The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-08-07
PLATFORM OF THE DEMOC-
RACY OF OHIO.
PREAMBLE.

PREAMBLE.
The Democratic party has ever been, and
yet is, law abiding party. 1t asks nothing
but its rights under the Constitution and the
laws. 1t resorts to no violation Of either; it
oountenances no violation of either. 1t has q
right to all the guarantees of public and pri-
vate liberty, and Of property, contained in our
fundamental laws, and it will surrender not
one of them. 1t has the right to discuss pub
lie measures, and will discuss them. 1t has
the right to propose and advocate that policy
which it deems best for the nation, and it will
exercise that right. 1t has right to have its
policy passed upon by the people at peaceable
and untrammelled elections, and it will main
tain that right. If found in a minority il
Yields obedience to all lawful rule of the ma
jority; if it be the majority itself, 1t claims
that It's lawful will be respected Whether in
q majority or minority, it obeys all laws that
are in force. Those that it dislikes, it seeks
to overthrow, not by violence, but by q legiti-
mate repeal. Those that it proposes, 1t s, eks
to carry not BY force but by legal enactment.
And what it does in all these respects, it de-
msuds, and has right to demand, that all
UtutEo snull uOs IhSJ ONC tuO SOOuA-
ence to the Constitution and the laws that
Democrats owe. They have the same interest
to maintain free government, to protect liber-
~, to be secure in their houses, persons aud
property, that Democrats have. 1t is neither
their interest nor ours that despotism or auar-
chy should prevail and if they wish to avert
both, let them see to it in time that they give
no occasion for either. We will do our duty,
let them remember to do theirs.
In view of the circumstances that have
brought us together, We hereby resolve:
RESOLUTIONS.
/. That the will of the people Is the founda-
tion Of all free government. That to give eff
feet to this will, free thought, free speech and
o free press are absolutely Indispensable
Without free discussion, there is no certainty
Of sound judgment; without sound judgment
there can be no wise government.
2. That it is an inherent and Constitutional
right of the people to discuss oil measures Of
their government and TO approve or disap-
prove Gs to their best judgment seems right.
That they have like right to propose and ad-
vocate that policy which in theif judgment is
best, and to argue and vote against whatever
policy seems to them to violate the CoDsttu-
ton, to impair their liberties, or to be detri-
mental to their welfare.
g. That these and all other rights, guaran-
teed to them BY their Constitutions, are their
rights in time Of war as well as in time of
peace and of far more value and necessity in
war than in peace. For in peace liberty, Sc.
curity and property are seldom endangered (;
In war, they are ever in peril.
That vo pnw SOW IN oil phnnn n m u nnn.
Germ, not by way Of threat, but calmly aud
firmly, that we will not surrender these rights,
nor submit to their forcible violation. We will
obey the laws ourselves, and all others must
obey them.
6. That there is n manifest difference be-
tween the Administration of the Government
and the Government itself The Government
consists of the civil and political institutions
created by the Constitution, and to it the peo-
pie owe allegiance. The Administration are
but the agents of the people, subject to their
approval or condemnation, according to the
merit or demerit of their acts.
That in the exercise of the right to differ
with the Federal Executive, we enter cur SOL
emn protest against the proclamation Of the
President of the United States, dated the first
day of January, one thousand eight hundred
and sixty-three, by which he assumes to eman
cipate slaves in certain States holding the same
to be unwise, unconstitutional, and void.
7. That we declare our determined opposi-
ton to system Of emauci patton by the States
upon compensation to be made out of the treas
ury Of the United States, as burdensome upon
the people, unjust in its very nature, and
wholly without warrant of the Constitution.
8. That we declare that the power which
has recently been assumed by the President Of
the United States, whereby under. the guise of
military necessity he has proclaimed and ex-
tended-or asserts the right to proclaim or ex-
tend-martial law over States where war does
not exist, and has suspended the writ of haJeas
corpus, is unwarranted by the Constitution,
and its tendency is 10 subordinate civil to mil
itary authority, and to subvert our system Of
free government.
o. That we deem it proper further to declare
that we, together with the truly loyal people
of the State, would hail with pleasure and de-
light any manifestations Of desire on the part
Of the seeded States to return to their allegi-
ance to the Government of the Union, and in
such event we would cordially and earnestly
cooperate with them in the restoration Of
peace and the procurement Of such proper
guarantees as would give security to all their
interests and rights.
10. That the soldiers composing our armies
merit the warmest thanks Of the nation. Their
country called and nobly did they respond
Living, they shall know q nations gratitude
wounded, q natioa' care and dying, they shall
live in our memories, and monuments shall be
raised to teach pOsterity to honor the patriots
and heroes who offered their lives at their
country's altar. Their widows and orphans
shall be adopted by the nation, to be watched
over and cared for as objects truly worthy a
nations guardianship.
ii. That Ohio will adhere to the Constitu-
ton and the Union as the best, it may be the
last hope Of popular freedom, and for all
wrongs which may have been committed or
evils which may exist, will seek redress, under
the Constitution and within the Union, by the
peaceful but powerful agency Of the suffragps
Of o free people.
IL. That we hail with pleasure and the
manifestations Of conservative sentiment among
the people Of the Northern States in their
elections, and regard the same as the earnest
of good purpose upon their part to cooper
ate with all other loyal citizens in giving se-
curiety to the rights of every section and
maintaining the Union and the Constitution as
they were ordained by the founders of the Re-
public.
l3. That whenever It becomes practicable to
obtain convention of all or Of three fourthS
of the States, such body should he convened
for the purpose Of proposing such amendments
to the Federal Constitution as experience has
proved to be necessary TO maintain that instru-
msnt N the spirit and meaning intended BY its