The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-05-22
VOLUME 3.

flee.' the admission Of new States with or
without slavery, as !hey may elect; non
interference BY the Federal Government
with slavery in State or territory. or 10 the
District of Columbia. and finally, as set
forth IN the Cincinnati Platform in 1856,
and reafiirmed in 1860. absolute and eter-
nsI 'rep:diation of all sectional parties
and platforms concerning domestic slavery
which seek 10 embrol the States, and
incite TO treason and armed resistance TO
law in the territories, and whose avowed
purposes. if consummaied. must end in
civil war and dlsunion'
Such, Democrats, was the ancient and
recent policy OF the Democratic party
running through period of sixty years
policy consistent with the principles Of
the Constitution. and absolutely essential
TO the preservation of the Union.
DOES TuE HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PROVE THAT IT OUGHT To Be
ABANDONED
By their fruits Ye shall know them
Sectional parties do not achieve Union
triGmphs. For sixty years from the iaau-
guration of jefferson, on the 4lh Of
March 1901, the Democratic party. with
short intervals. controlled the power and
policy of the Federal Government. For
forty eighty years out of these sixty,
Democratic men ruled the country; for
fifty -four years and eight months the De-
moeraic policy prevailed. During this
period Louisiana. Florida, Texas, New
Mexico aud California were SUCCESSFULLY
annexed to our territory. with an area
mole than twice as large as all the orig
.nal Thirteen States together Eight new
States were admitted under strictly Dem
Ocraiic Administrations--one under the
Administration Of Fillmore From five
millions the population increased 10 thirty
one millions. The Revolutionary debt
was ex;ingushed Two foreign wars
were successfully prosecuted, with a mod
erats outlay and small army and navy.
without the sus pension of the habeas cor
pus, without one nfraclion Of the Constr
tuition; without one usurpation Of power;
without: suppresSlng single newspaper:
without imprisoning single editor: with
gu. limit 10 the freedom OF the press. or Of
speech in or out Of Congress, bat in the
midst OF the grossest abuses OF both; and
without. the arrest of single traitor
though the Hartford Convention sa. du-
ring one # the wars. and in the other
Senator'S invited the enemy to greet our
volunteers with bloody hands. and wei
com them 10 hospiable graves
During all this time wealth increased,
business ofall kind; multiplied, prosperity
smiled On every side, taxes were low, wa
ges Were high the North and the South
furnished a market for each others prod
ucts at good prices; public liberty was
secure. private rights undisturbeL; every
mans house was his castle the courts
were open to all; nc passports tor travel.
no secret police. no spies, no informers,
DO bastiles; the right to assemble peaeea
bly,. the right to petition; freedom Of re
lgion, freedom Of speech. IA free ballot and
a free press; and all this time the Cons,i-
tuition maintained and tie Union Of the
States preserved.
Such were the choice fruits of Demo
cratic principles ard policy. carried
out through the whole period during
which the Democratic parry held the pow
er ane administered The Federal Govern
ment. Such has been the hist Of that
party. l. is \ Union party. for it preser-
we'd the Union. by wisdom. peace, and
compromise, for more than half u centu-
~.
Then. Democrats, neither the ancient
principles, the policy nor the past history
Of the Democratic party require nor
would justify lis disbandonmen,
IS THERE ANYTHING X TIE PRESENT CRISIS
WHICH DEMANDS IT?
The more immediate issue is, to main
tam the Constitution rs it is, and to re-
store the Unioa as it was
To maintain the Constitution is to re-
spect The rights Of the States and the
liberties OF the citizen. /, is TO adhere
faithfully to the very principles and poll
cy which the Democratic party has pro
fessed for more than half century. Lei
its history and results from the begin
Ming, prove whether it has practiced them
We appeal proudly to the record
The first step toward restoration Of the
Union as j, was. Is to maintain the Consti
tuition as II is. 60 long as /, was main
tanned in fact. and not threatened with