Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-17
Is .he De,nocra.lc Party e Pre-sIarery

from the fact that, latterly, the Southern States
voted for Democratic candidates for President,
many honest, fair minued men were made " be.
lieye that there was some ground for the asser-,
ton; whereas, the truth is that the abstract
question of slavery was never introduced into
any Democratic convention, and no opinion was
ever expressed upon the subject Every one
LETT free to form his own opinions and views
upon this question, without let or hindrance from
any one. How, then. has the opinion gained
such footing as TO mislead some men OF real in
telligence2 We can only answer this question
by referring to the action of the party, and thus
show the utter falsity of the charge. The first
resolution adopted upon the subject of slavery
was at the Democratic National Convention held
at Baltimore on the 5th of May, 1910, and was
in the following words:
"ResolUed. That Congress has no power, under
the Constitution. to interfere with, OF contrcl.
the domestic institutions of the several States;
and that such States are the sole and proper
judges of everything pertaining TO their own al
fairs, not prohibited by the Constitution; that all
efforts By abolitionists others, made to induce
Congress to interfere with questions of slavery,
to take incipent steps in relation thereto, are
calculated to lead to the most alarming and dam
gerous consequences, and that all such efforts
have an inevitable tendency to diminish the hap
piness of the people, and endanger the stability
and permsnency of the Union and ought not to
be countenanced by any friend to our political in
stitutions"
The stand taken in this resolution was always
maintained from that day forward. The party
planted itself upon the Constitution, and what
ever intericsed with States or individuals, con
trary to the Constitution, was opposed. The
leaders of the party did not pretend to pass judg
ment upon the institution of slavery, because il
had already been decided by the highest tribunal
in the land that il was a local or domestic nstiel
ton over which the United States had no control
There were doubtless manv Democrats WHO
thought and believed that If the negro race was
to remain in country in any considerable
numbers, they must for a long period, if not per
manently, remain in servItude; that, under these
circumstances, slavery was not an evil; While
Others believed very differently. 1t was sings-
lar fact that that portion of the party the farthe.t
removed from actual contact with the negro race
the least acquainted with it, and knowing tie
least of its capacities for civilization and free
dom, those who were imbued with tie
strongest anti-slayery opinions.
The Convention of 1874 re adopted the reso-
luton of lS40. leaving the party to stand pre-
cisely as it had before. No new principle was
adopted-no new proposition was even made ID
the Convention. In le4S the same resolution
was re adopted without change or alteration. la
1852, at the time Mr.. Pierce was nominated, the
same resolution was re affirmed, and the follow
ing additional resolutions were adopted:
Resolred, That the foregoing proposition COW
ers, and is intended to embrace, the whole sub
ject OF slavery agitation in Congress; and, there
fore, the Democratic party of the Union, stand
ing on this national platform, will abide by, and
adhere to, faithful execution of the acts known
as the compromise meaaureS, settled by the last
Congress, the act for reclaiming fugitive slaves
ineluded; which act being designed to carry ou
an express provision of the Constitution, cannoi,
with fidelity thereto, be repealed. nor Sd
changed as to destroy or impair its efficiency
Resolued, That the Democratic party will re
sist all attempts at renewing, in Congress or out
of it, the agitation of the slavery Question, un
der whatever shape or color the attempt may be
made.
Surely, up to this time, no grounds of com
plaint could be made against the Democratic
party that it was pro-slavery. 1t adhered in its
resolves closely to the Constitution By ihat in
strument it stood. Ii that can be called pro
slavery. then the Democfatic party might be
called so also. If not, then how can any such
complaint be made? When we have finished
with this review of the platform of the Demo
cratic party, we win bestow such attention as may
be necessary to show how the Republican party
veered around towards the Abolitionists, az that
party ascertained to hold the balance of
power between the two. We think we shall be
able to show to the satisfaction of every candid
man, that hile there is reason for calling the
Democratic party pro o-slavery, there are good
grounds for calling the Republicans quasi Aboli-
tonsts.
We have already referred to the action of the
Democratic n ational Conventions in lS40, 1874,
lo46 and 1859, upon the question of slavery, and
found nothing from which even an inference
could be drawn that the party, as such, ever held
any opinions upon the subject. All the Corven
tons ever undertook to declare was, simply, that
Congress had power to ''interfere with, or con
troll, the domestic Institutions of the several
States" This was the Constitution, and by that
the Conventions not only resolved to stand firm
ly, but it was made the duty of every man Who
was member of that party to stand bv the Con-
stitution and obey it, and obey the laws of the
land.
During the administration of General Pierce,
the question of the status of slavery in the Ter
ritories OF Kansas and Nebraska had been ra led
and excited much angry feeling. AT the meet
ing OF the Democratic National Convention in
le56, at Cincinnati, much anxiety was felt by tie
leading men OF the North, as well as the South.
to lay down platform which would prove such
clear expression of the Constitution and, con
sequently, of the party, that all would be salts
factory Herewith. Alter much deIiberati)n, the
Convention adopted the resolutions which had
received the sanction of the convention in lS40,
and had been reafirmed successiyey in 1874,
lo4S and 1852, with the additional resolutions
adopted. in the latter year. But the danger of a
sectional party had vastly increased, and as the
question of slavery in the Territories acquired
from Mexico had TO be met and disposed of the
following resolutions were added:
"And that we may more distinctly meet the is
sue on which a sectional party, subsisting erciu
srely on ctarsry agitation. nop relies, to test the
fidelity of the people of the North and South to
the Constitution and the Union:
"Resolced, That, claiming fellowship with. and
desiring the CO operation of, all who regard tire
preservation of the Union under the Constitution
as the paramount issue, and repudiating all sec
tional parties and platforms concerning domestic
slavery which seek to embroi the States and in
cite treason and armed resistance 20 law in the
Territories, and whose av0wed purpose, il con-
summated, must end IN civil war and disunion
the American Democracy recognize ard adopt
the principles contained IN the organic laws estab
fishing the Territories of Nebraska and Kvnsas
as embodying the only sound and safe solution of
the slavery question upon which the great nation
al idea of the people Of this whole country can
repose in its determined conservation of the
Union, and non-interference of Congress with
slavery in the Territories or in the District oil
Columbia.
"Resolped. That this was the basis of the com
promise of 1850, confirmed by both the Demo
cratic and Wing parties in national conventions
ratified by the people in the election of 1852. and
rightly applied to the organization of the Terri
tories in 1854.
"Resoired, That by the uniform application o!
the Democratic principle to the organization OF
Territories, and the admission of new States with
or without domestic slavery. as they may elect
the equal rights of all the States will be preser
we'd intact. the original conpacts of the Consfifu
fion maintained inrioiate, and the perpetuity and
capacity Of embracing. in peace and harmony
every future American State that they may be
constituted or annexed with republican form oi
government.
Resolved. That recognize the right of the
people of all the Territories, including Kansas