The Placer herald., 1864-10-15
THE DEMOCRATIC CREED.

As LAID DOWN AND RGITER ArED ~ SEVERAL Demo-
CRATIC CONVENTIONS OF Ali THE STATES, INCLUp-
ING THE CINCINNArG CONVENTION OF 1856.
Resolved, That the Democratic party will faith
fully abide by anduphod the principles laid down
in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of l79S,
and in the report Of Mr.. Madison to the Virginia
Legnature in 1899; that it adopts those princ-
pies constituting one Of the main foundations OF
its political creed. and is resolved to carry them
ont in their obvious meaning and import Gin
cinnati PLATFORM.
Kentucky Resolutions OF I79S.
Drafted 6y the pen Of Thomas Jcftrson.
ReS0lUed That the several States composing
the United States of America. are not united on
the principle of unlimited submission to the Cen
erll Government, but that by compact under
the style of a Constitution for the United States,
and Of amendments thereto, they constituted
General Government for special purposes dele
rated to that Government certain dehnltlVe pow
ers rcserving each State TO inscf the rcsiduary
mass Of right to their own sell-government and
that whatsoever the General Government assumes
undelegated powers, its acts are unauthorZed,
void and of no force; that to this compact each
State acceded rs 4 StateSand is an integral party;
and its CO. States forming. as to itselI, the other
party; and the Government. created by this COM
pact was not made the exclusive or final judge of
the extent of the powers delegated toiselt; since
that would have nude its discretion, and not the
constitution. the measure Of its powers; but that
as in all other cases OF compact. among powers
having no COnluOu JuuRc, cdCh p''ltJ nNo Vi
equal right to Judge for itself as we'll OF lnirac-
tions as of the mode and measure of redress.
2. Resolved, That the constitution Of the Unit
ed States having delegated to Congress power
to punish treason for CONTRIBUTING the securities
and current coin OF the United States, piracies
and telonies committed on the high seas. and Of
fences against the law Of nations, and no other
crime whatsoever, ana it being true, as a general
principle, and one Of the amendments to the con-
stitution having also declared that the powers
not delegated to the United States by the con-
stitution. nor prohibited by it to the States. are
reserved to the States respectively, or to the
people," therefore, the Act of Congress. passed
on the / 4th day Of July. 1898" and entitled ian
act in addition to the act entitled an act for the
punishment Of certain crimes against the United
Statcs;" as also the act passed by them on the
9th of June 1898. entitled IAN act to punish
frauds committed on the bank of the United
States (and all of their other acts which as
sumes to create, define. or punish crimes other
than those enumerated in the constitutiOn,) are
altogether void and of no force, and that the
power to create, define, and punish such other
crimes is reserved, and of right appertains solely
and exclusively to the States, each within its own
territory.
3. ResoIvea, That it is true, as a general prp-
ciple, and is also expressly declared by one of
the amendments to the constitution, that the
'powers not delegated to the United States by
the constitution nor prohibited by it tothe States
are reserved to the States respectively, or to the
people," aud that no power over the freedom Of
igOn. freedom OF speecTOr freedom Of the press
being delegated to the United States by the con-
sttution, nor prohibited by it to the States all
lawful powers respecting the same did of right
remain, aud were reserved to the States or the
people; that thus WAS manifested their determ-
nation to retain to themselves the right OF judg
inr how far the RIGHTEOUSNESS of speech and Of
the press may be abridged without lessening their
useful freedom; and how far those abuses which
or la, M tad fran ms bp
tolerated rather than the use be destroyed and
thus also they guarded against all abrldgment,
by the United Stotes, of the freedom Of religious
opinions and exercises and retained to themselves
the right OF protecting the same. rs this State,
by a law passed on the general demand of its
citizens, had already protected them from all
human restraint or Interference; and that, in adj
dition to this general principle and express de
clarati0u. another and more special provision has
been made by one of the amendments to the
constitutions which expressly declares, that Con
gress shall make no law respecting an establish
ment of reli gon, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof or abridging the freedom Of speech or of
the press" thereby guarding in the same sentence
and under the same words, the freedom of reli
gion. of speech, and of the press insomuch, that
whatever violated either, throws down the sane
tuary which covers the others, and that lbels
fllseho0ls and defamation, equally with heresy
and false religion. arc withheld from the cOgni-
zlnce Of Federal tribunals. That therefore the
act Of the Congress Of the United States, passed
on the l4th Of July 1898, entitled '.an act in
addition to the act entitled an act for the punish
ment of certain crimes against the United States"
which does abrdgc the freedom Of the press is
not law, but is altogether void and Of no force.
T. ReS0iged, That alien friends are under the
jurisdiction and protection Of the laws of the
states wherein they are; that no power over them
has been delegated to the United States. nor
prohibited to individual states distinct from their
power over citizens. and it being true, as a gen