Republican platform-1860. (Chicago platform.)

"Resolved that we, the delegated, representatives of the Republican electors of the United States, in convention, assembled in discharge of the duty we owe to our constituents and our country, unite in the following Declarations:

1. That the history of the nation, during the last four years, has fully established the propriety and necessity of the organization and perpetuation of the Republican party, and the causes which called it into existence are permanent in their nature, and now more than ever before demand its peaceful and constitutional triumph.

2. That the maintenance of the principles promulgated in the declaration of Independence and embodied in the Federal constitution “That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed," is essential to the preservation of our Republican institutions; and that the Federal constitution, the rights of the States, and the Union of the States, must and shall be preserved.

3. That to the Union of the States this nation owes its unprecedented increase in population, its surprising development of material resources; its rapid augmentation of wealth, its happiness at home and its honor abroad; and we behold in abhorence all schemes for Disunion, come from whatever source they may; and we congratulate the country that no Republican member of congress has uttered or countenanced the threats of Disunion so often made by democratic members without rebuke, and with applause from their political associates; and we denounce those threats of disunion in case of a popular overthrow of their ascendency, as denying the vital principles of a free government and as an avowal of contemplated treason which it is the imperative duty of an indignant people sternly to rebuke and forever silence.

4. That the maintenance inviolate of the rights of the States, especially the right of each State to order and control its own domestic institutions according to its own judgment exclusively, is essential to that balance of powers on which the perfection and endurance of our political fabric depends; and we denounce the lawless invasion by armed force of the soil of any State or Territory, no matter under what pretext, as among the greatest of crimes.

5. Resolved. That the present Democratic Administration has far exceeded our worst apprehensions, in its measureless subserviency to the exactions of a sectional interest, as especially evinced in its desperate exertions to force the infamous Lecompton constitution upon the protesting people of Kansas; in construing the personal relation between master and servant to involve an unqualified property in persons; in its attempted enforcement everywhere, on land and sea, through the intervention of congress and of the Federal courts of the extreme pretentions of a purely local interest; and in its general and unvarying abuse of the power intrusted to it by a confiding people.

6. That the people justly view with alarm the reckless extravagance which pervades every department of the Federal Government; that a return to rigid economy and accountability is indispensable to arrest the systematic plunder of the public treasury by favored partisans; while the recent startling developments of frauds and corruptions at

the Federal metropolis, show that an entire change of administration, is imperatively demanded.

7. That the new dogma that the constitution, of its own force carries Slavery into any or all of the Territories of the United States is a dangerous political heresy, at variance with the explicit provisions of that instrument itself, with cotemporaneous exposition, and with legislative and judicial precedent; is revolutionary in its tendency and subversive of the peace and harmony of the country.

8. That the normal condition of all the the territory of the United States is that of freedom; that as our Republican Fathers, when they had abolished Slavery in all our national territory ordained that" no person should be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law," it became our duty, by legislation, whenever such legislation is necessary to maintain the provision of the constitution against all attempts to violate it; and we deny the authority of congress, of a territorial legislature, or of any individuals, to give legal existence to Slavery in any Territory of the United States.

9. That we brand the recent reopening of the African Slave-trade, under the cover of our national flag, aided by perversions of our judicial power, as a crime against humanity and a burning shame to our country and age; and we call upon congress to take prompt and efficient measures for the total and final suppression of that execrable traffic.

10. That in the recent vetoes by their Federal Governors, of the acts of the Legislatures of Kansas and Nebraska, prohibiting. Slavery in those Territories, we find a practical illustration of the boasted Democratic principle of non-intervention and popular sovereignty embodied in the Kansas-Nebraska bill and a demonstration of the deception and frauds involved therein.

11. Resolved, that Kansas, should, of right, be immediately admitted a State under the constitution recently formed and adopted by her people, and accepted by the House of Representatives.

12. That, while providing revenue for the support of the General Government by duties upon imposts, sound policy requires such an adjustment of these imposts as to encourage the development of the industrial interests of the whole country, and we commend that policy of national exchanges which secures to the working men liberal wages, to agriculture remunerating prices, to mechanics and manufacturers an adequate reward for their skill, labor, and enterprise, and to the nation commercial prosperity and independence.

13. That we protest against any sale or alienation to others of the Public Lands held by the actual settlers, and against any views of the ✩ Homestead policy which regards the settlers as paupers or suppliants for public bounty; and we demand the passage by congress of the complete and satisfactory Homestead measure which has already passed the House.

14. That the Republican party is opposed to any change in our Naturalization Laws or any State Legislation by which the rights of citizenship hitherto accorded to emigrants from foreign lands shall be abridged or impaired; and in favor of giving a full and efficient protection to the rights of all classes of citizens, whether native or naturalizeed, both at home and abroad.

15. That appropriations by congress for River and Harbor improvements of a national character, required for the accommodation and security of an existing commerce, are authorized by the constitution, and

justified by the obligations of Government to protect the lives and property of its citizens.

16. That a Railroad to the Pacific Ocean is imperatively dem anded by the interest of the whole country that the Federal Government ought to render immediate and efficient aid in its construction, and that as preliminary thereto, a daily overland mail should be promptly estab lished.

17. Finally, having thus set forth our distinctive principles and views we invite the co-operation of all citizens, however differing on other questions, who substantially agree with us in their affirmance and support.

The Constitutional Union convention 1860. Bell for President and Everett for vice President.

Constitutional Union platform - 1860.

