St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-09-08
D1eAIOCRATIC PLATFORM.

adopted by the Copperheads at Chica-
60, on the s0th of August, and ask
for it careful rea6ing. Especial at
tention is called to the portions marked
with Italics and capitals. Let every
honest American citizen read it, and
blush that it ever found utterance in
our country:
RESOLVED, That in the future as in the
past we will adhere with answering fideli-
ty to the Union under the Constitution as
the only solid foundation of our strength,
as the bulwark Of Government, and equal
~ conducive to the welfare and prosperity
of all the States both North and South.
Resolved, That this Convention does ex-
plicitly declare as the sense of the Ameri-
can people, that after four years of failure
to restore the Union by the experiment Of
war, during which, under the pretense Of
military nece ssity, or a war power higher
than the Constitution itself, the Constitu-
ton has been disregarded in every part,
and public liberty and private rights have
been alike trooden down, aud tho material
prosperity Of the country essentially i'm
paired, justice, humanity, liberty and the
public welfare demand that an IMME-
date EFFORT BE MADE FOR THE
CESSATION OF aOSTlL1TlEs, WITH
A VIEW TO AN ULTIMATE CONVFN-
TON OF THE STATES, or other peacea,
Bile means to the end that At the earliest
practicable moment, peace may be restored
On the basis Of the Federal Union Of the
States
Resolved, That the direct interference
Of the military authority of the United
States in the recent elections held in Ken
lucky, Indiana, Missouri and Delaware,
was shameful violation of the Constitu-
ton, and repetition Of such action in the
approaching election will be held as REV.
OLUTlONARY, and RESISTED WITH
ALL THE MEANS AND POWER UN.
DER OUR CONTROL.
kesolved, That the aim and object Of the
Democratic + arty is to preserve the Feder-
al Government and the rights of the States
unimpaired, and therefore declare that
they consider the usarpation by the admin
,stration of extraordinary aud dangerous
powers, not granted ty the Constitution
the subversion of the civil by military law
in States not in instruction; tie arbitrary
military arrest, imprisonment, trisl and
sentence of American citizens in States
where civil law exists in full force the
suppression Of freedom Of speech and Of
the Press; the denial of the right of asy-
lum; the open and avowed disregard of
STATE RIGHTS; the employment of un-
usual test oaths, and the interference with
and denial Of the right Of the people to
bear arms in their defense as calculated to
prevent a restoration of the Union and
that the powers of q government derives its
just support from the consent Of the Gov
erned.
Resolred, That the shameful disregard
Of the Administration to its duty in respect
to its fellow citizens, who now and long
have been prisoners of war, in =. suffering
condition deserves the highest reprobation
on the score alike of public policy and COM
mon humanity.
Resolved, That the sympathy of the Dem
ocratic Party is heartily and earnestly ex-
tended to tie soldiers of our army, who are
and have been in the field under the flag Of
our country, and in tho event of change
Of power, they will receive all the care,
protection and regard that the brave SOL
diers of the republic have so nobly earned.