The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-09-04
INDIANA DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

the Constitution. and seeing in the present condi
Z. ton of the cOuntry the dcplOrab'e effects of
!. feparture from its time honored and conservative
principles, and the triumph of sectiOnaiism; an,
firmly believing that the Union and the Corstitu
ton can be preserved alone by the restoration o
that party to power we invite all the Union mer
throughout the land to unite with us in sustainiD-
its organization and carrying out its principles
Therefore,
Resolred. !. That we reaflirm and endorse tn,
political principles that from time to time hav,
been put forth by the National Conventions o
the Democratic party.
2 That we are un,lterably attached 10 the
Constitution, by which the Union Of these States
was formed and established and that faithful
observance ofits principles alone continue the
existence Of the Union, and the permanent happi
ness of the people.
g. That the present civil has mainly re-
suited from the long continued, unwise, and IA
natical agitation in the North, of the question of
domestic slavery, the consequent organization of
geographical party, guided by the sectional plat
forms adopted at Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia,
and Chicago, and the development thereby Of
sectional hate and jealousy, producing (a had
long been foreseen and predicted by us) its
terpart i'm the South of secession disuniOn, and
| armed resistance to the General Government, and
terminating in a bloody strife between those who
should have been forever bound together by fra
tcrnal bonds. thus bringing upon the whole coun-
try calamity which we are now to meet as LOYAL
citizens. striving for the adoption of that mode of
settlement best calculated to again restore union
al 4 harmony.
4. That in rejecting all propositions likely to
result in satisfactory adjustment of the matters
in dispute between the North and the South, and
especially those measures which would have Sc
cured the border slave States to the Union. and
harty cooperation their part in all constitution
al and legal mess ssures to- procure a return of the
7 to thair oil d.,
publican party assumed fearful responsibility
and acted in total disregard of the best interests
of the whole country.
5. That if the party in power had shown the
same desire to settle. by amicable adjustment our
internal dis ensions before hostties had actually
commenced, that the Administration has recently
exhibited to avoid war with our ancient enemy,
Great Britain, confidently believe 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 loval-
| ty to the Government-and in our Judgment this
purpose can only be accomplished. by the ascer-
dency ofa Union party in the Southern States
which shall. by counter revolution displace those
who control and direct the present rebellion. That
no effort 10 create sustain such party can be
suc essfu which is not based upon definite set
tlement of the questions at Issue between the two
such
settlement be made by additional constitutional
guaranty, either initiated by act of Congress or
through the medium of National Convention.
I. That the Republican party has fully demon
strated its inability 10 conduct the Government
through It's present difficulties.
g. That We are utterly opposed 10 the twin
heresies Northern sectionalism and Southern go
cession, as inimical TO the Constitution and that
frcemcn, as they value the boon of civil sTbertv
and the peace Of the country, should frown indig-
RlItr upon them.
9. That i'm this national emergency the )emor.
rae, of Indiana. hanshinC all feeling Of passion
and resentment, will recolect only their dutv to
the whole country; that this war should not be
waged in the spirit OF conquest or subncation.
for the purpose of Overihr2wing or interfering
with the rights instt' tions of the States, ont to
defend ard maintain the supremacy of the Con
stitution. and TO preserve the Union with ali the
dignity, equality AID rights of the several States
unimpared; and that as soon these objects are
accomplished the ought to cease.
10. That We viii sustain, with a II our enrrcies
a war far he maintenance of the Constitution. an1
of the integrity Of the Union under the Constitutions
but oppOSed-to war for the emanci1afion
OF the negroes, or the subugation of the Southern
States.
IL. That the purposes avowed and advocated
by the Northern disinionists, to liberate and arm
the negro slaves is a dis ,race to the age calcuIa
meets unquaged condemnation.
II. That the total disregcrd of the writ of Ea-
teas corpus bv the authorities over Us, and the
seizure and imprisonment of the citizens of Ioval
States where the iudciar, is in full operation.
without warrant or law and without assigning any
cause giving to the party arrested anv opportu
nifty of defense, are fragrant ioatons of the Con.
stiution and most alarming acts of usurpat,on of
power, which should receive the stern rebuke of
every lover of his country and of every man who
prizes the security and blessings OF life liberty and
property
l3. That the liberty of speech and of the rress
are guaranteed to the people 10y the Constitution.
and none but usurper would deprive them Of these
rights they are inestimable to the citizen and |
formidable TO tyrants only. And the attempts /
which have been made since orr present unfortu |
nate troubles, to muzzle the press and stife free
discussion, exercises of despotic power against
which freedom revolts and which can not be tole- I
rated without converting freemen into slaves
a. That the seizure of Mason and Slidell on
board a neutral vessel, the high seas, was
either in accorda nee with international law. and
so legal; or else in violation Of such law. and 80
Illegal. Ii the former we lament that our nation
has been humiliated by their surrender, under n
threat If the latter, il was the duty of the Adj /
mnistration at once to have dIsavowed the act of
their officer, and instead of ncarceratino the can
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 found them. In either event, the action of
the Administration vaciatng and cow
ardly anddegradng to the dignity of great nation
ID. That the action of the Republican party. |
manifested in the partisan character of all an. |
pointments of the Administration to civil Office
and, in hold;ag party caucusses by the Republican
members of Congress for the purpose ofmpressing
upon the legislative action of that body the peculiar
dogmas OF that party, have demonstrated that
their professions of Sacrificing party platforms,
and party organizations, upon the altar of their
COUNTY, are but 20 many hypocrtical and false
pretenses by which they hope to dupe the unwarv
into their support and warn all IovaI nersons
as they love their country, not to be deceived
thereby
I6. That the disclo ures made by the investi.
eating committee in Congress of the enormous
frauds that have staked into the army and navy
departments duplicating the heads of those de.
partments in a c0ntrvance mt, if not an actual
participation in a system of corruption and in
which our brave soldiers have been defrauded of
their proper supplies, and our Government thi eat
ened with bankruptcy, demands thorough nves-
tieation into all our expenditures, both State and
National, and that n speedy and marked oxan pie
4 do of I,ir1o ooc,