Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-08-21
The Peoples Platform.

by the People'ss Convention, which assem-
bled at Philadelphia in June last. Read
it, and contrast it with the Pro-Slavery,
Niger Driving Platform, adopted at Gin.
cinnati:
This Convention of Delegates, assem-
bled in pursuance of call addressed TO
the people of the United States, without
regard to past political differences or df
visions; who are opposed to therepeal Of
the Missouri Compromise; to the policy Of
the present administration; to the extension
of Slavery into free territory; in favor Of
the admission of Kansas as free State; Of
restoring the action of the Federal Govern
ment to the principles of Washington and
Jefferson; and for the purpose of present
ing candidates for the offices of President
and Vice President-do resolve:
Resolved, That the maintenance of the
principles promulgated in the Declaration
of Independence and embodied in the Fed
eral Constitution, are essential 20 the pre-
servation of our republican interests, and
| that the rights of the States must and shall
be preserved.
Resolved, That, with our republican IA
thers, we hold il to be self-evident truth
that all men are endowed with the inalien-
able right of liberty and the pursuit of bap-
piness, and that the primary object and til-
terror design of our Federal Government
were to secure these rights to all persons
under its exclusive jurisdiction; that as
our republican fathers, when they had
abolished slavery in all our national terri
tory, ordered that no person shall be de-
prived of life, liberty, or prosperity, with
out due process of law, it becomes our du-
iy to maintain this provision of their Con-
stitution against all attempts to violate it
for the purpose of establishing slavery in
the Territories of the United States, by
positive Legislation prohibiting its exist
ence or extention therein.
Resolved, That the Constitution confers
upon Congress sovereign power over the
Territories of the United States for their
government. and that in the existence of
this power it is the right and imperative
duty of Congress to prohibit in the Terri
tories those twin relics of slave
ry and polygamy.
Resolved, That while the Constitution
of the United States was ordained by the
people in order to form more perfect un-
ion, and establish Justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common de-
fence, promote the general welfare, and Sc
cure 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 the peo-
pie of Kansas have been fraudulently taken
from them; their territory has been invad-
ed by an armed force; spurious and pre-
tended Legislative, Judicial, and executive
officers have been set over them, by whose
usurped authority, sustained by the militia
ry power of the government, tyranical
and unconstitutional laws have been enact
ed and enforced, the rights of the people
TO keep and bear arms has been infringed,
test-oaths of an extraordinary and entang-
ling nature have been imposed as a condi-
tion of exercising the right of suffrage; 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 Sc
cure in their persons, houses, papers and
effects against unreasonable search and
seizure, has been violated; they have been
deprived of life, liberty and property with
out due process of law; the freedom of
speech and the press has been abridged;
the right to choose their representatives has
been made of no effect; murders, robberies
and arsons have been instigated or encour-
aged, and the offenders have been allowed
to 90 unpunished; that all these things
have been done with the knowledge, sane
ton and procurement of the present ma
tioral administration, and that for this high
crime against the Constitution, the Union,
and humanity, We arraign the administra
ton, the President, his advisers, agents,
apologists and accessories, ei-
ther before or after the fact, before the
country and before the world, and that it
is our fixed purpose to bring the actual
of these atrocious outrages
and their accomplices toa sure and condign
punishment hereafter.
Resolved, That Kansas should be i'm
mediately admitted as free State Of this
Union, with her present free constitution,
as at once the most effectual way of secur-
ing to her citizens the enjoyment of the
rights and privileges to which they are en-
titled, and of ending the civil strife now
raging in the Territory.
Resolved, That the highwayman's plea
that "might makes right" :" embodied in the
Onstead Circular, was in every respect un-
worthy of American diplomacy, and would
bring shame and dishonor upon every gov
ernment or people that gave it their sane
ton.
Resolved, That railroad to the Pacific
Ocean, by the most central and practices
bic route, is imperatiyely demanded by the
interests Of the whole country, and that
the Federal Government ought to render
immediate and efficient aid in its constrlc-
ton, and as an auxiliary thereto to the i'm
mediate construction of au emigrant road
on the line of the railroad.
Resolved, That appropriations by Con-
gress for the improvement of rivers and
harbors of national character, required
for the accommodation and security of an
existing commerce, are authorized by the
C Constitution, and justified by the obliga-
tions of the Government to protect the
lives and property of its citizens.
Resolved, That we invite the af1iliation
and cooperation of the men of all parties,
however differing from us in other respects,
in support of the principles herein decla-
rod ,nd holiayino that the sririt Of orr in