The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-09-17
The Democratic Platform Adop-
ted
January, sth, A. ID. 1867.

l. Res0LUed, That the democracy OF
Ohio steadfastly adhere to the principles
of the party as expounded by the fathers
and approved by experience; that IN ac-
cordance with these principles we declare
that the Federal Governments is govern
ment of limited powers, and that it pos
sesses no powers but such as are express
ly, or by necessary implication, delegated
to it in the Federal Constitution; that all
other powers are reserved to the States
or the people; that strict construction
of the Constitution is indispensable to
the preservation of the reserved rights
of the States and the people; that all
grants of power to Government, whether
State or Federal, should be strictly con-
strued, because all such grants abridge
the natural rights Of men; that the pre-
seryation of the equality and rights Of
the States, and rights oe the people is
necessary to the preservation of the Union
that the Federal Government is untitled
to legislate for or administer the local
concerns of the States; that it would be
monstrous that the local affairs of Ohio
should be regulated by Federal Con.
gress in which she has but two Senators
and the New England States, with but 1
little greater population, have twelve;
that the tendency of the Federal Govern
ment IS to usurp the reserved rights oi
the States and of the people; and that
therefore, Capitalization Of powers in
its hands is an ever pending danger
That such an absorption Of power would,
while it lasted, be destructive of the lib.
critics and interests of the people, and
would end either in despotism or des-
truction of the Union; that a National
debt, besides impoverishing the people,
fosters an undue increase of the powers
of the Federal Government; that high
protective tariffs have like effect, sac
rifcing the interests of the many for the
emoluments of the few, and plainly vio-
lating the equity and spirit Of the Con-
stitution: that the collection and dssburs-
nsentof enormous revenues By the Federal
I Government haze the same tendency, be-
side corrupting the Government, and that,
therefore economy is essential not only to
the prosperity, bat also the liberties of The
people; that unequal tanation Is plain
violation of justice of aohich no Gouern-
m,ent can safely be guilty.
That to each State belongs the right to
determine the qualification Of its electors
and all attempts to impair this right,
either by Congressional legislation or
Constitutional amendments, are unwise
and despotic; that the tendency Of pow
er is to steal from the many to the few,
and that therefore s'eternal vigilance is
lthe price Of liberty" that the tendency
fof government is to enlarge its authority
by usurpation, and therefore government
needs to be watched, that another of its
tendencies is to govern too much-un-
necessarily and vexatiously interfering
with the business and habits of the peo-
Pile; that the freedom of speech and Of
the press is essential to the existence Of
| liberty;. that no person not in the military
or naval service, or in the bounds where
martial law legitimately prevails, can
lawfully be deprived of life, liberty or
property without due process of civil
law; that the courts should always be
open for the redress Of grievances; that
no en po st facto law should be made; that
the right of the people to peaceably as
semble, ,and consult upon public affairs is
|inyiolable; that the military should be
held IN due subjection to the civil power
that while the majority, as prescribed by
the Constitution, have the right to govern,
the minority have indefeasible rights;and
that frequent return to first principles
is essential to the welfare Of the State
and the people.
2. Resolved, That the States lately in
rebellion are States in the Union, and
have been recognized as such by every
department Of the government, and by
President Lincoln, who, in the midst Of
the wal, ar,invited them to elect members Of
Congress; by President johnson, in va
rious proclamations and official acts; by
Congress which permitted Andrew john
son to sit in the Senate as Senator from
Tennessee, and members from Virginia,
Tennessee and Louisiana to sit in the
House of Representatives after these
States had seeded, and while the war
was being carried on, and which further
recognized them as States in the Union