The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-01-15
THE PLATFORM.

committee on Resolutions, submitted the
following report:
THE PLATFORM.
Resolred, That the Democracy of Ohio
steadfastly adheres to the principles of
the party as expouuded by the Fathers
and approved by experience. That in ac-
cordance with these principles,we declare,
that the Federal Government is a Govern
ment of limited powers; that it possesses
no powers but such as are expressly, or
by necessary implication. delegated to it
in the Federal Constitution; that all other
powers are reserved to the States or the
people respectively; that a strict construc-
tien 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
States or Federal, should be strictly con-
strued, because all such grants abridge
natural rights of men; that the preserva-
ton of the equality aud rights of the
States and the rights of the people is ne,
cessary 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 beregulated by a Federal Congress
in which she has but two Senators, and
the New England States with but little
greater population, have twelve; that the
tendency of Federal administration is to
usurp the reserved rights. of the States
and of the people, and that, therefore, a
Capitalization of power in its hands is an
ever impending danger; that such an alb
sorption of power would, while it last.
ed, be destructive of the liberties and
interests of the people, and would end
either in despetism or disruption of the
Union; that national debt, besides i'm.
poverishing the people, fosters an undue
increase of the powers of the Federal
Government; that high protective tariffs
have like effect, sacrificing the interests
ofthe many for the emolument ofthe few
and plainly violating the equity and spir-
it of the Constitution; that the collection
and disbursement of enormous revenues
by the Federal government have the same
tendency, besides eorrupting the govern.
ment, and that therefore economy is es-
sential, not only to the prosperity but al
SO to the liberties of the people; that un-
equal taxation is a plain violation Of JUS
tice, of which no government can safely be
guilty; that to each State belongs the
right to determine the qualifications Of
its electors, and all attempts to impair
this right, either by congressional legis-
latlon or constitutional amendments, are
unwise and despotic; that the tendency
of power is to steal from the many to the
few, and that, therefore, eternal vigilance
is the price of liberty; that the tendency
of 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;unneces
sarily and vexatiously interfering with
the business and habits of the people
that freedom of speech and of the pres:
are essential to the existence of liberty
that no person, not in the military or ma
val service, or where the civil courts are
prevented by war or insurrection from
exercising their functions, can lawfully
be deprived of life, liberty or property
without due process of civil law, that the
courts should always be open for the re
dress Of grievances; that no &c post factt
law should ever be made; that in the Ian
guage of the Supreme Court, the Con
stitution of the United States is law fo
rulers and people equally in war and il
peace, and covers with the shield of it
protection all classes of men at all times
and under all circumstances. No doc
trine involving more pernicious conse
quences was ever invented by the wit o
man than that any of its provisions cal
be suspended during any of the great ex
ligencies of Governments; such doctrine
leads directly to anarchy or despotism;
that the right of the people to peaceabl.
assemble and consult upon public affair
inylolable; that the military should b.
held in due subjection to the civil power
that while the majority, as prescribed b.
the Constitution have the right to govern
the minority have iudefeasible rights; aut
that frequent. recurrence to first pripci
Piles is essential to the safety and welfart
of the States and the people.
| 2. ResoEued, That the States which late
{ly attempted to secede are still States il
the Union and have been recognized as
such by every department of the Govern
ment By President Lincoln who in tht
midst Of the war, invited them to elec
members of fCongress. By President j ohm
son in various praclamations and oficia
acts. By Congress, which permitted An
drew Johnson to sit in the Senate as {
Senator from Tennessee, By his inagura
ton as Vice President and President o.
the Senate.and by the admission of mem
bers from Virginia, Tennessee and Lou
isiana to sit in the House of Representa-
tives, after those States had passed theil
ordinances ofsecession and while the wal
was being carried on, and which further
recognized them as States in the Union
by the Congressional Apportionment ac
providing for the due representation ii
Congress; by various tax laws and espe
cially the District tax Act; by the reso
lutions. submitting Amendments to the
Constitution for their .approval-and BY
various other acts and resolutionsi import
Ing the samo recognition, all which were
passed since the attempted secession o
thesestates. By the Judiciary ofthe Unitet
States which holds Federal Courts in al