Whereas, experience has demonstrated that platforms adopted by the partisan conventions of the country have had the effect to mislead and deceive the people and at the same time to widen the political divisions of the country, by the creation and encouragement of geographical and sectional parties; therefore,

Resolved. That it is both the part of patriotism and of duty to recognize no political principles other than the constitution of the country the Union of the States and the enforcement of the laws and that, as representatives of the constitutional Union, men of the country in national convention assembled, we hereby pledge ourselves to maintain, protect and defend, separately and unitedly, these great principles of public liberty and national safety, against all enemies at home and abroad, believing that thereby peace may once more be restored to the country, the rights of the people and of the States reestablished and the Government again placed in that condition, of justice, fraternity and, equality, which, under the example and constitution of our fathers, has solemnly bound every citizen of the United States to maintain a more perfect Union, to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings, of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

The Democratic National Convention met at Charleston, S, C, April 23, 1860. A rupture took place between the friends of Douglas and the extremists of the South-many of the Southern States withdrew from the convention, adjourned and met at Baltimore June 18, 1860, and nominated Douglas for President and Benj. Fitz-Patrick for VicePresident. Fitz-Patrick declined, and Herschel V. Johnson was nominated afterwards by the National Committee.

The Southerners nominated John C, Breckinridge for President and Gen, Joseph Lane for Vice-President.

DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM,-1860.

1. Resolved, That we, the Democracy of the Union, in Convention assembled, hereby declare our affirmance of the resolutions unanimously adopted and declared as a platform of principles by the Democratic Convention at Cincinnati, in the year 1856, believing that Democratic principles are unchangeable in their nature, when applied to the same subject matters; and we recommend as the only further resolutions the following:

2. Resolved, 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.

3. Resolved, That one of the necessities of the age, in a military, commercial. and postal point of view, is speedy communication between the Atlantic and Pacific States; and the Democratic Party pledge such Constitutional Government aid, as will insure the construction of a railroad to the Pacific coast, at the earliest practicable period.

4. Resolved, That the Democratic party are in favor of the acquisition of the Island of Cuba, on such terms as shall be honorable to ourselves and just to Spain.

5. Resolved, That the enactments of State Legislatures to defeat the faithful execution of the Fugitive Slave Law, are hostile in character, subversive of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect.

BRECKINRIDGE PLATFORM,-1860.

Resolved, That the Platform adopted by the Democratic party at Cincinnati be affirmed, with the following explanatory Resolutions:

First, That the Government of a Territory organized by an act of Congress, is provisional and temporary; and during its existence, all citizens of the United States have an equal right to settle with their property in the Territory without their rights, either of person or property, being destroyed or impaired by Congressional or Territorial Legislation.

Second, That it is the duty of the Federal Government, in all its departments, to protect when necessary the rights of persons and property in the Territories, and wherever else its Constitutional authority extends.

Third, That when the settlers in a Territory having an adequate population form a State Constitution in pursuance of law, the right of sovereignty commences, and, being consummated by admission into the Union, they stand on an equal footing with the people of other States; and the State thus organized ought to be admitted into the Federal Union, whether its Constitution prohibits or recognizes the institution of Slavery.

Fourth, That the Democratic party are in favor of the acquisition of the Island of Cuba, on such terms as shall be honorable to ourselves and just to Spain, at the earliest practicable moment.

Fifth, That the enactments of State Legislatures to defeat the faithful execution of the Fugitive Slave Law, are hostile in character, sub、 versive of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect.

Sixth, That the Democracy of the United States recognize it as the imperative duty of this Government to protect the naturalized citizen in all his rights, whether at home or in foreign lands, to the same extent as its native-born citizens.

Whereas, one of the greatest necessities of the age, in a Political, Commercial, Postal and Military point of view, is a speedy communication between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Democratic party do hereby pledge themselves to use every means in their power to secure the passage of some bill to the extent of the Constitutional authority of Congress for the construction of a Pacific Railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, at the earliest practicable moment.

NATIONAL PLATFORMS OF 1868.

THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

The Democratic Party, in National Convention assembled, reposing its trust in the intelligence, patriotism, and discriminating justice of the people, standing upon the Constitution as the foundation and limitation of the powers of the Government, and the guarantee of the liberties of the citizen; and recognizing the questions of slavery and secession as having been settled for all time to come by the war or the voluntary action of the Southern States in Constitutional Convention assembled, and never to be renewed or reagitated, do with the return of peace demand;

First-Immediate restoration of all the States to their rights in the Union under the Constitution, and of civil government to the American people.

Second Amnesty for all past political offences, and the regulation of the elective franchise in the States by their citizens

Third-Payment of the public debt of the United States as rapidly as practicable; all moneys drawn from the people by taxation, except so much as is requisite for the necessities of the Government, economically administered, being honestly applied to such payment; and where the obligations of the Government, do not expressly state upon their face, or the law under which they were issued does not provide, that they shall be paid in coin, they ought, in right and in justice, to be paid in the lawful money of the United States.

Fourth-Equal taxation of every species of property, according to its real value, including Government bonds and other public securities. Fifth-One currency for the Government and the people, the laborer and the officeholder, the pensioner and the soldier, the producer and the bondholder.

Sixth-Economy in the administration of the Government; the reduction of the standing army and navy; the abolition of the Freedman's · Bureau—and all political instrumentalities designed to secure negro supremacy; simplification of the system, and discontinuance of inquisitorialmodes of assessing and collecting Internal Revenue, so that the burden of taxation may be equalized and lessened; the credit of the