The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-06-23
Platforms and Prjnciplcs.

assembled at New York, on July 1, 1868.
and which was the last authoritative
exponent of Democratic principles, pass
ed the following resolution:
"And we do declare and resolve, that
ever since the people of the United
States threw off all suhjection OF the
| Britt n Crown, the privilege and trust
of suffrage have belonged to the several
states, and have been granted, regulated
and controlled exclusively by the .politi.
cal power of each state respectively, and
that any attempt by Congress, on any
pretext whatever, to deprive any state
of this right, or interfere with its exer-
else, is fragrant usurpation of power
which can find no warrant in the Con-
stitution, and if sanctioned by the peo-
pie, will subvert our form of govern
ment, and can only end in single Gen.
| tralized and consolidated government,
| in which the separate existence of the
states will be entirely absorbed, and an
unqualified despotism be established in
place Of federal union Of co.equal
states.
AT the State Convention which assem-
bled in Harrisburg, July nth, 1869, for
the purpose of nominating candidates
for Governor and Supreme Judge, the
following resolution was passed by n
unanimous vote:
Tnird-That the Democratic party of
Pennsylvania, is opposed to comforting
upon the negro the right to vote; and
we do emphatically deny that there Is
any right or power in Congress or else
where to impose negro suffrage upon
the people of this State in opposition to
their WILL
These are the principles of the Demo.
cratic party to-day and upon that plat
form we stand. From it no drivellers
shall ever drive us.
To permit the federal government to
usurp the rights of the States so far as to
regulate and determine the qualifica.
tions of their voters, Is to revolutionize
the entire political system of the nation,
and to surrender all State government
to centralized national government at
Washington. The accomplishment of
this end is the complete destruction of
the powers of the States, and hence of
the large and perfect liberty heretofore
enjoyed. We would then be governed
by central power at Washington, con-
trolled by the combined money power
of the country, differing in immaterial
form only from the government of
Great Britain. When the Democrats
assent to that, what is left of Democracy?
What to contend for from Democratic
standpoint?
If the 18th and 18th amendments are
adopted then Capitalization is accom-.
plisbed--awaiting only few years for
perfection. But the question arises, are
they adopted? We say not because
fraud can never become valid, unless
assented to in regular form. Tho Con-
stitution plainly requires that amend
ments can only be submitted for ratifi-
cation 10 the States by vote of two
thirds of Congress. When so presented
they only become operative when ap'
proved by three-fourths of the States.
Now these amendments were only sub
mitted by,two-thirds of partial Congress
es-fragmentary Congresses which re-
fused to admit several of the States to rep.
resentation. They were ratified by vari'
GUS frauds, the most glaring of which
was the refusal of the rump Congresses
to permit the people of several of the
States to be represented in their Conven.
tions and Legislatures. To support
amendments effected in this manner is
IN disregard the plain and binding pro-
visions of the Constitution ITSELF. Un-
der these circumstances it is impossible
to be faithful to the Constitution and to
support the amendments too.
Nor does the right exist, under the
form of amendments or otherwise, to
subvert the government. If even two
thirds Of Congress and three.fourths of
the States with all their people duly
represented, should adopt an amend
ment abolishing the Office of President
and substituting King, hereditary or
otherwise, nobody would be bound by
the act, because authority for such act
could not be assumed under the form of
amendment. Just so is 1t with these
amendments which subvert the rights
of the States and of the people as guaran-
teed by all the acts which formed the
Federal government. They are both
farce and fraud, and have no respectable
claim to be considered q part of the
fundamental law of the land.
Party politicians can no more give them
validity than the Jackdaw could make
himself Peacock by borrowing feath-
ers of the latter. Those who attempt it
but repeat the fable.