The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-05-16
PLATFORsI-BUnDING,

The formation of party is impelled,
Its existence justified, its action dignifed,
by concurrence of sentiments on some 9ues.
ton on which political action is deemed
desirable or inevitable. But for such con-
currence, party degenerates into faction,
OK mere conspiracy to promote selfish and
personal ends
The Platform Of any party is Tor should
be) terse and clear statement or setting
forth Of the objects or ends for which that
party is embodied, the convictions by which
it is knit together. If what is put forth as
its Platform contains more than this, it is
at once fetter and fraud-a fetter on
its dissenting members. fraud on the pub
lie, who are authorized by it to regard said
party as united in conviction or purpose
which is really that Of faction, not of the
whole party. Such platform reminds us
of the anecdote of an English Churchman
who was asked if he had ever known per-
son who really believed all tina: is
contained in the XXXIX Articles of
his Church To which he made an
swer that he had known every one of them
to be believed, but not all by the same
person.
In the light Of these evident truths, con-
slider the performance now going forward
at Charleston. The representatives Of the
Slave States are working desperately to
force upon the Democratic National Con-
yention an assertion or Endorsement Of
their new doctrine that any STAKEHOLDER
who chooses to take slave or slaves into
any Federal Territory is entitled to Fed
eral protection in his asserted right of prop
erty in said slave or slaves That is to say !:
If the slave refuses to work or to render
implicit obedience. or runs away, the Fed.
eral Government must provide for his SUBJ
jugation or recapture as the case may be.
Legree claims Pomp as his property at
Pixies Peak, because be was so accounted
in Alabama, whence they came Pomp
demurs and insists that he will work for
Legree for fair wages, not otherwise -
whereupon Legree calls on Uncle Sam to
enforce his claim of work without wages
against Pomp; and the Chivalry say the
Democratic party must back this demand.
Now, the point to which We would call
attention is not the invalidity and iniquity
of Legree's pretension lie, that pass for
the present. We complain that Messrs
Barksdale, Browne. Perry. Walker x Co,
insist on making the Democratic party say
, its creed is what it is not. In ether words
they are intent on making creed for the
party, not merely declaring the creed it &C.
tually holds Individuals may hold to the
Slave-Code they may be Gf you wilD a
majority of the Democratic party but the
party as such believes nothing of the sort
IF it did, Col Richardson would not be a
leader in the Convention, and Judge Doug
las would not be prominent candidate be
fore it for the Presidential nomination.
;; Now suppose the Douglas men, or some
, of them, should weakly say-liks Henry
,, Nv, of France. who thought a kingdom
should no, be lost for mass" This Slave
Code is an abstraction let US give then
9 the least that will satisfy them. and 8
avoid a row and a bolt our objection
not at all weakened It would still be
party profession of what the party does no
!. really believe-a corporate lie. told to ei
feet sinister end.