Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-04-15
Platform of the German Liberalists o(
Ohio
CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS.

| " y " Jiu VIC SouehtubUh W VIZ 0uttco
States OF America to be the beat Of any
country; bnt we think it neither perfect
nor past improving. We deem, especi.
ally, the following amendments and addi-
lions, which may be equally pro6tably
embraced in the Constitution Of each
State, to be The most adequate and reasona-
bic means to check the general corrup>
tion .H .p
l. All elections to Offices must be made
directly by the people. m1
Q. The people have the power to recall
every representative, as soon as he mis-.
represents his constituents.
. SLAVERY oUEsTIos.
All men are born equal and free. Ad.
herring to that principle. we shall oppose
any further extension Of the slave terri.
tory, and advocate final aboliiion Of ne.
gro slavery. For the present We deem
the following points essential:
l. Exclusion of slavery from al new
territories. ag
| Q. Repeal Of the Fugitive Slave Law.
which we consider unconstitutional and
inhuman.
II LAND REf0Rm,
The public lands are the properly OF
the people. They are not to be sold, nor
given away to corporations or single
States. But we are in favor Of giving
them freely to real settlers, without dis.
tinction of color, and not only to citizens,
but also TO those who have declared their
intention to become citizens. But in or.
der that the object hereby intended can
be gained, it will be necessary 10 assist
door settlers from the national treasury
in making their first outlays. We deem
the accumulation of landed property in
the hands of individuals 10 be dangerous
. to the republic, and we shall call, there.
fore, on our legislators to limit the accu.
T. mutation by fixing maximum. us
}. IMMIGRATION. =
II The question of immigration is Of such
. importance, thai i, must be made nation.
9 al question. A department for colonixa-
. :, ton and immigration ought to be created.
|" FOREIGN RELATIONS,
The principle of liberty and that of
IS IS despotism are so thoroughly opposed, that
II they cannot for any length of time exist
10 together, without the one striving to an.
initiate the other. as the security of one
!" can be established only by the destruction
l. of the other. The law of self-preserva.
ton, therefore, makes it incumbent upon
u the Union to abandon the policy of neu
y ,rali,y, which was we'll enough in days
j., gone by, and to lake that position among
IL the powers of the earth, to which the
United States are destined. in the interest
: of humanity. Persons who have declared
their intention to become citizens of the
United States, are to be protected in their
IN rights equally with those that are already
o. citlzens. and the more especially as they
A have forfeited. by the declaration Of their
intention to become citizens, the protec-
ye ton of their former sovereigns. In ma
ou nv cases such persons have become, By
'u that very declaration, offenders against
their former despotic masters. b.
[y POSTAL AFFAIRS.
~ We deem the utmost possible reduction
l of postage Of letters, and the frea trans.
mission of newspapers and pamphlets
ID, through the post Office. important means
as to facilitate The education Of the people,
rd Especially do we desire aperfect guaran.
a. ty for the safe transmission Of letters thro'
the mails. RI
ADMINISTRATION QUESTION. ha
%. We are in favor of reduction Of all
,st excessive salaries of public officers, fol
vat the abolishment Of fees by the uniform
20, introduction of fixed salaries; as only BY
IF those means car the dangerous Office.
10. hunting aid corruption be effectually sbol
10. ished. We also desire the abrogatioD oi
I'M all unnecessary Offices, which are merely
X. bur,hen to the people.
,re INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. it.s
ho We consider i, self.evident that all pub.
lie works in which not merely town
city or State, but the whole nation an
interested, ought to be erected at the ma
- tional expense; we deem the railroad Il
o. the Pacific o be a work Of this kind. Il
re RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS. sag
~. The Constitution guarantees US liberty
all Of conscience. We therefore demant
is perfec, liberty Of faith, and disbelief ant
IN perfect legal equalization of the same
ar although we deem religion an exclusively
'e. private affoir; we deem it, on the othel
as hand. our duty to oppose the power Of tha
oe Church, Whenever the same may inter
j fere with the politics ane the rights Of il.
dividuals. We demand, therefore,
ifl l. Abrogation Of the Sunday laws, ,ctas
ia1l 81 Abrogaton Of Thanksgiving days.
We Q. Abrogation Of public prayersin Con.
III g:ess md the Legislatures. a'tl
e' 4. Exclusion Of the Bible and othsr -
lex .ious sectarisn books from the Ere,
lev Schools. ia'
led S. Repeal Of every law whichdisqual'
his ifes individual citizens on account Of thsi
On. religious or irreligious opinions from giv
in ing testimony in the Courts o. holdinl
lpublic Offices 's'