Daily national Democrat., 1861-09-29
Platform adopted by the Union Demo-
cratic State Convention of 1861.

WHEREAS, The Democratic party has ever been
the party OF iealty to free government and frater
nal devotion to the rights of the States Of the
Union, and ot unwaverng fidelity to the laws, the
Constitution, the Union, and the country-read,
to maintain them by all proper means and
every sacrifice
And whereas, The country is now defending it
self against war without Justification ur decen,
excuse; waged upon it by reasonable combna
uons claiming to represent the people Of certain
| States claiming to- have seeded from the Uuiur
| - which is maniieslV for the invasion o
our National Capital for the overthrow of on
| National Government the oppression Uf the Iowa
! States the subjugaton Of the Union u war tt
| humble in the dust our National flag to wrench
| from the American people their constitutions
| rights OF determining for themselves their own
policy, foreign and domestic and TO blot them out
from the class o! the great powers of the world
And whereas such war, aggressive in its
character, and SO deadly in it's purposes, f,rces
upon the country an issue which can be met but
in one way by any people having the common in
stlnct OF selfpreservation, worthy of all exist
enCe us nation;
Therefore, be it unanimously resolved by this
Convention,
l. That at this time. when the country is resist
ing war OF oppr, sson and destruction, ind fer
ence is impossible to the patriot and neutrality is
cowardlce, if not premediaed dlsoyaIty.
2. That the people Of California in the past have
been most anxious for peace throughout the land
and VIII hail with joy an honorable ad ustment in
the tutnre at the same time they are a60Ue all
Things, f0r the UNION, the Country and the Flag,
| against all aSsaauts-nO matter who they are
whence they come. Or a0iM mint po,Cer dtned
3. That in this great crisis of the American ma
ton and name our State will always, as hereto
fore faithfully discharge her Constitutional obi
cations to the Union and the Federal Govern.
ment and, as in duty bound will earnestly sus.
tam the constituted authorities at WASHINGTON IN
all dafanh md ,f,,i
either against this most unjustihable aud un
natural war.
4. That in the name Of the loyal people of Cali
furnia, we demand of the General Government
by all its power, to protect their lives and proper
ty on the high seas, between this coast and the
Atlantic, from the piratcal flag which already
threatens injury, and would inhict destruction on
| both
5. That in the present overwhelming crisis, he
who would seek, by reviving past partisan issuOs,
! to distract the DeoI le o. to wrest from their hon
est and patriotic devotion some sordid partisan
advantage, is not true to the country, nor worthy
the name of an American citizen.
s. That we hold that our paramOgut allegiance
is due to the Federal Government; that the right
of State secession is dangerous heresy, inevlta-
bly, destructive of our orm Of Government.
Z. That obedience to the constitutional will of
majOrues is the only safeguard of Republican
Governments; that we will uphold the consttu-
ted authorities, under all circumstances and at all
hazards in maintaining Federal jurisdiction in its
sphere regardless Of what party may be in power.
s. That Governments are political orgauiZa-
tons, armed with coercive power, without which
they cannot exist; that it is not only no assump-
ton of authority upon the part of Governments,
but their positive duty to exercise such coerelve
power, IN order to maintain themselves against
either foreign INVASION or domestic rebellion.
g. That we trace the causes through which the
present rebellion has been accomplished, tn the ex-
istence of sectional political parties in the coln-
try, one founded upon anti-,avery, the other
pro slavery, both equally anti Democratic and de-
structve OF the peace. harmony aud prosperity OF
the country that it Is the duty of the Union Dem.
oeratic .arty to take strong conservative posi-
, ton in this the hour Of our country's trial and
raIlying around our National Flag, present al
unbToken front 10 all sectional agitation
| TO- That as Cahtornians, We appeal 10 the whole
people OF California, without distinction of party
or reference to partisan issues to stand with us
by our country and our flag, that all may know
that the great Union Denucr, tic party of Caliior-
nia is the overp0Pering majority Z! hei CITIZENS.