Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-06-26
on the National Executive Commit ee. The
Committee is as follows:

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Maine. Jos. Bartlett; New Hampshire, G
G.. Eogg: Massachusetts, S. T. Goodrich;
Vermont, L. Brainard; Rhode Island, VIM.
NJ, jerks; Connecticut, Gideon Willis; New
York, E. d. Morgan; New Jersey, James ].
| Sherman; Pennsylvania, Thomas Williams;
Delaware, E. D. Williams; Maryland, Geo.
Harris: Virginia, George Rye; Kentucky,
William F. Bailey: Ohio, Thomas Spooner;
Illinois, n B. Judd; InIians, Jas. Richie;
Michigan, Zachary Chandler; Iowa, A. j.
Stevens; Wisconsin, John II. Tweetle; Cal
| ifornia, c. Cole; Minnesota, NJ. S. Wi.kln-
son; Nebraska, II. Shields; District of Co.
| lumbia, L. Clephane.
Hon. David Wilmot, on behalf of the
| Committee ON Resolutions, read the follow
| ing:
The PLATFORM.
This Convention of Delegates, assembled
in pursuance of call addressed TO the peo-
pie of the United States, without regard to
past political differences or divisions, who
are opposed to the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise; to the policy of the present
administration; 10 the extension of slavery
into free territory; in favor of the admission
of Kansas as free Stale: of restoring the
action of the Federal Government to the
principles of Washington and Jefferson; and
| for the purpose of presenting candidates Tor
the offices of President nd Vice-President,
do
Resolre, That the maintenance of the
principle promulgated in the Declaration
of independence. and embodied in the Fed
eral Constitution, are essential to the pres
ervation 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.
Resoired That, with our Republican faith
ers, we hold it to be self-evdent truth that
all men are endowed with the inalienable
right to life, liberty and The pursuit of hap
piness, and that the primary object and ute
ror design of our Federal Government were
to secure these rights to all persons within
its exclusive jurisdiction.
That, as our Republican Fathers, when
they had abolished slavery in all our National
Territory, ordained that no person shall be
deprived Of life, Liberty or property, without
due process of law, it becomes cur duty to
maintain this provision of the Constitution
against all attempts to violate it for the Pur-
pose Of establishing slavery in the United
States by positive legislation prohibiting its
existence or extension therein.
That we deny the authority of Congress
of Territorial Legislature, of any individual
or association Of Individuals TO give legal
existence 10 slavery in any Territory Of the
United States, while the present Constitu-
tion shall be maintained.
Resoiced, That the Constitution confers
upon Congress sovereign power over the
| Territories of the United States, for their
government, and that in the exercise of this
power, it is both the right and the duty of
Congress to prohibit in the Territories those
twin relics of barbarsm, polygamy and
slavery.
Resolred, That while the Constitution OF
the United States was ordained and estab-
lished by the people 'in order TO form a
perfect union, establish justice, insure DO
ncstc tranquility, provide fot the common
defence, promote the general welfare, and
secure the blessings of liberty" and con-
tains ample provisions for the protection of
the life, liberty, and property of every citi-
zen, the dearest constitutional rights or the
people of Kansas have been lraudulently and
violently taken from them;
Their territory has been invaded by all
armed force;
Spurious and pre- ended Legislative, judicial,
them, by whose usurped authority, sustained
by the military power Of the government,
tyrauLical and unconstitutional laws have
been enacted and enforced;
The right of the people to keep and bear
arms has been inlringed; test oaths Of an
extraordinary and entanglng nature have
been imposed as a condition of exercising
the right of suffrage and holling office;
The right Of an accused person TO a speedy
and public tri~l by an imparti-l jury has
been denied;
The right of the people to be secure in
their persons, houses, papers and effects,
gainst unreasonable searches and seizures,
has been violated;
They have been deprived of life, liberty
and property, without due process of law;
That the freedom of speech and of the
press has been abridged;
The right to choose their representatives
has been made Of no effect;
Murders, rubberies and arSons have been
investigated and encouraged, and the offend
ers have been allowed to 60 unpunished;
That all these things have been done with
the knowledge, sanction ami procurement
of the present adminis'ra ion, and that for
this high crime agains: the Constitution, the
Union and humanity, we arraign that admin
istraton, the President, his advisers, agents
supporters, apologists and accessories, either
before or after the fact, before the country
and before the world. and that it is our fixed
purpose to bring the actual perpetrators of
these atroLious outrages, and their accom-
plices, to a sure and condign punishment
hereafter.
Resolved, That Kansas should be immedi-
ately admitted as State of the Union, with
her present free Constitution, al at once the
most efiectual way of securing to her citizens
the enjoyment of :hc rights and privileges to
which they are entitled, and of ending the
civil strife now raging in her territory.
Resolved, That the hig ighwayman's plea
that might makes right, embodied in the
Ostend circular, was in every respect unwor-
thy OF American diplomacy and would bring
shame and dishonor upon any Government
or people that give it their sanction.
Resolved, That railrord to the Pacific
o:eun, by the most central practicable route,
is im2aratively demanded by the interests of
the whole country, and that the federal gov
ernment ought to render immediate and
efficient aid in it's construction, and as an
auxiliary thereto, to the immediate constrnc-
ton, of an emigrani road on the line OF the
railroad.