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Resolutions Of The Democratic National Convention

Resolutions Of The Democratic National Convention image
Parent Issue
Day
16
Month
June
Year
1848
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Resolved, Tlwt iba American democrncy p!nct' their trust in tilo intelliganee, thp pntriotiím, mid tho discriminnting juttice oí' ilie American peopln. Resolved, 'J'lmt we regard this ns n distinclive fenture of our politicnl creed, vvhicll we nre proud to mtiintnin befare the world, ns ilie prent moral element n n forra of governinent, springing f rom nnd upheld by the popular will - nud we contrast it witli t he creed nnd practice of federnlism, under whntéver mime or forra, which seeks to pnlsy tho will of t lio constituent, nnd which conceivcs no impostnre too monstrnus for the populnr credulity. Resolved, thereforc, Thnt, entertaining tliese views, tlie democratie party ofthis ünion, through their delefínt(!S assemhled in n general convention of States, coming together ia ti spirit of concord, of devotion to the doctrine (ind fnith of n fií'e representntive governirient, nnd nppcnling to their fellow citizeni for the rectitud e of their intentions, renew nnd re-nssert, befóte tho Aniericnn peoolr, tlie declitrnlions of principies nvowed by tliem, whrn, on H somier occasion, in general convention, they presoi.ted their candidatos for the popular snftrngfs : 1. Thnt the federal governmentia one of liniited powers, derived Bolely from the constitution, and tlie gnints of power shown tlierein ougbt to be slrictly construed by the depnrtnients and ngentsof the government; nnd thnt it is inexpedient nnd dangerbue to exercise doubtful constitutionnl powers. 2. Thnt the constitulion does not confer upon the general government the power to commence and carry on a general system of internnl improvemeiits. 3. Thnt the constituton does not confer niithority upon the general government directly or indirectly to nssume the debts of the severa! States, contracted for local internnl iinproveinents, orother stnte pnrposes; nor would such assumption be just and expedient. 4. Thiit justice and sound policy forbid the general governinent to foster ono brancfa of industry to the detriment of nnother, or to cherish tho interests of oue portion to the injury of BDOther portion of ourcominon country ; that every citizen, and every section of the country, hns a right to üeimind and insist npon an equality of right.s and privileges, nnd to complete nn ampie protection of persons and pi'operty from domestic violence or foreign aggression. 5. That it. is tho duty of every brnnch of the government to enforco and practico the most rigid economy in conductingonr public affaire, and that po more revenue ought to be raised than is required to defray tlie necessary expenses of the government, and l'ur the gradual but certain extinction of the debt created by the prosecution of a just and necessary war, after peaceful relations shull havo been restored. 6. That Congress has no power to charter a nntional bank ; that we belif vo such an institution ono of deadly hostilty to the best interests of the country, dangerous to our repnblican institutions nnd the liberties of the people, and calculated to place the business of the country within the control of a cnncentrated money power, nnd iibovts the luws and the will of the people : and that the result of democrat'c legisliition, in this and all other finsncial measures, upnn which issvies have been minie btween the política I paaties of the country, have demonstrat d to candid and practical men of all parties, their sonndness, snfety and utility in all business pursuits. 7 That Congress hns no power uniier tho constitution to interfere wirh or control the domastic nstitutions of tho severnl States, and that such States are the sole and proper judges of everything ippertaining to tlieir own atTairs, not prohibifed bv the constitution ; tliat II efforts of the abolitionists or others made to induce Congress to interfere uith questions of sliivery. or to take incipient steps n relation thereto tire calculated to lemi to the most iilnrming and dnngeroue consoquencea; and that all such etforts have nn nevitnbïfl tendenoy to diininish the happuicsa of tho people, aud endangor the stability and permanence of the Union, and ought not to be countenflnced by any of our jiolitichI m!: 'Hui -. 8. That the separation of the moneys of the governinent frota banking institutions is indispensable ;or the safoty of the funds of the government and the rights of the peopl.-. Resolved, That we are deeidedly opposed to taing froiD the President the qualin'ed veto power, jy whicl] he is enabled, undpr restrictions and reeponsibilitieá, amply sufficient to guard tlie public interest, to suspend the passage of a bilí whose irierits cannot secure the approval of two-thirds of the Senate nnd House of Representaiives, until the judgnvMit of the people can be obtainod thereon, and which has saved the American people frnin the corrupt and tyrannical domination of the Bank of the United States, and f rom a corrupting system of enpml infernal improvements. Kesolved, llnit the war with Mexico, provnked on her part, by ycars of insult and injury, was conimenced by her party crossing the Rio Grande, attacking the American troops, and invading our sister State of Texas, - and that upon nll the principies of patriotisin and the laws of nations, it is a just and necessary war on our part, in which every Americnn citizen should have shown himself on th" side of his country, and neither inorally nor physically, by word or deed, have givon " aid and comfort to the enoiny." Resolved, That we