The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-07-31
Democratic Preamble yE2d Res
Osss&iOuS.


Ossl&f0Ds.
The People of the State OF iowa who re-
gard the Constitution Of the Unitel States
in its Judicial relations to States and people
as interpreted by tho Supreme Court, and
its political principles as enunciated from
time to time by the Democratic party, and
as applied by several successive Admins
trations in carrying on the government OF
the United StatcE, being assembled by their
Delegates in convention, in the Capital at
Des Moines, on the oath day of July, 1861,
do make and proclaim to their iellow-citizens
Of the Sister States Of the Union the follow
ing declaration
WHEREAS, In the vicissituies which are
incident 10 all governments, to human socie
ty and to civilization, the government and
people of the United States have become in
volved in civil war which threatens to be
alike disastrous to the form Of Government
which experience has proved to be most con-
ducive to the happiness of mankind and to
result in imposing upon the present and fu-
ture generations onerous burdens which it
should be the duty Of a government having
any regard for the well being Of the people
to avoid, it becomes an incumbent duty up
on the people. for whose benefit alone gov
ernmentls instituted and who having the
right to either alter or abolish when it ceases
to be administered for their happiness and
prosperity, have also the right to determine
and to direct how it shall be administered
when they find it departing from the prin,
ciples upon which it was founded and to be
precipitating into war and ruin the fabric Of
civil society, instead preserving the people
in,peace, promoting their prosperity and Sc,
curing theirrights Viewing, therefore, dis
passionately, the present condition of our
distracted country and with the single pur-
pose Of making an effort to avert impending
ard other. Observation-Disclosures and of re-
storing peace, founded upon that fraternal
patriotism which gave birth to the American
Union, and which preserved its integrity till
the election Of a President upon principle
which was hostile to the Constitution of the
United States and antagonistic to the vested
rights of the people Of nearly half the States
Of the Union, do declare.
LIST. Resolped, That we regard the present
condition of the country, the civil war in
which the people are engaged, the effrt to
dlsmember the Union and all the concoinit-
ant evils which atfiictus as a. Nation, as the
legitimate result of the successful teaching Of
the doctrine and policy of the "Irrepressible
conflict; doctrine and policy which ar
rayed Northern sentiment in antagonsm to
the Constitutional rights of tie people of the
Slave States and which proclaim an "irre-
pressible" and unceasing hostility to the do
mestice institutions Of our brethren Of the
South.
End. Resolced, That notwithstanding the
provocation given to the people of the South
by the manifestation of hostility towards
their Institutions by. a majority of the. pco-
pie Of the North, eunequivocally condemn
the course they have pursued to obtain a
redress Of their grievances, believing as we
do that aided by the conservative people Of
the Northern States, their grievances would
have been redressed and their rights and in.
terests respected and secured.in, q Consti-
tutional manner and by Constitutional
means. mG 1891
Sd. Resolped, That we are heartily oppo-
sed to the doctrine of Secession, a political
heresy, unwarranted. by the Constitution,
detrimental to the best interests ofthe Union
and that glorious heritage of liberty bequath-
ed to US by our fathers. a5 1
4ih. ResoIred, That our obligations TO gov
eminent, the duty we owe to posterity and
the advancement Of polit Gil freedom through
out the world, alike command ofus the pres.
erva,ion and perpctuity Of our Federal Un-
ion, and we hereby pledge the whole power
of the Democratic party to every just and
constitutional means to maintain the same,
whether its destruction be attempted by the
insidious teachings of the higher law doc
trine Of the Abolition Republican party !;
or by the open attacks Of men in armed re-
belion against it.
9Th. Resolcea That as we are taught and
admonishee by the experience of every free
people whose political existence was extin-
guished by the assumption OF arbitrary power
and the violation Of fundamental principles,
to resist the encroachment of Executive Pre-
negatives, we, therefore, emphatically and
unequivocally condemn the assumption of
unauthorized power by the Executive the
United States, or. by an officer Of the Gov
eminent. - - a#'
9th. Resolced, "That our Union was form
cd in peace, and can never be perpetuatcd
by force of arms ard that republican gov
ernment held together by the sword becomes
a military depo.ism."
18th. HEsotnSd, That the Democratic party
are IN favor Of a Convention of the different
States of the entire Union, as soon as the
same can be properly had, for such legisla-
ton as may secure equaland full representa-
ton of all the States, and a removal of the
agitation Of the question Of Slavery from the
halls Of Congress and the States Of this Un-
ion.
9Th. Resolred, That we repudiate the mod.
ern heresy that the States of this Confeder-
acy never bad an independent existence d-
tinct from the Federal Government, and are
indebted for their present position ip the
Union to that Government, as a gross insult
to the common sense of the country, and a
shameless Justification of historical facts, un-
worthy of the. source whence it emanated,
and unless promptly met With q stern re-
buke on the part OF the people, fraught with
consequences fatal to the liberties Of the
country.
9th. Resolced, That we are irreconcilably
opposed to all paper money Banking as be-
ing a system Of legalized swindling, to be
INDUCED in by the designing capitalist, and
are opposed to every species of paper, ex-
cept commercial paper, for transaction of
business and trade, and in favor ola speedy
return to specie currency, and, ii we must
III ttHe suDtntt 10 the udnkihG SystetD, we
recommend that banking law be so amen
ded as 10 make the stock holder individually
liable Ito the full extent Of his property, not
exempt from execution) for the debts Of the
bank, and to subject their corporations to
such restraints as win make them amenable
to law.
10th. Resolced. That we are opposed to a
tariff Of duties upon imports, for the purpose
Of protection, as creating monopolies, and