Daily national Democrat., 1861-08-04
Platform adopted by the Union Demo
cratic State Convention OF 1861.

WHEREAS, The Democratic party has ever been
the party Of calty to free government and iIatcr-
nal devotion tothe rights Of the States Of the
Union aud OF .'uwavegiug fidelity 60 the laws the
Constitution, the Union, aud the couury-rcady
to maintain them byaN proper means and at
! every sacrifice
And whereas, The country is now defending it.
SELF against Il war without justification, or decent
excuse; waEed upon it BY trcasouablo comb.na-
| tons claiming to represent the people Of certain
! States claiming to have seeded from the Union
which is mauis st'y a war for the invasion Of
| our NatiCua! Capital for the overthrow Of our
/ Na1iOnal Government the oppression OF the loyal
States the suhiugation Of the Uuion a war to
humble in the dust our National flag; to wrench
from the AWcwcan people their constitutional
rights of determining for themselves Their own
policy, foreign and domestic, and 10 blot them out
from the class ofthe great powers of the world
| And whereas such war, SO aggressive IN its
character, and SO deadly in its purposes, forces
! upon the country an Issue which can be met but
! IN one way by any people having the common in
Stlnct OF SelpreservatlOn, or worthy Of an exist
ence as n nation
Therefore, be it unanimously resolved by this
Convention,
|. That at this time, when the country is resist
ing war OF oppression and destruction, ndifIer-
ence is impossible to the patriot, and neutrality is
cowardce, if not premeditatcd dlslovatv
9. That the people Of California in the past have
been most anxious for peace throughout the land,
and will hail with joy an honorable adjustment in
the future; AT the same time they are a60ye al2
things, for TIE UNION, the Country and the Flag
against all assalants--no matter who they are,
whence they come, o9 'eM ah0t go9-c" ayiqeI
3. That in taIs great crisis Of the American ma
ton and name our state %i always, as hereto.
fore, faithfully discharge her Constitutional obli-
cations to the Union and the Federal Govern
ment, and, as in duty bound, will earnestly sus-
tam the constituted authorities at Washingt0n m
/ all u
either against this most unjustiiiable aud un-
I natural war
4. That in the name of the loyal people of Cali
forna, we demand Of the General Government,
by all its power, to protect their lives and proper
ty on the bgh seas, between this coast and the
Atlantic, from the piratlcal flag which already
threatens injury, and would nAlct destruction on
both.
5. That in the present overwhelming crisis, ne
who would seek, by revivng past partisan issues,
to distract the people, o. to wrcst from their hon
est and patriotic devotion some sordid partisan
advantage, is not true to the country, nor worthy
the name oian American citizen.
6. That we hold that our paramount allegiance
is due to the Federal Government; that the right
ot State secession is dangerous heresy, uevlta-
bly, destructive of our iOrm Of Government.
7. That obedience to the constitutional will Of
majortes is the only safeguard of Republican
Governments; that we will uphold the constu-
tNh dullipi ltt7i uiluNI ttILhiIlNtditH tIu a. a
hazards, in maintaining Federal jurisdiction in its
sphere, regardless Of what party may be in power
g. That Governments are political orgaui2l-
tons, armed with coercive power, without which
they cannot exist; that 1t IS not only no assump-
ton Of authority upon the part of Governments,
but their positive duty to exercise such ccevclve
power in order to maintain themselves against
either loteign Invasion or domestic rebellion.
O. That we trace the causes through which the
present rebellion has been accomplished, 20 the cx-
stence Of sectional political parties in the coun-
try, one founded upon anti-s,ayery, the other
pruslayery both equally anti. Democratic and de-
structive Of the peace, harmony and prosperity Of
the country; that il Is the duty Of the Union Dem
ocratIc ,arty to take a strong conservative posi-
ton in this the hour Of our couutrv's trial, and
railying around our National Flag, present an
unbroken front to all sectional agitation.
10, That as Caltornians, we appeal to 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 Democratic party Of Calior-
MIA is the oyerpowerng majority Of her citizens