The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-02-23

the Compromise measures, settled by the
Congress--thc act for reclaiming of fugi-
tires from service or labor included
which act, being designed to carry out the
express provision of the Constitution, can
not be repealed or so changed as to de-
stroy or impair it, efficiency"
"ReSoZred, 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"
These were the declarations and avow-
ais of the Democratic party in 1852
Now, what do they do in 1854 Why,
they 60 under the leadership of Stephen
A. Douglas, when be bad made report,
saying that that la9 of | $50 was sacred
ly conceived in the Compromise of 1850,
and repeal the Missouri Compromise =
Nov, believe, they stand condemned by
their own language and by their own
acts, and have here accomplished What
| proposed 10 DO.
The Democracy lf-Condemned
What was the result of all this! The
result was that iu obedience to the deela-
ration that the people were to be fairly
left to choose for themselves between Lib
efty and Slavery, they adopted another
platform. Let me come to that. | will
tell you what they did iu 1855, in that
year the Cincinnati platform was adopt
ed.
In consequence of the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise, the Northern peo-
pie interoeded to get their own territory,
upon the avowal made in the Kansas Ne
braska bill, that the people we're to "be
left tree to form and regulate their do
mestc institutions in their own way, sub
iect only to the Constitution of the United
States" But notwithstanding that avoR-
al it msde, they Immediately as the re-
port OF the United States Congress show
ed you, before a single Free Soiler or
Republican had set his foot into the new
territory, commenced on the border of
Missouri the organization OF the "Blue
Lodges" to invade Kansas, with the a.
vowed desizn-peaceably if they could,
and fOrcibly if they must--to have that
land for Slave State. and damn the
Abolitionists, they would shoot them down
as squirrels" as | heard leading Demo
crst express himself in Lexington, while
that conflict was going op. They passed
these resolutions in 1856, and | want
you to pay strict attention to these, in
AZ,
"ReSo1yed, That we reiterate with re-
newed energy OF purpose, the well-cODsid
cred declarations of former Conventions
upon this sectional issue of Domestic, Sla-
very and concerning the resersed rights
Of the States
That aludes to the former Democratic
platform of 1852, four years before. 1t
goes OF:
81. That Congress has no power under
the Constitution to Interfere with or con-
troll the domestic institutions of the seve-
raj States, and that all such States are
the sole and proper judges of everything
appertaiung TO their owu affairs, not pro-
bihited by the Constitution; that all ef-
forts of the Abolitionists or others, 10 ade
to induce Congress to interfere with ques-
,ions of Slavery, or take incipient steps
in relation tbereto-the very thing they
have been doing to-day, besides which
we have beard them deDouncing every
map that does not come up 20 their stand
ard, and cslliDg every man that stands
on the 'Squatter Sovereignty platform
outside of the Democratic party-are cal
culated to lead to the most alarming and
dangerous consequences; and that all such
efforts have an inevitable tendency to
diminish the happiness of the people and
endauger the stability and pormapenoy of
the Union, and ought not to be couDts
nanced by any friend of our political in
situations.
"2, That the faregoing proposition CO.
whole subject Of Slavery agitation in
Congress: and. therefore, the Democratic
party of the Union, standing on this ma
tiOna platform will abide by and adhere
to faithful execution of the acts known
as the Compromise Measures, settled by
the Congress of 1850; 'the act for re-
claiming fugitives from service or labor
included, which act being designed to
carry out an express provision of the Con-
stitution, cannot with fidelity thereto be
repealed or 30 changed as to destroy or
impair its efficiency.
"3 That the democratic party will re-
sist 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"
Oh yes! will resist That is the Dem
ocratic doctrine in 1856 in Cincinnati
did you allade to it to-day! Yes, you
voted the doctrine down, aud yet here it
is, "thst the Democrats party will resist
sll 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" What do
you say to thatl There is the Cincinnati
platform which you eschewed todsy.-
You denounced as reasonable any at
tempt to renew that agitation, under sny