The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-06-14
POLITICAL PLATFORMS.
A Series of Interesting Documents.
MtIesto'1eS IN the Development OF Poziti-
cal Parties Since the Organiza-
tlO1a of the GOUerh n1ent.

col Parties Since the Org0nizG-
tom of the GOUerh n1ent.
1913.
LIBERTY PLATFORM, BUFFALO, AUG. BOTH
Re8oLUed, That human brotherhood
Is cardinal principle Of true DemOc-
racy, as well as of pure Christianity,
which spurns all inconsistent limita
tlons; and neither the political party
which repudiates it, nor the p olitical
sys 5em which is not based upon it can
be Uruly Democratic or permanent.
2. That the Liberty party, placing
itself upon this broad principle, will
demand the absolute and unqualified
divorce of the General Government
from slavery, and also the restoration
of equality of rights among men, in
every State where the party exists, or
may exist
3 That the Liberty party has not
been organized for any temporary pur-
pose by interested politicians, but has
arisen from among the people in cOnse-
quence of a conviction, hourly gaining
ground, that no other party in the
country represents the true principles
of American liberty, or the true spirit
of the Constitution of the United
States.
4 That the Liberty party has not
been organized merely for the over
throw of slavery it's first decided effort
must, indeed. be directed against slave
holding as the grossest and most re
vOlting manifestation of despotism,
but it will also carry out the principle
of equal rights into all it's practical con
sequences and applications, and sup
port every just measure conducive to
individual and social freedom.
5 That the Liberty party is not
sectional party, but national party
was not originated in a desire to &C
complish a single object but in COM
prehensive regard to the great interests
of the whole country; is not a new
party, nor a third party, but is the
party of 1776 reviving the principle of
that memorable era, and striving to
to carry them into practical applica
tiOn.
6 That it was understood in the
times of the declaration and the Con-
stitution, that the existence of slavery
in some Of the States was in derOgatiOn
of the principles of American liberty,
and deep stain upon the character of
the country, and the implied faith of
the country, and the implied faith of
the States and Nation was pledged that
slavery should never be extended be
yond its then existing limits, but should
be gradually, and yet, at no distant
dogh wholly abolished BY State gu
thority.
Z. That the faith of the States and
the Nation thus pledged, was most
nobly redeemed by the voluntary abo-
oe eli NJ 1Off fInG 70
and by the adoption of the ordinance
of 1857, for the government of the ter
ritorv northwest of the river Ohio, then
the only territory in the United States.
and consequently the only territory
subject in this respect to the control of
Congress, by which ordinance slavery
was forever excluded from the vast
regions which now compose the States
of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,
and the territory of Wisconsin, and an
incapacity to bear up any other than
freemen, was impressed on the soil
itself.
s. That the faith of the States and
Nation thus pledged, has been shame
fully violated by the omission, on the
part of many of the States, to take any
measures whatever for the abolition of
slavery within their respective limits;
by the continuance of slavery in the
District of Columbia, and in the terri
tories of Louisiana and Florida; by the
legislation of Congress; by the protec-
ton afforded by national legislation
and negotiation to slavehOlding in
American vessels, on the high seas,
employed in the cOastwise Slave Traffic; !;
and by the extension of slavery far be
yond it's original limits, by acts of Con
gress, admitting new States into the
Union.
g. That the fundamental truths of
the Declaration Of independence, that
all men are endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights, among
which are life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness, was made the funda-
mental law of our National Govern
ment, by that amendment of the Con
StitutiOn which declares that no person
shall be deprived of life, liberty or
property, without due process of law.
10. That we recognize as sound the
doctrine maintained by slaveholding
jurists, that slavery is against natural
rights and strictly local, and that its
existence and continuance rest on no
other support than State legislation,
and not on any authority of Congress.
II. That the General Government
has, under the Constitution, no power
to establish or continue slavery any
where, and therefore that all treaties
and acts of Congress establishing, con-
tinuing or favoring slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia, in the Territory of
Florida, or on the high seas, are un-
constitutional, and all attempts to hold
mon as property within the limits of
exclusive national Jurisdiction, ought
to be prohibited by law.
H. That the provision Of the COusti-
tuition of the United States which con-
fers extraordinary political powers on
the owners of slaves, and thereby con
stituting the two hundred and fifty
thousand shareholders in the slave
States a privileged aristocracy; and
the provision for the reclamation of
n