Litchfield enquirer., 1865-09-14
WING & sHUMWAY Proprietors
Idtohaeld. Conn, Thursday, Sept. If. 1868
Which Voice?

dential chair were nominated in state and con gressional caucuses. In 1892 the first Demo, cratic National Convention was called at Ball. timore, at which President Jackson was nomi- mated for a second tenn. A committee was ap-
 pointed to draft platform or address to the people, but it was decided, after more mature deliberation, that the several delegates should make such explanations by address, report, or otherwise, to their respective constituents, of the object, proceedings and result of the meet ing, as they may deem expedient. In 1885, the second National Convention of this party assembled in the same city as before, and like wise failed to adopt any platform. ,t
 The first platform of the Democratic party was adopted in ls4O. Delegates were present from twenty-one states, and MT. Van Buren was nominated for reelection, as President .- The ninth plank of this pioneer platform of Democracy reads is,i5s 9i 448as as ss. ts.4.s s
 Resolped, That the liberal principles embodi- ed by Jefferson inthe Declaration of Independ- ence, and sanctioned in the Constitution, which makes ours the land of liberty and the asylum of the oppressed of every nation, have ever been cardinal principles of the Democratic faith: and every attempt which is made to abridge the present privileges of becoming citizens, and the owners of soil among us, ought to be resisted with the same spirit which swept the Alien and Sedition Laws from our statute book.' r., P,
 This they declared to be no new doctrine the privilege of the oppressed of eee,y natiop' to become citizens, had ever .5eea' one of the cardinal articles of faith. iq fea& .
 In 1844, this resolution was retained, as it was also in l84s. In this last convention, MT. Yancey. of Ala, offered the following resolu- ton V1' at ,@i .t7@ .''
 Resolvsd, That the doctrine of non-interfer- ence with the rights of property of every por- ton of the people of this Con federacy, be it in the States or Territories thereof, by any other than the parties interested in them, is the true Republican doctrine recognized by this body,
 This was detsated in 9 full convention of reg, ular democrats, by vote of 6to 2l6', So it seems that the right to take slaves into the Territories was not the trde Republican doc trine' of the Democracy of lS4s, js .is is.',, 6.
 The resolution fayoring universal suffrage was continued in 1852, and strengthened, in 1856, by another, to the effect that the founda- tion of our government was laid int no respect of persons in regard to rank or place of birth,
 and that no party can be deemed national or constitutional that makes crusade against the rights of all classes of men to become citizens. That was democracy less than ten years ago.
 In 1860, the Democratic party got into an awful mnddle. It met in solemn convention at Charleston, on the 23d of April. Three plat forms were proposed, and neither of them adopted in full The platform of 1856 was at last re e-affrmed, with one or two additions -- The southern members wanted therrights to slavery in the Territories inserted, as one of the true Republican doctrines of the party. The
 northern members, who were in majority, voted it down. This fired the southern heart, and the slave helding delegates seeded from the convention. The invincible Democracy trem bled. It had always been an army of asses led by a few lions, and it's leaders were now aban. doning it. In grief and terror the convention adjourned, to meet at Baltimore, on the 18th of June. These seceders, who, with their sympathizers, form the bulk of the present Democratic party, retired to another hall in Charleston, and re affirmed the platform ol 1856, with several additions, one of which en- tailed the doctrine of slavery extension upon the party creed. The adjourned convention met in Baltimore at the appointed time, but transacted no important business. So in 1860 both branches of the Democracy were commit. ted to the doctrine of universal suffrage.
 Before the last convention, fl864, J nearly all the leading spirits at the adjourned convention ia Baltimore had been read out of the party and had lost the name of democrats while the lire eaters who seeded from the assembly at Charleston, have been the leaders of the party eyer since, as they really were before..-- Nearly all the public men who belonged to that party at the beginning of the war, took sides with our southern brethrea.'s Their late Vice President became Rebel General. .-- Twenty.four of their thirty eight senators, sixty of their one hundred Representatives, and
 twelve of their fifteen Governors joined their fortunes with the cause of the Confsderasy.--- The ranks of the rebel armies were filled with true and tried democrats, The rest of the Iparty, scattered through the Northern States, |co-operated with them in every possible way.
 It is not strange therefore that the Democratic convention of 1864 was devoted to sympathy with the Rebellion and attacks upon tho gov ernment., About the time the convention met, the southern wing of the party was overtaken with sad reverses in. it's struggle against the
 Government; which 50 infnriated the delegates Ito Chicago. that they forgot the, stereotyped reaelations in which, for sixteen years, they had modestly informed the public that ' the American Democracy place their trust in the indulgence, the patriotism. and the diserimi-
 hating justice of the American people, that their creed contained the great moral element lslavery, we snppose.1 in . form of government,
 and 2 half dozen other equally unpretentious and patent sentiments. The resolution fayor
 ing the universal privilege of citizensh ip was also omitted, thOnghlit was not formally re-