The Nevada Democrat., 1860-04-04
THE sENAroRIAL PLATFORM.


THE SENATORIAL PLATFORM.
A cancus Of Democratic Senators has been
held az Washington city who have taken vpon
themselves The responsibility Of adoptingn plat
form for the Democratic party, 30 Far as tbe
negro question is concerned. It was at hrst
given out that the object Of this caucus was to
adopt compromise platform, for the purpose
Of reconciling differences among Depccrais,
but instead Of attempting any reconciliation, a
series Of resolutions were adopted approving
the most ultra demands Of the hre-eaters and
Southern disunionists. The caucus was presi-
ded over by Senator Bright, who appointed q
eommitteee consisting Of Senators Fitch, Green,
Blgler, Gwin, and Chestnut, to report plat
form which Was to harmonise all differences in
the party. In due time the committee reported
seven resolutions which were adopted by the
caucus and which are TO be brought up in the
Senate for discussion. The first tive resolutisns
relate 10 general principles, aud contain scarce
ly syllable that will be objected TO by one
man 10 thousand; the second relates to the
fugitive slave law, aud will meet the approba-
ton Of all Democrats; the ether four resolu-
tions read as follows:
Resoipd That the union Of these States ress on the
equality OF rights and privileges among It's members, and
that Is especially the duty o. the ssnsts which repre-
sents the States In their soteregn capacity 10 resist all
attempts to discriminate either IN relation 70 Or
property, In the TerrtOrss-Which are The commsn
citizens Of state which not equally secured to
those Of every other State. .lfs1 as788 .atOV slF
Resolved That neither Congress, nor Territorial Leg
islauro whether by direct legislation legislation Of an
indirect and unfrendy nature possess the power TO annu
impair the constitutional right ofany citizen the Uni
ritores but II the duty Of the Federal Goyenment
there to afford for that for other species OF property the
needfhl protection. J &OyfH t'I tit"
ResoIred That whenever experience shall have shown
that the Executive and Judicial branches Of the Govern
msnt have not sufficient power to insure adequate proec
Territorial legislature shall have failed refused to pass
such laws are necessary for that purpose II will then
laws az will Afford the necessary protection ~. ys
Resoird That the inhabitants Of organized Territory
Of the United States when they rghtuly form Csnsti
tuition 10 be admitted State into tho Union, may
then for the hrst time like the people OF State when
forming new Constitution decide for themselves whether
slavery as domestic institution shall be maintained
prohibited within their jursdiction and fCongsss shall
admit them State 'they shall BE- received into the
Union with without slavery as their Constitution may
prescribe at the time Of their admission"
These resolutions, taken together, are the ve-
ry essence of Federalism, and carried cut
would erect the general government into des-
potism. But such doctrine will never be en-
forced in this country. There may DO oligar-
chsts enough in the Senate to pass q bill
through that body protecting slave property ia
the Territories, but the scheme would be de-
feated in the popular branch Of the National
Legislature. The thirteen hundred thousand
Democrats Of the Northern States have shown
q disposition to concede to the South every just |
demapd, and 20 place the Two sections upon an
equality in the settlement Of the new Terrific
ries; but when the South asks that Congress
shall discriminate In favor of shareholders, and
against the people Of the free States, tho vast
body of the Northern Democracy will repudiate
the demand. II the people Of any of the Terri
tories want slaves they will enact laws protect
ing the Institution; but If . majority are op-
posed to slavery they will exclude II, and nei-
ther the power Of the President, nor the dccrees
Of Courts, can thwart the popular win. And it
ia right and proper, and In accordance with the
principles Of self.government, that this ques-
tIon should be left with tho people who alone
are interested, aud whatever their decision may
be, neither section will have any just cause of
complaint 'aa nam I aa.sia adi aaa@
There Is giarlng Inconsistency in the above
resolutions which seems to have escaped the
notice of the astute Senators, One resolution
lays down the Democratic doctrine that there
should be no Discrimination that would give to
the people Of enc State advantages, in the Ter
ritores, not equally secured to those of every
other State; whis the two succeeding resolu-
tlons assert the directly contrary doctrine; that
Congress should afford protection to slave pro-
per,y. IL need be, against the laws Of the Terri.
tory, and in opposition to the wishes Of the peo-
pie, thus discriminating against the citizens Of
the free States. ss Il is.e4o hm baartm aa
1t is asserted on good authority that the SEN
atoriai caucus was designed 70 forcs.al the ac-
ton o. the Charleston Convention, aud that an
effort will be made 10 saddle this platform upon
tho Democratic party, in the approaching ma
tonal contest. But In this attempt they can
not possibly succeed. The platform will bO es-
tabished by majority Of the delegates, and
enough have already been elected, who agree
with Senator Douglas upon the Territorial
question, to insure the adoption Of Popular
Sovereignty platform. h'e aeai
CAMPAIGN PAPkRs,--Itis 10 estimated that not
less than thousand campaign papers win be
published in the United States during the ap-