Year: 1862




rtories. so far as the Constitution permitted, was
declared TO have the complete disposition of the
subject within their respective limits This was
the celebrated popular sovereignty doctrine of
Mr. Douglas. which was then acquiesced in not
only by the party assembled in convention but
afterwards by almost every leading man of the
party, either in Congress or in the campaign
which followed. Will any man say, who has any
regard for the truth Of history, that there is any
ground in these resolutions for the charge that
the democratic party was proslaveryf We
think not. AT different periods from l540 to
1856, almost all the Northern States which had
ever been Democratic. formed Constitutions, and
into every one OF them was inserted an article
forbidding slavery or involuntary scvitude In
these constitutions will be found the Indictment
and opinions of the leading Denocratic states
men of the North upon the abstract question of
slavery when applied to their own respective
State Governments But they did not undertake
to prescribe rule of action for the statesmen of
the South. whether they belonged to the Demo-
cratic or Whg parties. They conceded to them
as full and perfect a right, under the Constitu-
ton OF the United States. to regulate the domes-
tic institutions of their respective States as they
themselves claimed and exercised at home And
more, they held it but right and proper, when
any State had made its election, il should be
treated kindly and courteously, for the Consttu
ton declared that 1.-THE citizens of each State
tcere entitled TO oil privileges and inmunities OF
citizens is the seUerat States" The comfy of ma
tions, nay, more than that, the intimate relations
existing between States forming such Govern
ment as ours, demanded of each State the utmost
circumspection and prudence in expressing an
opinion as to the Institutions of another State en-
titled TO equal rights and equal privileges. This
was ali the Democratic party demanded and this
the Constitution required.


We have thus traced the principles of that
party, as declared by the only body having any
authority TO speak upon the subject, from the day
il was first introduced until the year le56 In all
this time there was not word which indicated
that the party was slavery, but on the con
trary, its whole action clearly and distinctly pro-
claimed that upon this subject il only adhered TO
the compromises of the Constitution.


The political contest of 1860 Is too recent. has
been impressed upon the minds of the people too
firmly by the appalling events which have fol.
lowed in quick succession, until the country is
conynlsed Dy civil wars, to need much comment
We all remember the action of the Democratic
party, and know that it neither Justly charged
with the talnt OF AbolitIonism by the South OF
pro slaveryism by the North. But to make the
record complete, give the resolutions adopted
at Charleston and Baltimore Those at Charles
ton were as follows:


Resolved, That we, the Democracy of the
Union, in convention assembled, hereby declare
our aftirmaDce of the resolutions unanimousl,
adopted and declared platform of our princi
piles by the Democratic Convention at Cincin.
natl in the year 1856, believing that Democratic
principles are unchangable in their nature when
applied to the same subject matters; and we
recommend as the only further resolutions the
following:


Resotoed, That it is the duty of the United
States TO afford ample and complete protection to
all its citizens, whether at home or abroad, and
whether native or foreign.


ResotUed, That the enactments of State Legis-
latures to defeat the faithful. execution of the
fugitive slave law, are hostile ia character. sub
cersire of the Constitution, and revolutionary in
their eject.


AT Baltimore the following additional resolu
ton was adopted, with only two dissenting votes


ReSOtOed, That in its accordance with the in
depreciation of the Cincinnati platform, that du
ring the existence of the Territorial governments:
the measure of restriction, whatever it may be
imposed by the Federal Constitution on the DOW
er of the Territorial Legislature over the subject
OF the domestic relations, as the same has been
or shall hereafter be finally determined by the
Supreme Court of the United States, should be
respected by all good citizens. and enforced with
promptness and fidelity by every branch Of the
Government.


Here ends the record of the principles laid
down by the Democratic party upon the subject
OF slavery. There is not sentence, a word, a
syllable, even to indicate or show that the party
as such, is now, ever has been, pro-slavery, DC
more than there is to show il is favor of abolition
At all times, AT all places. and under all circum
stances it has stood boldly up the Constitution
and declared its readiness and willingness to have
that instrument carried out in good faith, and
instead Of being called sectional or pro slavery
It has well earned the name which history viii
accord to il, as great constitutional party (which
administered the Government with eminent wis
dom and success for many years, and at last fel
before the fierce attacks of fanatics in the differ
ent sections of the Union.-Detroa Free Press