Northern Democratic Party

The Northern Democratic Party was a leg of the Democratic Party during the 1860 presidential election. It was when the party split in two due to problems with slavery. Stephen A. Douglas was the nominee and lost to Abraham Lincoln. They held two conventions before the election, in Charleston and Baltimore, where they established their platform.

Party platform

The Northern Democratic Party declared their support for the policies laid out at the 1856 Democratic convention in Cincinnati. They resolved not to change any of the policies but suggested the additions of resolutions in relation to the nature and extent of the powers of a Territorial Legislature, as well as the powers of Congress over slavery.

• They resolved that the party will obey the decisions of the supreme court on the questions of constitutional law.
• That the United States has a duty to provide protection to all citizens, at home and abroad, whether they are native or foreign.
• That the Democratic party will insure the construction of a railroad to the Pacific coast as soon as possible, to facilitate fast communication between Atlantic and Pacific states,
• That they support the acquisition of Cuba, as long as the terms are agreeably to the United States and Spain.
• That the attempts to defeat the execution of the Fugitive Slave Law, are hostile, undermine the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect.
• That while Territorial Governments are in existence, the measure of restriction imposed by the Federal Constitution on the power of the Territorial Legislature over the subject of the domestic relations shall be respected and enforced by every branch of the General Government.

History

The Northern Democratic Party split from the Southern Democratic Party in 1860, just before the election of President Abraham Lincoln.