The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-09-27

pear Vi INC DidCh LdWsJ Us III OnlO, VIII De the
ralying cry of the real friends of Freedom.
The following is the platform
The chairman of the committee on a plat
form reported, through Colonel Lane, the fol-
lowing resolutions, stating at the same time
that twelve out of thirteen had agreed upon
their adoption, and pledged to each other their
undivided support:
Whereas the Free State party of the Terri
tory OF Kansas is about to originate an organi-
cation for concert of political action in electing
our own officers and moulding our institutions
and whereas it is expedient and necessary that
a platform of principles be adopted and pro-
claimed, to make known the character of our
organization, and to test the qualifications of
candidates and the fidelity of our members /:
and whereas we find ourselves in an unparal-
leled and critical condition, deprived by supe-
rior force of the rights guaranteed by the Dec
laration of Independence, the Constitution of
the United States, and the Kansas Bill and
whereas the great and overshadowing question,
whether Kansas shall become a free or slave
State must inevitably absorb all other issues,
except those inseparably connected with it and
whereas the crisis demands the concerted and
harmonious action Of all those who, from prin-
ciple or interest prefer free labor to slave la
Dor, as well as of those who value the preser-
walton of the Union and the guarantees of re-
publican institutions by the Constitution; there
fore,
Resolred, That, setting aside all minor issues
of partisan politics, it is incumbent upon us to
proffer an organization calculated to recover
our dearest rights, and into which Democrats
and Wings, natives and naturalized citizens,
may freely enter, without any sacrifice of their
respective political creeds, but without forcing
them as a test upon others; and that when
we shall have achieved our political freedom
indicated our rights Of selfgovernment, and
become an independent State of the Union,
when those issues may become vital as they are
now dormant, it will be time enough TO divide
our organization by these tests, the Importance
of which we fully recognise in their appropriate
sphere.
Resolced, That we will oppose and resist all
nonresident voters at our polls, whether from
Missouri or elsewhere, as gross violation Of
our rights, and a virtual Acknowledgement of
our citizens.
Resotced, That our true interests, socially,
morally, and pecuniarily, require that Kansas
should be a free State; that free labor will best
promote the happiness, the rapid population
the prosperity, and the wealth of our people ;
that slave labor is curse to the master and
the community, if not to the slave; that our
country is unsuited to it, and that we will de-
vote our energies as a party to exclude the in
stitution, and to secure for Kansas the Consti
tuition of free State.
ResolUed, That, in so doing, we will consent
to any fair and reasonable provision in regard
to the slaves already in the Territory, which
shall protect the masters against injustice and
total loss.
Resoloed, That it is the opinion of this Con-
ventiOn, that the admission Of free negroes, or
mulattoes, into the Territory or future State of
Kansas, will be productive of evil among the
people of Kansas, and dangerous to the nsttu-
tons of our sister State; and that we will OPP
pose their admission into the Territory or fu-
ture State of Kansas, now and forever.
ResolUed, That the stale and ridiculous charge
of Abolitonism, so industriously imputed to the
Free State party, and SO pertinaciously adhered
to, in spite of all the evidence to the contrary,
is without shadow of truth to support it /; and
that it is not more apparent to ourselves than
it is to our opponents, who use it as term of
reproach, to bring odium upon US, pretending
to believe in its truth, and hoping to Brighten
from our ranks the weak and tmid, who are
more willing to desert their principles than
they are to stand up under persecution and
abuse with consciousness of right.
ResOlred, That we will discountenance and
denounce any attempt to encroach upon the
constitutional rights Of the people of any State,
or to interfere with their slaves, conceding to
their citizens the right to regulate their own
institutions, and to hold and recover their
slaves, without any molestation or obstruction
from the people of Kansas.
The report was received with three hearty
cheers, and was adopted by reclamation.
The committee on legislative matters report
series of resolutions, recapitulating the out
RACES Of the body claiming to be the Legisa-
ture of Kansas--their election by inhabitants
of Missouri, in violation of the laws and Consti
tuition; the insults and outrages by which the
real citizens of the Territory were driven from
the polls; the INSCRIPTIONS usurpaton and
tyranny of the so called Legislature, in the en-
actment of laws at war with every principle of
civil rights their granting the right Of suffrage
to any man who pays dollar for the privilege,
no matter whether an inhabitant of the Terri
tory or not their making it felony to avow
sentiments opposed to Slavery, although three
fourths of the inhabitants are known to be OPP
posed to the institution-these outrages upon
the rights of American citizens are declared to
justify resistance to the piratical regulations of
the pretended Legislature. They further re-
olive
That we will resist them primarily by every
peaceabe aud legal means within our power, un-
til we can elect our own Representatives, and
sweep them from the statute book and that, as
the majority of our Supreme Court have so far
forgotten their official duty, have so far cast of
the honor of the lawyer and the dignity of the
judge, as to enter, clothed with the judicial er.
mine, into partisan contest, and, by an extra
judicial decision, given opinions in violation of
all propriety, have prejudged our cause before
we could be heard, and have pledged themselves
to these outlaws in advance, to decide in their
favor, we will therefore take measures to carry
the question of the validity of these laws to
higher tribunal, where judges are unpledged
and Observation-Disclosures the law will be ad-
ministered in its purity, and where we can at
least have the hearing before the decision.
Resolued, That we will endure and submit to
these laws no longer than the best interests of
the Territory require, as the least of two evils,
and will resist them to bloody issue as soon
as we ascertain that peaceabe remedies shall
fail, and forcible resistance shall furnish any
reasonable prospect of success; and that in the
mean time we recommend to our friends through
out the Territory the organization and disc-
pline of volunteer companies, and the procure
ment and preparation of arms.
Resolred, That We cannot, and will not, quiet
ly submit to surrender our great American
birthright the elective franchise ; which, first
by violence, and then by chicanery, arti6ce,
weak and wicked legislation, they have SO eff:
fectualy accomplished, to deprive US Of, and
that we with scorn repudiate the ELECTION
Law" so called, and will not meet with them
on the day they have appointed for the elec-
ton, but will ourselves fix upon day for the
purpose OF electng Delegate to Congress.
Several motions were made to amend. but
the report was finally adopted, with but one dis
xyofo