Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-09-03
FOR FREEDOM.
REPUBLICAN, PHATTORa..

1G9yicd By the Republican National C0nUentiOn.
FhiIcdelgkis, June Il, 1856.
This Convention of Delegates, assembled in
pursuance of a call addressed to the people of
the United States, without regard to past politi-
cal differences or divisions, who are opposed to
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise; to the
policy of the present administration; to the ex-
tension of slavery into free territory; in favor of
the admission of Kansas as Free State; of re-
storing the action of the Federal Government to
the principles of Washington and Jefferson; and
for the purpose of presenting candidates for the
offices of President and Vice President, do
l. Resolved, That the maintainance of the
principles promulgated in the Declaration of In.
dependence and embodied in the Federal Consti
tuition, are essential to the preservation of our
/ Republican institutions, and that the Federal
! Constitution, the rights of the States, and the
Union of the States shall be preserved.
3 Resolved, That with our Republican faith
ers we hold it to be self-evident truth that all
men are endowed with the unalienable right to
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and
that the primary object and ulterior design OF
our Federal Government, were to secure those
rights to all persons withing its exclusive juris
dietion; that as our Republican fathers, when
I they had abolished Slavery in all our National
Territory, ordained that no person should be de,
Prived of life, liberty or property, without due
process of law, it becomes our duty to maintain
this provision of the Constitution against all at
temPts 10 violate it for the purpose of establish
ing Slavery in the territories of the United States
by positive legislation, prohibiting its existence
or extension therein. That We deny the author.
: ity of Congress, of Territorial Legislature, Of
any individual or association of individuals, tc
give legal assistance to Slavery in any Territory
of the United States, while the present Constitu-
ton shall be maintained
3. Resolved, That the Constitution confcrs
upon Congress sovereign power over the Terri,
tories of the United States for their government
and that in the exercise of this power it is both
the right and the entire duty of Congress to pro
hibit in the Territories those twin relies of bar
barism-Polygamy and Slavery.
4. Resolved, That while the Constitution Of
the United States was ordained and establish.
ed by the people in order to form more perfect
union, establish justice, insure domestic tran.
guilty, provide forthe common defence, promote
the general welfare, and secure the blessings Of
Liberty and contains ample provisions for the
protection of the life, liberty, and property Of
every citizen, the dearest constitutional rights OF
tI,a ,,oorla Of Eo,sas Lo o hoa,,
violently taken from them;
Their Territory has been invaded by an armed
force;
Spurious and pretended Legislative, Judicial
and Executive officers have been set over them,
by whose usurped authority, sustained by the
military power of he government, tyrannical
and unconstitutional laws have been enacted and
enforced;
The rights of the people tokeep and bear arms
have been infringed;
Test Oaths of an extraordinary and entangling
nature have been imposed as a condition of ex-
ereising the right of suffrage and holding office;
The right of an accused person to a speedy
and public trial by an impartial jury has been
denied;
The right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, papers, and effects, against un-
reasonable searches and captures has been VIC
lated;
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, robberies and arsons, have been in
stigated and encouraged, and the offenders have
been allowed to 60 unPunished;
That all these things have been done with
the knowledge, sanction and procurement of the
present National Administration, and that for
this high crime against the Constitution, the
Union, and humanity. We arraign that Admins
tration, the President, his advisers agents, sup
porters, apologists, and accessories, either be-
fore or after the faSts-before the country and
before the world and that it is our fixed purpose
to bring the actual perpetrators of these atrocous
outrages, and their aecompliees, to a sure and
eondign punishment hereafter.
s. Resolved, That Kansas should be imme-
diately admitted as a State of the Union, with
her present Free Constitution as at once the most
effectual way Of securing to her citizens the en-
joy1nent of the rights and privileges to which
they are entitled, and of ending the civil strife
now raging in her Territory.
6. Resolved, That the highwayman's plea
that might makes right embodied in the Os-
tend Circular, was in every respect unworthy of
American diplomacy, and would bring shame
and dishOnor upon any government or people
who gave it their sanction.
Z. Resolved, That Railroad to the Pacific
Ocean by the most central and practical route is
imperatively demanded by the interests of the
whole country, and that the Federal Government
ought to render immediate and efficient aid in
its construction, and as an auxiliary thereto the
immediate construction of an ernigrant route OF,
the line of the railroad.
g. Resolved, That appropriations by Con
grcss for the improvement of rivers and harbors,
Of national character, are required for the ac-
commodation and security of our existing COM
merce, authorized by the Constitution and iusti-
fed by the obligation of Government to protect
the lives and property of its citizens.
g. Resolved, That we invite the affiliation
and cooperation of men of all parties, however
differing from us in other respects, in support of
the principles herein declared and believing that
the spirit of our institutions as well as the Con-
stitution of our country guarantees liberty of
conscience and equality of rights among eiti-
zens, We oppose all legislation impairing their
security.