Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-06-18

Platform Of the Peace Democracy.
The following is the platform ia full Of the
Peace Democrats, as adopted in Convention
at Columbus on Thursday:
PREAMBLE.
The Democratic party has ever been. and
yet is law abiding party. tasks nothin1
but its rights under the Constitution and
the laws. 1t resorts to no violation Of eth
or; 1t countenances no violation of either. Il
has right to all the guarantees of public
and private liberty, and of property, con
tanned in our fundamental laws, and IL will
surrender not one Of them. 1t has the
right to discuss public measures, and will
discuss them. It has the right to propose
aud advocate that policy which it deems
best for the nation, and It will exercise that
right. Ii has a right to have its policy
passed upon by the people at peaceable and
untrammeled elections, and will maintain
that right II found in minority, it Yields
obedience to all lawful rule of the majority:
ifm be the majority itself, it claims that its
lawful will be respected. Whether in a
majority or minority, it obeys all laws that
are in>iorce. Those that it dislikes il seeks
to overthrow, not by violence, but by le.
gitimate repeal. Those that il PROMISES il
seeks to carry, not by force, but by legal
enactments. And what il does in Mi tbe,e
respects, it demands, and has O right to de-
nand, that all Others shall do. They owe
the same obedience 10 the Constitution and
tho laws that Democrats owe. They have
the same interest to maintain free Govern
ment, to protect their liberty, 10 be secure
in their houses, persons and property. that
Democrats have. 1t is neither their inter.
est nor ours that desp0tism or anarchy
should prevail; and if they wish to avert
both, lot them see to it in time that they
give no occasion for either. We will do cur
duty, let them remember to do theirs.
In view OF the circumstances that have
brought US together, wo hereby resolve:
]: That the will Of the people is the foun.
dation of all free Government. That to
give effect to this will, FREQ thought, free
speech and free press are absolutely in.
dispensable. Without free discussion, there
is no certainty Of sound Judgment; without
sound Judgment there eau be no wise Gov.
erninent.
3. That it is an inherent and constitu.
tional right of the people to discuss all
measures OF their Government and to ap
prove or disapprove as to their best judp.
ment seems right. That they have a like
r,s at to prepose and advocate that policy
which in their judgment is best, and to ar.
que aud vote against whatever policy seems
to them to violate the Constitution, to i'm.
pair their liberties, or to be detrimental to
their welfare. y
8. That these and all other rights, guar.
anteed 70 them by their Constitutions, are
their rights in time OF war as we'll rs in
time OF peace; and offar more value and
necessity in war than in peace. For in
peace liberty, security aud property are se.-
dom endangered; in war. they are ever in
peril. '.a. II,
I. That We now say to all whom il NAV
oonoorn, not by way Of threat, but calmly
aud firmly, that We will. not surrender
these rights, nor submit to their foroible
violation. We will obey the lava ourselves,
and all others must obey them.
s. That there is manifest difference be-
tween the Administration Of the Govern
ment and the 9overAment itself. The Gov,
ornn.ent consists Of the civil and political
institutions created by the Constitution,
end 70 Il the people owe allegiance. The
Administration are but the agents Of the
people, subject 10 their approval or oondem
nation, according to the merit or demssit Of
their acts.
O That In the exercise Of the rieht to
differ with the Federal Executive, We enter
wv sVlsna pscts& against TN Pssslaus-