The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-09-18
JyDIlyl DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

firmly believing that the Union and the Corstitu
ton can be preserved alone by the restoration OF
that party to mower we invite all the Union men
throughout the land to unite with us in sustaining
its organization and carrying out its principles.
| Therefore,
Resolred, I That we reaflirm and endorse tire
| political principles that from time 70 time have
been put forth by the National Conventions of
the Democratic pary.
That we are unalterablv attached 10 the
Constitutions by which the Union of these States
was formed and established and that n faithful
observance ofits principles can alone continue the
existence of the Union and the permanent happi-
ness of the people.
3. That the present civil war has mainly re-
suited from the long cOntipued. unwise, and IA
natical agitation, in the North of the question OF
domestic slavery, the consequent organization OF
n geographical party, guided by the sectional plat
forms adopted at Buffalo. Pittsburgh, Phladel lphia
and Chicago, and the DEVELOPMENT thereby OF
sectional hate and jealousy. producing (as had
! long been foreseen and predicted nv us) it's coun
| terpart in the South of secession. disnnion, and
armed resistance 10 the General Government. and
/ terminating in a bloody SI'fe between those who
should have been forever bound together bv fra
ternal bonds, thus bringing unon the whole coun-
try a calamity which are meet as loval
citizens. striving for the adoption of that mode of
settlement best calculated 10 again restore union
and harmony.
a. That in rejecting al propositions likely to
result in satisfactory adjustment of the matters
| in dsnute between the North and the South, and
especially those measure es which would have se
cured the border slave States to the Union. and
hartv cooperation their part in II constitutions
| al and legal measures to nrocure return OF the
more Southern States to the allegiance, the Re
publican party assumed a fearful responsibility.
and acted in total disregard OF the best interests
Of the whole country.
/ D. That If the party in mower had shown the
same desire to settle, bv amcable adius: ment our
internal dis. ensons beore hOstiltics had actually
commenced, that the Administration has recently
exhibited to avoid with our ancient enemy,
Great Britain, we confidently believe that pcace
end harmony would now reign throughout all our
borders.
g. Th-t the maintenance of the Union upon
the nrincipes of the Federal Constitution should
he the controlling object of al who nrorcss oval-
~ to The Government-and IN orr Judgment his
nurIoSe can only be accomplished. bv the ascer-
dcncv ola Union party in the Southern States
nich shall. by counter revolution disnlace those
who control and direct the present re beliion That
no effort create or sustain such party can be
snc essful which iS not based upon definite set
ilemen; OF the questions at issue between the two
| sections; and we therefore demand that some such
settlement be made bv additional constitutional
guaranty, either Initiated bv act of Congress or
,h ouch the medium of National Convention
Z. That the Republican party has fully demon
Strated its inability to conduct the Government
through lis present difficulties.
:. That are utterly opposed to the twin
1 hcresics, Northern scctiOnalsm and Southern Sc
ces-ion. rs inimical to the Constitution and that
'reemen, as they value the boon Of civil liberty
and the peace of the country, should frown indic-
nlntv unOn them.
9. That in this national emergency the Ocmoc-
racr OF Indiana, banshing all feeling of passion
and resentment. will recollect only their duty to
Il 81. IL. u
waged in the spirit OF conquest CIR subiucation.
nor COR the purpose of ovcrllr2wnc or interfering
with the rights instit tons OF the States out to
defend and maintain the supremacy of the Con
StiintiOn. and to preserve the Union with all the
dignity. equality AID lights Of the several States
unimpa' red; and that these objects are
accomplished the ought to cease.
10. That we will sustain, with all our energies
a war for nc maintenance OF the Constitution and
of the integrity OF the Union under the Constitution
but we aro opposed to war for the emanc,ation
of the negroes, or the subjugaton of the Southern
States.
H. That the purposes avOwed and advocated
bv the Northern disunionlsts, to berale and arm
the negro slaves, is a disgrace ~ the age calcula-
ted to retard the suppression of the rebellion and
meets unqualiged condemnation.
l2 That the total disregerd of the writ of ha
beas corpus by the authorities over us, and the
seizure and imprisonment of the citizens of Ioval
States where the iudicar, is in full operation
without warrant or law and without assigning anv
cause giving to the party arrested anv opportu-
nifty OF defense, fragrant violations of the Con.
stituton and most alarming acts of usurpat,on oil
power, which should receive the stern rebuke OF
every lover of his country and Of every man who
prizes the security and blessings of fe liberty and
property.
l3. That the liberty of speech and of the rress
are guaranteed to the people by the Constitution
and none but usurper would deprive them of these
rights they inostimalle 20 the citizen and
formidable TO tyrants 0nf. md the attemnt,
which have been made since our present unfortu
nate roubes, to Tluzzle The u-ess and stife free
discussion, are exercises of spotic power against
which freedom revolts and which can not be tole
rated without converting freemen into slaves.
Ia. That the seizure OF Mason and Slidell .or
: board a neutral vessel, Oh the high seas. wa,
either in accorda nee with international law, anC
so legal; or else in violation of such Law and SC
illegal. If the former, lament that our na tior
- has been humiated by their surrender nnosr q
threat if the latter, it was the duty of w.. Ad
ministration at once to have dsavow ed the act @
their officer, and instead of incarcerating the cap
tives in Fort Warren, TO have Immediately 70
e paired the wrong by placing them, far as prac
ticable, in the same condition in which that off
= Ger found them. In either event. the action n
the Administration vacillatinc and COW
ardly anddegrading to the dignity of great nation
ID. That the action of the Repubcan n,rtv
h as manifested in the partisan character of all an
IS pointments of the Administration to civil office
&c and in holding party caucusses by the Republican
IS members of Congress for the purpose ofimpressn
upon the Legislative action of that body the pecua
: dOgmas OF that party, have demonstrated tina
their professions of Sacrificing party platforms
= and party organizations, upon the altar of thei
county," are but 20 many hypocritical and falls
pretenses by which they hope to dupe the unwar
~ y into their support and warn all loyal person,
u u as they love their country, not to be deceive
y thereby
! I6. That the dsco made by the invest
eating committee in Congress of the epormou
frauds that have stalked into the army and nav
: departments, duplicating the heads of those de
partments in contrivance at, if not an actu,
* participation in system of corruption, and
er which brave soldiers have been defiauded ,
: their proper supplies, and our Government threa
ened with bankruptcy, demands thorough inve
tigaton into all our expenditures, both State an
National, and that speedy and marked oxamp
be made Of all such ''brds ofprey," who, takin
Is advantage of the necescity of our country, ha,
fed ard fattened upon public punder.
II. That the me ritorious conduct of the Ind
ana troops in every battlefield where victory n.