Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-06-25
RrpuaIrcAN PLATFORM.


This Convention of delegates assembled in
pursuance of call addressed to the people of
the United States without regard to past polit-
ical differences or divisions, who are opposed
to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise to
the policy of the present administrations. to
the extension of slavery in free territory in
favor of the admission Of Kansas as afree State;
of restraining the action of the federal govern
ment to the principles of Washington and JEFF
ferson, and for the purpose of presenting can
didates for the offices of President and Vice
President; do
Resolve, That the maintenance of the prin-
ciples promulgated in the Declaration ofInde-
pendence and embodied in the Federal Con-
stitution, are essential to the preservation of
our Republican institutions, and that the Fed
eral Constitution, the rights OF the States,
and ssthe Union of the States must and shall
be preserved
Resolved, That with our Republican fathers
we hold it to be self-evident truth, that ssali
men are endowed with the inalienable right to
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"
and that the primary object and Interior de-
sign of our Federal government were to secure
these rights to all persons within its s.exclu-
sive jurisdiction That, as our Republican
fathers, when they had abolished Slavery in
all our National territory, ordained that emo
person shall be deprived of life, liberty or
property without due process of law it be-
comes our duty to maintain this provision of
the Constitution against all attempts to vio
late il for the purpose 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 as
sociation of individuals to give legal existence
to Slavery in any territory ofthe United States
while the present Constitution shall be main
tanned.
Resolved, That the Constitution confers on
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
barbarism, Poygamy and Slavery.
Resolved, That while the Constitution of
the United States was ordained and establish
ed by the people, in order to form more per-
feet union, establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty; and it contains ample
provisions for the protection of the life, hber
ty, and property of every citizen, the dearest
constitutional rights of the people of Kansas
have been fraudulently and 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, whose usurped au-
thority has been sustained by the military
power OF the government, tyrannical and un-
constitutional laws have been enacted and en-
forced, the rights of the people to keep and
bear arms have been infringed upon, st-oaths
of extraordinary and entangling nature
have been imposed as a condition of exerci-
sing the right of suffrage and holding Office,
the right of an accused person to 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 unreasonable searches and seizures,
has been violated; they have been deprived
of life, liberty and property, without due pro-
cess 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, murder, roberies and arson have
been instigated and encouraged, and the Of
tenders have been allowed to go unpunished
that all these things have been done with the
knowledge sanction and procurement OF the
present administration, and that for this high
crime against the Constitution, the Union
and humanity, we arraign that administration,
the President, his advisers, agents, supporters,
apologists and accessories, either before or af-
ter the facts, before the country and before
the world and that it is our fixed purpose to
bring the actual perpetrators of these atroci-
GUS outrages and their aecomplices TO a sure
and condign punishment hereafter.
Resolved, That Kansas should be immedi- |
ately admitted State OF the Union, with |
the present Free Constitution, as at once the |
most effectuai way of securing to her citizens
the enjoyment or the rights and privileges to |
which they are entitled, and OF ending the civ |
il strife now raging in her territory.
Resolved, That the highwayman's plea. that |
might makes right. embodied in the Ostend |
Circular, was in every respect unworthy of |
American diplomacy, and would bring shame |
and dishonor upon any people or government |
that gave it their sanction.
Resolved, That railroad to the Pacific /
ocean, by the most practicable route, is imper-
atively demanded by the interests of the whole |
country, and that the Federal Government
ought TO render immediate aid to its construc-
tion; and, as an auxiliary thereto, to the i'm /
mediate construction of an emigrant road on |