Demoine courier., 1856-03-20
The AggreSsi0ns and USurpatiOnS OF
the Slave Power.
Declaration of The Principles and Par
poses Of TIE Republican Party.
ADDRESS OF II REPUBLICAN, CoNvEN
TioN, AT P%IrTsBuRG, EEL %, 1886.

10 me people 81 ne CHtteG otdteS:
Having met in Contention at the city
Of Puisburg, in the State Of Psnnsylva
MIA, this 22d day Of Feb, 1856, as The
representatives OF the people in various
sections Of ibe Union, TO consul, upon
the political evils, by which the country
is menaced and The political action by
which those evils may be averted, we
address TO you This Declaration of our
Principles and tie purposes which we
seek 10 promote. 81, .rf
We declare, in the first place, our
fixed and IN alerabie devotion to The
constitution OF the United S,ates-io the
ends for which il was established, and TO
the meanss~hich II provided for their al
ainmen,. We accep. The solemn pro-
leslalion Of The people Of the United
States ,ha, they ordained il, 'in order to
for IN a mole perfect Union, establish jus
lice. ensure domestic tranquility, provide
tor the common 4efense, promote, the
general welfare. and secure the blessings
Of liberty To- themselves and their pos
lerily.' W. believe tina, the powers
which II co fers upon the government,
nf The United States are ample tor The
accomplish en Of these objects; and
.hatlf these powers are exercised in the
spirit Of The Constitution itself. they can
not lead to any Other result. We respec'
hose great rights which the Constitution
declares TO be inyiolable, Freedom OF
Speech and Of the Press, the free exer-
else Of Religious Belief and the right Of
The people peaceably TO assemble and TO
petition Government Tor a Redress oil
Grievances. We would preserve those
grea, safeguards Of civil freedom, the
ha6eds corpus, The righ.of trial BY jury,
and The righ. Of personal liberty unless
| deprived thereof by crime by due process
Of law. We declare our purpose 10 o.
hey. in all things. The requirements Of The
| constitution and Of the laws enacted in
pursuance thereof. We cherish a pro.
found reverence for the wise and patii-
olic men by whom il was framed, a live
" sense OF the blessings il has conferred
upon our country and mankind through
ou. the world. In every crisis Of dill
Guilty and Of danger, we shall invoke its
spiri, and proclaim The supremacy Of its
authority.
In the next place, we declare our al.
dentand unshaken attachment TO this D.
Mon Of American States, which The con-
s.i.u,ion created and has thus far pre-
served. We receive itas tho purchase
Of the blood of our forefathers, as the
condition of our national renown, and az
a guardian and guarantee Of TIA. liberty
which the constitution was designed &c
secure. We will defend and pro,ec. il
against all i,s enemies. We viii recog-
nize no geographical divisions. no loca
interests |, no narrow OF ssc,ional preju
dices, in our sndeayor to preserve the
Union Of the States againss foreign az
pression ard domestic strife. What VIZ
claim Tor ourselves we claim for all
The rights. privileges and liberties which
we demand as orr inheritance, We con
cede az their inheritance to all citizens o
this Republic.
Holding these opinions, and animated
by these attachments, we declare on
conviction that the Government Of tn,
United States 10 not administered in &C,
curdance with the constitution, or fol
the preservation and prosperity of tn
American Union-but that its powers ar
welded for the promotion Of the erten
sion IF the interest Of Slavery. in direc
hostility 70 the letter and spiritof th'
Constitution, in flagrant disregard Of 9th
or greasinterests Of the country. end il
opsn consemps of abe public ssntimen
Of the American principle and OF tn
Christian world. We proclaim our b