nas marked
out for free communication betwsen the Allan
tic and the Pacific oceans, and constitutes one Of
| the most important achievements realized by tn,
| spirit of modern times and the unconquerable en-
ergy of our people That result should be secured
| by timely and efficient exertion Of the contro
which we have the right to proclaim over it, ant
no power on earth should be suffered to imped,
or clog its progress by any interference with tn,
relations which it may suit our policy to establish
between our Government and the States within
VIII ose dominion it lies. We can, under no circum
stances, surrender our Ireponderence in the ad
iustment OF all questions arising out of it.
4. Resoloed, That in view OF SO commandin;
an interest, the people of the United States car
not but sympathze with the efforts which ar
Ibeing made by the people of Central America +,
regensrate that portion Of the Continent which
covers the passage across the lsthmus.
s. Resolred, That the Democratic party will ex
pee, of the next Administration that every pror Q
effort will be made to insure our ascendency in tn
Gulf of Mexico, and to maintain permanen
protection to the great outlets through which ar