The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-04-14
Circular Address,
Of the Territorial Republican Convsntion
.. to tie People Of .afinneso.a:

of March, lSoo, send greeting to their fellow
citizens throughout the Territory. to nil of
whom, as to themselves. they wish health and
prosperity.
We are together to deliberate on subjects vi
tally connected with the common welfare and
decent regard to the opinions and interests of
those who with us are called to Law the founda-
tons and mould the institutions of an Ameri-
can State. prompts the preparation and publi-
| cation of this Address.
The last twelve month has wrought remark
| able political revolution throughout the North
crn States. Old partizan combinations have
| been overthrow and an energetic refOrmatOry
movement has mea urably succeeded in bring
Ing the State Administration back to the con-
troll of those republican principles which fur
nish foundation for the temple of our nation
al liberty and greatness.
| 1t is true the KansasNebraska Act, which
threw open to Slavery an immense region long
consecrated to Freedom by solemn act of the
| government. furnished the immediate occasion
for the sublime demonstrations of popular sent
iment at the last annual elections in the Free
States; but the long continued evil workings
and aggressions OF Slavery had not only pre-
pared the way for this outrage, but had also
prepared the minds of a majority CT Northern
men to take grounds against it. When the Slave
/ Power in addition to all it's previous encrOach-
1
occupied territory as a constitutional right,
that demand proved too much for the over
tasked forbearance of Northern freemen. And
as the Whig leaders had hopelessly shattered
| their party by cndeavoring to harness it into
the support of the odous Fugitive Slave Act.
under the pretense of Saving the Union, ]
so that other party, which VIGOROUSLY swept
over the North at the last Presidential election
has been brought in into a helpless minority by
| Tho of ifo 1aodinu mr. IN ursft il
the policy Of Slavery propagandism, [under
pretense of popular sovereignty."] The thun-
derbolt of an indignant peoples rebuke has
smitten down almost every Northern Repre-
sentative who cast vote for repeating the
Missouri Compromise; and every Northern Sen.
ator chosen for the past year is fully pledged
to carry out the principles of Freedom.
But other causes besides opposition to Slave
ry have helped to bring about this great change.
For a long time national and State politics have
festered with dcep-seated corruptions. Bad
men have borne rule, and the land has mourned
because of them. The elections have been con-
trOlled by the shrewdness of their management;
and thus all the departments of government
have been perverted and made the mere ma
chinery of selfish partizans and greedy office
seekers. In dismissing from public life the men
who had proved subseryient to the behess OF
Slavery the people have summoned into SER
vice men from among themselves-men less
contaminated by contact with public cOrrup-
ton. 1t is no longer proverb that man is
"too good to hold Office" Under the new order
of things reliable integrity is demanded as a
first qualification
operating with the anti slavery sentiment
in producing these results, has been the tenn
perance sentiment. No permanent political re-
form can be hoped for where thousands of grog-
shops in full blast are cOrrupting the morals
and Gebauching the principles of a large portion
of society. Hence there has been natural al
Unity between the friends of Prohibitory Law,
the friends of Civil Liberty and the friends OF
Political reform. A majority of the Northern
States have given their voices in favor of sup
pressing that traffic which is double curse
both to individuals and to society while in
the remaing States it is only matter of time.
The masses of freemen who have separated
from their old party connections and thrown
themselves into this young and vigorous move
ment, have, in several of the States. assumed
the strong name Of Republicans name
which justly associates them with 1.-The cary and
purer days of the country-a name suggestive
of noble independence, and of the true ma
turc of the American government. We believe
the principle which underles their movement
is the same which gave birth to the natiOn-the
same which moulded the very language of the
immortal DeclaratiOn-the same which furnish
es a basis for the Constitution itself-even that
righteous Democratic principle which recogni-
yes the natural and equal rights of all mankind
which constructs and maintains governments
for the maintenance and security OF those rights
and which enacts and enforces laws with con-
tnuous and sacred regard to justice, morality.
political economy and the advancing welfare
of the whole people.
We desire to see party controlling the dcs-
mics of Minnesota which shall firmly take its
stand on such a principle, and which shall en-
body in itself an honest purpose to apply that
principle to all the details and departments of
government. The danger that such party,
once organized and successful, would soon be-
come as corrupt as its predecessors, is not a
valid reason against its organization; for when
ever that degeneracy takes place-whenever
the party abandons its own principles-it will
be the duty of honest men to discard the party
and abide by the principles. The downward
tendency of all political parties makes these
peaceful revolutions necessity; and the only
hope for the salvation of the Republic is in that
selfpreserving instinct which prompts the in
low their leaders, whenever it becomes appa-
rent that those leaders have turned aside from
the path of political virtue.
There are strong reasons why such party
should n0,C be organized in this Territory.
The circumstance that we have as yet no voice
| in the halls Of Congress has not prevented the
old parties from attempting an organization;
but there has as yet been no organization which
looked beyond the success of particular cand-
dates, or beyond party triumphs, and asserted
the great end for which governments should
exist. Our elections have generally been mere
squabbles for petty office, paltry gain, or sec
tional advantages; and each canvass, conducted
without regard to principle-without appeal
to the higher feeling of citizens-has but help
ed to degrade the public sentiment, and rob the
elective franchise of its dignity. Parties we
have had, but they have brought us no bless
ings. Many good laws have been passed. and
some worthy men have been placed in office;
but the general course and methods of legisla-
ton have been narrow, selfish and unworthy
of Christian people; and, in numerous instan-
ces. the robes of office have been dishonOred
and defied by men who sought to aggrandize
themselves at the expense Of those whose trust
they abused.
The extent and strength of the liquor infu-
ence. already alarming, is on the increase. The
positive prohibition of the injurious traffic has
once been commanded by direct vote of the
people; but so long as no party at the ballot.
box insists upon the election of men favorable
to prohibition, we seem destined to 60 unpro-
tected. And while all the States south and
east of us are taking effective measures for clos
ing up their grog-shops, we are peculiarly ex-
posed 10 the Eruption Of class OF settlers
whose presence among US no well-wisher to the
prosperity of Minnesota can desire.
No existing party is doing anything to pre-
pare the public mind for the adoption of State
Constitution which shall be conformed to the
fundamental ideas of Republicanism; nor to