The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-08-19
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RESOLUTIONS
Passed at the Democratic Convention held
at Des Moines july 17th, 1862.

Wv wv -hS'"So A'tfe3 'OS-'
1. That the Constitution and the Union and
and preserved in all their original supremacy,
and that the rebellion, now in arms against
them, must be suppressed and put down and
that we are in favor of the employment OF all
constitutional measures for that purpose, not
merely by force of arms, but by such other meas
ures as common sense, reason and patriotism
will ready suggest to the governing powers.
2. That the true interests of the country ms
we'll as the dictates of humanity, require that
no more war or acts of war should be prosecu
ted or done than are necessary and proper for
the prompt and complete suppression Of the
rebellion.
3. That the present war, as avowed by the
President and Congress, and understood by
the people, was commenced and prosecuted for
the purpose of suppressing the rebellion, and
preserving and vim dicating the Constitution,
the Union, and the laws, and for that purpose
only.
4. That the doctrines of the secessionists
and of the abolitionists, as the latter are now
represented in Congress, are alike false to the
Constitution and irreconclable with the unity
and peace of the country the first have already
involved us in cruel civil war, and the 9TH
ers (th4 abolitionists) will leave to the country
but little hope of the speedy restoration of I'm
ion or peace, unless the schemes of coufscation,
ures which have been lately carried and at
tempted to be carried through Congress, re-
b liked by the people.
5. That the doctrine of " State necessity" is
unknown to our Government or laws; that
the Constitution and the laws are sufficient for
any emergency, and that the suppression OF
the freedom Of speech, and of the press, and
the unlawful arrest of citizens, and the suspen-
on of the writ of hdbeds corpus, in violation of
tha ,tI,+fn in In Sfatas -har ha N-Il
authorities are unimpeded, is most dangerous
to civil liberty, and should be resisted at the
ballot box by every freeman of the land.
=. That this is q government of white men,
and was established exclusively by the white
race that the negro race are not entitled to,
and olght not to be admitted to, political or So
cal equality with the white race, but that 1t Is
our duty to treat them with kindness and con
siderstion, as an inferior and dependent race
that the right of the several States to determ
inc the position and duties of the race is SOW
ereign right, and the pledges of the Constitu-
ton require us as loyal citizens not to Interfere
herewith. That the party fanaticlsm or crime,
whichever it may be called, that seeks to turn
the slaves Of the Southern States loose to over
run the North, and enter into competition with
the white laboring classes, thus degrading
their manhood by placing them on an equality
with the negroes in their occupation, is insult
ing 10 our race, and merits our emphatic and
unqualified condemnation.
Z. That the purchase Of the slaves, by the
government, as proposed by the President VIII
impose an onerous and uncomfortable burden
upon the present generation, and entail upon
posterity grevous exactions.
s. That Congress in the enactment OF the
late Tariff and Tax bills, and the President by
his approval, have imposed unfair and unjust
enactncnts upon the people at large, by dis
eliminating in these acts in favor OF the com
paratyely wealthy, and against those who are
least able to bear the burdens of taxation.
g. That we recur with patriotic pride to the
bravery and valor Of the officers and soldiers
o. ell the Iowa regiments, exhibited IN the
struggles upon the many bloody fields IN
which they have been engaged-and that tins
Convention in behalf of the Democracy OF this
State tenders to them a united testimony to
their valor and devotion to the Constitution
and Union /; and offers to the friends and fam
lilies of those who have fallen upon the field,
our sincere sympathy and coincidence.
10. That viewing the glories of the past
and contemplating the gloomy realities of the
present, we believe there is no hope in the fu-
ture for the perpetuity OF our system of Govern
ment, but by preserving the Constitution in
violate and in respecting it by both government
and people as sacred deposit Of individual
and State rights.
In an economical and systematic Administra
ton of the Government, by which corruption
viii be prevented, eXtrayaganees restrained,
expenditures reduced, and heavy taxation rem
dcred unnecessary.
In cutiyating among the people that spirit
of American fraternity, which once knew no
North, no South, no East, no West, except as
parts Of our unbroken Union
In submitting questions which must arise
hereafter affecting the legal rights of States to
the Judicial Tribunals, and not to the Execu-
tive or Legislative branch Of the Government.
And finally believing in the efficacy of the
princi Piles herein enumerated, we implorc the
blessing Of God upon our efforts to have them
applied to the administ alton of the Govern
ment, and we appeal to our fellow citizens who
love the Constitution rs it is, and to restore the
Union as it was before its harmony was dis
turbed by abolition fanaticism, and its bonds
broken by rebellion