The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1868-07-04
Democratic State Convention.
Resolutions Adopted by the Democratic
State Convention, at Nashville, June
9th, 1858


The people Of Tennessee, irrespective of
former party affiliations, or differences of
opinion arising out of the recent war, in
convention assembled for the purpose Of APP
pointing delegates to represent them n the
city Of New York on the fourth of July
next, are profoundly sensible of the troubled
condition of public affairs, and regard the
approaching election of a Chief Magistrate
as the most important ever held since the
establishment Of the Government In its
result to the nation at large, they conceive
is involved the preservation Of the Constitu-
ton and its guarantees of equal and exact
Justice, individual liberty, the general vel
fare and domestic tranquility. To them
selves, in great part laboring under disfran-
chisement and unjust dispOssession of the
primary and essential rights of citizens of
the republic, they esteem 1t to be a crisis on
which depends their personal freedom and
future prosperity as a community. Thus
deeply impressed, they have convened in a
spirit of oblivion of past misunderstanding,
and resolved among themselves to exclude
from their deliberations for the common
good, all questions decided by the war, and
TO Danish from their breasts all unkind feel
ing they may have excited; and to take
counsel only how best they may re-establish
poIitical intercourse and association with
that portion of their fellow. cltlzens OF other
States who coincide IN opinion Wa theml
and desire to assist In the administration of
the Federal government principles and
measures which will restore it to its integ
rity. In this step, they deem it proper to
adopt the name and designation borne by
the only political organization with which
they can associate and IN thus formally
uniting themselves with the Democratic
party as 1t nolc EXISTS, they herewith declare
the principles they maintain, and the
measures they hold necessary for wise and
safe administration Of the public interests
l. ResolUed, That, as in the course of
events, the question whether a State Of the
American Union could, under the compact
secede, was submitted to a contest of arms,
and decided iH the negative; and as it is
wise that theories in government should be
abandoned when found impractcable, there
fore, the American people, North and South,
should accept such decision as final and con-
elusive; nevertheless, we assert aud main
tain that the Constitution created the Federal
government supreme under well-defned limi-
tations, leaving to the States a large mass Of
residuary rights and power over their do
nestle concerns, and making the Stat CO.
equal in respect of such rights; and that
the result Of the war has not, and should not
in any manner be construed, to impair
v
general government Of public liberty.
2 ResOiDed, That we recognize the sys
tenn of African slavery formerly existing in
portion of this country as extinguished by
the result Of the war; and that fact is rati-
fed by binding constitutional amendment
but that we regard the measure of the Fed
eral Congress bestowing the elective fran
chiSe on the black race in ten States, and
Withholding it from large numbers Of the
Al. e I, Z
ers of the government taXes-as a gross
usurpation of power and that such subjec-
ton of these States to the political and
social control Of negroes, is policy unjust
unwise and oppressive, and tending to ex-
cite war of races and that any measure
which seeks TO deprive the white men Of
America of their rightful position of su
periOrity and supremacy in the administra-
ton Of the governments, both Federal and
State or to divide or impair it, is fraught
with great danger to the perpetuity Of free
republican institutions.
3. ReS0lUed, That understanding the
enormous frauds in the creation of the pub
Tic debt, and the corrupt and ruinOus ex-
travagance by which it IS being increased,
the faith of the nation Is pledged to its pay
ment, principal and interest, In the terms Of
the acts Of Congress issuing the bonds which
represent it, but not otherwise; and we are
opposed to extending the time of payment
and the consequent incr, ase of the amount
Of gold interest to more than the principal
and also to the view that the principal Of a
large portion of these bonds is payable In
gold and, that while we hold gold and silver
to be the true constitutional currency, we
declare that the fve-tWenty bonds should be
paid In the same currency received by the
government for their issue, and that by the
withdrawal Of the money granted to the ma
tionaI banks, we hold this result can be &C
complished without an undue increase of
paper money, now the only circulating me-
dium and that by this means the people
can soonest be relieved of the burden of
public debt corrupting and eElslaving in its
character; and that in this there is no in
fraction OF the public faith nor violation of
contract with the holders Of bonds.
T. ReSolUsd, That every species of prop
erty in the country, including the govern
ment bonds, which receive the equal protec-
ton of the government, should bear an equal
share Of the burdens Of taxation and that
as justice Is the true foundation of all good
governments, there should not exist a favored
class paid in gold, while the government dis
charges its debts to the ma SIS of the people,
in currency which is kept deprecated in
value by this iniquitous sy stem.
5. Re3OlUed, That the doctrines and prac-
tees Of the radical Republican party now
in possession Of the legislative department
Of the Federal Government, and endeavor-
ing by encroachment on the powers of the
Executive and Judiciary branches to absorb
to itself all power, viii inevitably lead, if not
checked, to the destruction Of the republi-
can system of government, and the civil
liberties Of the people; and that it is the
highest dictate Of patriotism to oppose it in
gross and detail; and that for the purpose
Of rendering opposition effective, we cor
daily ally ourselves with that party whose
creed inundated by Thomas jefferson in
| 1901 and approved in substance and spirit
| by the great leaders Of every party that has
| fourished until the era of the civil war and
/ which is in the following words: Equal
and exact Justice to all men Of whatever
! State or persuasion, religious or political /;
/ peace, commerce and honest friendship with
! all nations, entaugling alliances with none
| the support Of the State governme cents in all
/ their rights as the most competent admins
! tration of our domestic concerns, and the
surest bulwark against anti-repubican ten.
denotes the preservation of the general
government IN its whole cOnstitutionaly igOT
as the sheet anchor of peace at home and
sa fekv abroad a Jealous care of the rights