would bc rejoiced at tlie assurances of a penen with Mexico, fonnded on the ust principies of indemnify for the past and security for the future : but that white the ratifiration of the liberal trraty offered to Mexico remains in doubt, it is the duty of ihc country to sustain the administration in every moasure necessary to provide for the vignrous prosecution of the war, should that treaty bo rejected. Resolved, That tlie officers and soldiers who llave canied the nrms of their country into Mexico, have crowned it with imperishable glory. Thei," unconquerable courage, their daring enterprise, their unfaltering perseverance and fortitude when assailed on all sides by innumerable toes, and that more formidable enemy - the diseases of the olimate - pxalt their devoted patriotism into the highest heroism, and give them a right to the profound grntitudc of their country and the adiniration of the world. Resolved, Tlmt in the ïecent development of this grnnd politicul truth, o f I he sovereijnty of the people and their capacity and power for self government, which is prostrnting tlirones nnd erecting republics on tlie ruinsof despotism in the oíd world, we feel thnt a high and siiered tluty is devolved, with incrensed responsibility, upon tíio democratie party of this couutry, ns the party of the people, to sustain an advance itinong us constitutionnl libei'ty, equality and frnternify, by continuing to resist all monopolies nnd exclusive legislntioQ for the benefit of tlie few at the expense of the man}", and by a vigilant and constant iidhernnce to these principies nnd compromisos of the constitution which are broad enough nnd strong enough to embrace and uphold the Union ns it was, the Union as it is, nnd the Union as it shall be in the full expansión of the energies nnd capneity of this great and progressive people. The lnngunge of nll political partios, undera Repablir.RH form of government is the same - n " trust in tho inielligence, the patriotism, and the discriminating justice of the people. Of this thcy are uil equnlly and jusily " proud." Uut did we, could wo, for one moment supposo the nbovo resolutions of the recent Democratie Nntional Convention to be the voice of tho Amoricnn people, we would say it should, instoad of a sentiment of pride, inspire one of sljame and rogret. - Howover, it is not truo. These resohitinns are not even true to the sentiments of the party for whicli they profess to spenk', notwithstanding the hvpoCritical profession thnt. the Convenlion assombled n a " spirit of concord, and devotion to the doctrine and fnith of a free reprosentative government." The lst, 2d, 3d, nnd 7th articles of the thinl reolution, reduce the power of tho Constitution of the United States to a merely nominal thing. Whereas the Federal Government iias nmost elllcientcapflcity nndfr tlint itistrnmout, :itiu Influance md power, exerted is its framers designod tfeey should be, nnd ns ita own truo meaning doiiiMmls, would speedily correct the mmiifold cvils whiuü hva nriacn from n perversión iind wrong conEtruetion of ït, by llioso to whom luis bec!j dclegated !!,■; power to appl; it. The 4th nrlicle of i-his resolution is mokl ew.allont, eepnrntcly considered, nnd ia tlio (uguate o( truc Pemocrncy. Howrver, it f contraiüctod in the 7th (irticle, of which we pro[)oi() 10 i'.it 'r'ic at some fnturn liirn-. Wniving t'ne quostion contuioed in thü C(h ni.i 8th nrticlt'S of the third ïcsolütiori, whrtlur Congiess h.is power under the Cuiistitution to cliarter il balft'or n nny way control the moneys of t'nn goveromont, and a rrcommentlntion of the veto power in the 5th reaolution mnounting to nlmost au nl).olute Monnrchy. Tba th, 7th and 8tli resolutions plucn tlie wnr with Mexico nttlOOg the just and ri};hteous ncts of the nation, nnd crown the nctors therein with " imperishable gloi-y," nnd disapprovo of any eiïbrt by nu American citizen giving aiJ or comfort " physicnlly or tnornlly, by word or deed," to nn nnfortunnte fellow belng. sliould lie chance to be an enemy, or in ofher words, a Mexican. Tho expression of this unchristian sentiment seenis to havo been eniirely uncalled for in these resolutionsi and appears tous to be tho spontaneous fruits of tho doctrine of oppression. It irquires but a single glance at the proceedings of this Convention, to arrive at the conclusión thnt its deliberations and decisions wero entirely controled by sin re power. The prominent actors therein and the leading mensure?, indeed the whole tnachinery of the Convention was carried on by the slavo States. Nortbprn members who acted nt all, did so in pubserviency to the Soutli nnd slaveholding inflnencp, nnd yet the southern States are not sntisfied with the nominntions, ns will bo dicovered by noticing whnt their presses sny of them. or of the nomination for the Prpsidency particulnrly. We think we nevrr saw move palpable contradicflons in the snme spnce thim aro embodied in tfieso resolutions. After hnving, (in several nrticlos of iIjr third resnhition fo wliich we hnve nlluded above) deprived the Constitution of almnstall itslejitimntp power, the 9tli ronders a " vigilant adherence to it principies nnd conijironiises strong enouh nnd broad enona;h" to austain this lTnion andforever. We shall, from time to time, give extracta from the Democratie presses who repudíate the nominations of the Baltimore Convention, which will define the position relative to the " spirit of concord and harmony" which prevnils throughout the ranks of the party. Success to the New York Doinocrnry who wo'd not compromise piinciplt! tn party interest, and voto for Siavpry and its demands. soutterly inconsistent with the spirit and principies of Rppnblicanism.