The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-11-15
THE PILOT.
PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES
adopted by the Wisconsin Democracy al
Madison, October 2, 1861.

! MADISON, OCTOBER z, 1co1.
Resolved. That in the present National
crisis the rallying cry of all true men and
patriots should be "The Union-it mus,
and shall be preserved"
Resolued, That we deny the right Of any
State or number of States to withdraw
from the Union, and to relinquish their
obligations and allegiance to the constitu.
ton and laws of the United States, and
that the attempt so to do on the part Of the
seeded States is in direct conflict with
the spirit and letter of the constitution,
and blow aimed directly at the existence
of the government, which should be re-
sisted with all the power at its command.
That it has ever been, and ever should be
the policy of the Democracy to resist the
claim whenever and wherever asserted,
and to blast ii with prompt and vigorous
action.
RESOLVED, That the Democracy ever have
and still do, deprecate tho agitation, both
North and South, of those sectional issues
which have distracted the country, and
that political policy which has asserted
the right of constituting the constitution
and laws Of the Federal Government to
conform to the views Of particular States,
ignoring the fact that the constitution is
tbe supreme law of the land, equally bind
ing on the people of all the States, and
that it is susceptible of but one construc-
ton in all localities. And we assert, that
although these sectional agitations and
constitutional interpretations, North and
South, have melted the impending war,
they afford no justification for the action
of the seeded States, and that the Union
aud constitution must be preserved and
enforced in every State and Territory of
the United States. r s.. s-.
RESOLVED, That we deprecate the spirit
manifested oy all those people at the North
who seek to force the National Admins
tration to abandon the policy which has
been sanctioned by the Government of
the United States in the conduct of the
war, and to substitute therefor the aboli>
ton Of slavery as its primary object, as at
variance with the very purpose for which
the war is prosecuted, and as incompati
BILE with a complete restoration of the
Union of these States.
Resolved, That we owe it to those noble
men in the Border States who are strug-
Cling to maintain the Government in
their respective States. as we'll as to our
selves, to erase from our statute book all
laws and resolutions that have been pas
sed which are at variance with the consti-
&c fbo TTniEol Cfofo, M
are calculated to embarrass the Govern
ment in suppressing the rebellion. We
therefore recommend to the loyal people
of this State, that the next Legislature
be instructed to repeal so much of the Re-
pleyin and Habeas Corpus act as is in
conflict with the constitution and laws of
the United States and also to rescind
and amend "Joint Resolution relative to
the decision of the United States Supreme
Court reversing decision Of Supreme Court
of Wisconsin" approved March 9th, 1859,
and especially we recommend the repeal
of the last three clauses of said joint res
olutions, which read as follows:
"Reso1ped, That this assumption of jurisd!c-
tion oy the federal judiciary, in the said case
the Booth easel and without process, is an
act of undelegated power, and therefore with-
out authority, void, and of no force,
"Resolred" That Government formed by the
constitution of the United States was not made
the exclusive or final Judge of the extent Of the
powers delegated to itself but that, as in al
other cases of compact among parties having
no common judge, each party has a right to
Judge for itself, as well of intractions as of the
mode and measure Of redress.
Resolued, That the principle and construction
contended for, &C., that the General Govern
ment is the exclusive judge of the extent of the
powers delegated to it, stop nothing short OF
despotism, since the discretion of those who
! administer the Government, and not the consti>
tuition, would be the measure Of their powers
that the several States which formed the instru
ment being sovereign and independent have the
/ uuquestionable right to Judge of its infraction
and that positive defiance Of those sovereign.
! ties, of all unauthorized acts done or attempted
to be done under color of that instrument, is
the rightful remedy"
These resolutions, we believe, are cal
culated to place the State of Wisconsin in
false and inconsistent position before the
world; we believe that they are uncon,
stitutional, revolutionary and wrong, aud
that they do not reflect the sentiments of
the loyal people of the State.
Resolved, That we are now, as we ever
have been, devoted to the maintenance OF
the constitution and laws of the United
States, under whatever administration Of
the Government, and amid all dangers
that may threaten it. That in the Lam
guage of the lament Douglas, "We should
never forget that a man cannot be trne
Democrat, unless be is loyal Patriot,
and that the words of our dying states
man, to his children, "Obey the laws and
support the constitution" are binding
upon all the children of America.
Resolved. That we are in favor Of an
honest and faithful discharge Of the dutie:
devolving on the State officers, and Of an
economical disbursement Of the public
funds; and we hereby declare that any
man who directly or Indirectly uses bi:
Office for self-aggrandizement or gain, j:
unworthy the confidence and support o.
I ths people. -tA