The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-06-26

"3. ResOlced, That the Constitution confers
upon Congress sovereign power over the Terri
| tories of the United States for their govern
ment, 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, Polygamy and Slavery.
81. Resotced, That while the Constitution
| of the United States was ordained and estab-
| hshed by the people in order to form a more
perfect union, establish Justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defence,
| and secure the blessings of liberty and con-
tains ample provisions for the protection of the
| life, liberty 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, Judi-
cial, and Executive officers have been set over
| them, by whose usurped authority, sustained
by the military power Of the Government, tyran-
nical and unconstitutional laws have been en-
| acted and enforced;
I" The rights of the people to keep and bear
arms have been infringed;
"Test oaths of an extraordinary and entan-
Cling nature have been imposed, as a condition
| of exercising 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
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, robberies, and arsons, have been
lnstigated and encouraged, and the offenders
| have been allowed to go unpublished;
| That all these things have been done with
the knowledge, sanction, and procurement 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, apol-
| ogists, and accessories either before or after
the fscts-before the country and before the
world and that it is our fixed purpose to bring
the actual perpetrators of these atrocious out
RACES, and their accOmphces, to a sure and
condign punishment hereafter.
| IS. ReSOired, That Kansas should be imme-
diately admitted as State of the Union, with
her present Free Constitution, as at once the
most etfectual way Of securing to her citizens
the enjoyment of the rights aud privileges to
which they entitled, and Of ending the civil
! strife now raging in her Territory.
80. Resotred, 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 dlshonor upon any Government of people
that gave it their sanction.
~. ReSOtred, That railroad to the Pacific
| Ocean, by the most central and practical route.
Is lmperatlvely demanded by the interests of
the whole country, and that the Federal Gov
eminent ought to render immediate and eff.
Gent and III Its construction, and, as an auxilia-
ry thereto, the immediate construction of an
emigrant route on the line of the railroad
"S. Resotced, That appropriations by Con-
gress Tor the Improvement of rivers and harbors,
OF national character, required for the accom-
mediation and security Of our existing COM
merce, are authorized by the Constitution, and
justified by the obligation Of Government to
protect the lives and property of its citizens.
"9. ResOlred, That we invite the utilization
and cooperation of the men of all parties, how
ever differing from us in other respects, in sup
port of the principles herein declared; and be-
lieving that the spirit of our institutions as well
as the Constitution of our country guarantees
liberty OF conscience and equality of rights
among citizens, we oppose all legislation i'm
pairing their security"
The separate resolutions were read in perfect
silence, and each was received with hearty ap.
plause. That following the resolution con
demning polygamy and Slavery was tremen-
dous.
The last clause of the last resolution read, in
ITS original form, Eve oppose all prOscriptive
legislation effecting their security"
Thaddens Stevens, of PENNSYLVANIA, then
arose, and said Every word of that platform
| can heartily subscribe to, applause, but there
IS one phrase IN 1T which, in my Judgment, will
decide the event of this contest " Will the
gentleman take the PLATFORM" Mr.. Stevens
mounted the platform amid loud cheers /
rose simply TO suggest that there was single
line in this platform which, without finding the
least fault with as it reads, will be misunder-
stood to the fatal prejudice of this party. In
order that we shall carry this Union, we must
carry all who are opposed to the Infamous Ad-
minlstration now IN existence, and beg leave
to suggest will not move the amendment for
| breed no disunion, but TO aid TO heal them
all beg leave to suggest to the Committee
whether anything would be lost, and whether
might not avoid much misconstruction and
much evil, by leaving out the concluding para
graph of that report. L" Good, good, )" Yes,
read, and received with applause.l A cunning
enemy will read that different from its literal
construction. They will read it as a direct as
sault upon the largest party in Pennsylvania.
Applause. 1t contains nothing, when proper
ly understood, but what is right, but it contains
that which will be tortured-will be made to
mean that which will result seriously to modify
this most admirable Of all documents. Yet /
do earnestly request that they may Of their own
voluntary action omit all remark upon this sub
ject, and leave the man to stand upon this plat
form, upon his own position, and the one uni
versal principle of hostility to the Slavery Of
this country. Applause.
A motion to strike out was received with ap-
plause.
An amendment to recommit was made.
Mr.. Spooner, of Ohio, succeeded in obtain
ing the floor He said i say to you, sir, that
if the last resolution be obnoxious to the peo-
pie Of Pennsylvania, that it will not be to the
people of Ohio. | say to you that there is no
prescription on the part of the people of Ohio,
whether they be Native Americans or Repub-
hcans, or go by any other name. l hope that
there will be no prescription against any class
of the people of this country; and, sir, trust,
pray, that this Convention may give an ex.
preston of the kind presented by the Commit
tee; and, sir, l hope that the fatal error will
not here be committed Of recommitting that re-
port with instructions TO strike out this clause
1t will take from us in the West large por-
ton OF our supporters, and give to the Demo
cratic party the entire strength Of that portioE
of our citizens which are referred to by the
resolutions. No true American, breathing the
free air of this country, coming from the blood
that first trod Plymouth Rock, emanating from
New England-no true son Of America can OBJ
ject to the resolution there presented. ["Ques-