Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-15
UNION pEnocRarIC PLATFORM
ADOPTED IN STATE CONVENTION sAxrAKr. s. lss3.

ADOPTED N STATE CONVENTION gAxrAkY, s. ls63-
! WHEREAS, The Democratic party having, from
the date OF its organization, been in favor Of the
maintenance of the Union and the preservation o
the Constitution. and seeing in the present condi
/ ton of the country the deplorable effects OF
departure from its time honored and conservative
principles, and the triumph of sectionalism; aud
firmly believing that the Union and the Constitu-
/ ton can be preserved alone by the restoration OF
/ that party to power we invite all true Union men
throughout the land to unite with in sustaining
/ its organization and carrying out its principles:
/ Therefore.
Resolved, /. That we reaffirm and endorse the
political principles that from time to time have
been put forth by the National Conventions oi
! the Democratic party.
2. That unalterably attached TO the
Constitution, by which the Union of these States
was formed and established; and that a faithful
4 observance of its principles can alone continue
the existence of the Union, and the permanent
/ happiness of the people.
3. That the present civil war has mainly re
suited from the long continued, unwise, and ia
nacal agitation, in the North. of the question of
/ domestic slavery, the consequent organization Of
geographical party, guided by the sectional
platforms adopted at Buffalo. Pittsburgh, Phila-
delphia, and Chicago, and the development there
by of sectional hate and jealousy, producing (as
had long been foreSeen and predicted by us) its
/ counterpart in the South of secession dsunion,
and armed resistance to the General Government,
/ and terminating in a bloody strife between those
who should have been forever bound together by
fraternal bonds, thus bringing upon the whole
country a calamity which 10 meet as
loyal citizens, striving for the adoption of that
mode of settlement best calculated TO again re
store union and harmony.
L. That in rejecting all propositions likely to
result in a satisfactory adjustment of the matters
in dispute betV cen the North and the South. and
especially those measures which would have Sc
cured the border slave States TO the Union. and a
hearty co operation on their part in all constitu-
tiOnal and legal measures to procure a return of
the more Southern States 10 their allegiance, the
Republican party assumed fearful response
bility, and acted in total disregard of the best in
terests of the whole country.
s. That if the party in power had shown the
same desire to settle, by amicable adjustment.
our internal dssensons before hostilites had ac-
tually commenced, that the Administration has
recently exhibited to avoid a with an
cient enemy. Great Britain, we confidently be
lieve that peace and harmony would now reign
throughout all our borders.
6. That the maintenance of the Union upon
the principles of the Federal Constitution should
be the controlling object of all who profess 10y
atty to the Goyernment-and in our judgment
this purpose can only be accomplished, by the
ascendency of a Union party in the Southern
States, which shall, bv counter revolution, dis
place those who control and direct the present
bellion. That no effort to create sustain such
a party can be successful which is not based upon
definite settlement of the questions at issue be-
tween the two sections; and we therefore demand
that some such settlement be made by additional
constitutional guaranty. either initiated by act OF
Congress or through the medium of a National
Convention.
Z. That the Republican party has fully demon
strated its inability to conduct the Government
through its present difficulties.
8. That We are utterly opposed to the twin
heresies, Northern sectionalism and Southern
secession, as inimical to the Constitution; and
that freemen, they value the boon of civil lib
erty and the peace of the country, should frown
| Indignantly upon them.
3. That in this national emergency the Demec-
racy of Indiana, banishing all feeling of passion
and resentment, will recolIect only their duty to
the whole country; that this war should not be
| waged in the spirit of conquest subugat0n
nor for the purpose of Overthrowing interfer-
ing with the rights or institutions of the States
but to defend and maintain the supremacy of the
Constitution, and TO preserve the Union with all
the dignity, equality and rights of the several
States unimpaired: and that soon as these OBJ
lects are accomplished the war ought to cease
10. That will sustain, with all energies
"A war for the maintenance ofthe Constitution, and
OF the integrity of the Union under the Constifu-
ton but we are opposed TO a war for the emanci
patton of the negroes, or the subjugation of the
Southern States.
IL. That the purposes avowed and advocated
by the Northern disunionists, TO liberate and arm
the negro slaves, is unconstitutional insulting u
loyal citizens, disgrace TO the age is calculated
to rctard the suppression fthe Iebeion and me ets
our unqualified condemnation.
IL. That the total disregard of the writ of ha
beas corpus by the authorities over us, and the
seizure and Imprisonment of the citizens of LOYAL
States where the judiciary is in full operation
without warrant of law and without assigning any
cause or giving to the party arrested any opportu
nifty OF defense, are fragrant violations of the Con
stitution and most alarming acts of usurpation o
power, which should receive the stern rebuke o.
every lover of his country and of every man who
prizes the security and blessings of life. liberty anc
property.
Is. That liberty of speech ant of the press ar,
guaranteed to the people by the Constitution anC
none but usurper would deprive them of thes,
rights: they are nestimabe TO the citizen anc
formidable to tyrants only. And the attempt.
which have been made since our present unfortu
nate troubles, to muzzle the press and stife free
discussion, are exercises of despotic power agains
which freedom revolts and which can not be tole
rated without converting freemen into slaves.
Ia. That the seizure OF Slidell and Mason, or
board a neutral vessel. on the high seas, wa,
either in accordance with international law snc
so legal; else in violation OF such law, and SC
illegal. Ii the former. We lament that our natior
has been humiliated by their surrender, under q
threat; if the latter, it was the duty of the Ad
ministratiOn at once to have dsayowed the act O
their officer, and instead of incarceratng the cap
tives in Fort Warren, to have Immediately re
paired the wrong by placing them. as far as prac
ticable, in the same condition in which that off
Ger had found them. In either event, the actor
of the Administration was vacillating land COW
ardly, and degrading to the dignity of great ma
ton.
10. That the action of the Republican party
as manifested in the partisan character of all ap
, pointments of the Administration 20 civil Office
and, in holding party caucuses by the Republican
members of Congress for the purpose Ofimpressint
upon the legislative action of that body the pecula
dogmas of that party. have demonstrated that ;hei
professions OF sacrificing party platforms, and par
ty organizations upon the altar OF their country,
are but so many hypocritcal and false pretence'
by which they hope TO dupe the unwary into thef
support; and we warn all loyal persons, as the,
love their country, not 10 be deceived thereby
Is That the disclosures made by the invest
eating committee in Congress Of the enormou
frauds that have stalked into the army and nav,