Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-07-03
Union STATE PLATFORM.

+
THIS Convention of Delegates, representa-
the Freemen of Pennsylvania, opposed to the
leading measures of the late National Admin
istration, and The continuance Of tile sam. de-
structive policy clearly foresbadowed BIZ the
acts and declarations OF tile administration isl
ntagurated, do
Res7lrs, That the maintenance Of thc ,s. IL
pies promulgated ia the Declaration of Iu..
pendetce, and embodied in the Federal Con-
Stitition, is essential to the preset yation of
| our Republican institutions; that the Federal
Constitution, the liberties of the people, the
sovereign rights of the States, and the Enioa
Of the States. must and shall be presery,d
Resolred, That with our Republican fathers.
We hold it to be a self-eyident t.9th, that eli
men are created equal; that thes are endowed
by their Creator with certain na1 a6le rights:
that among these ale life, liberty aud the put-
! suit Of happiness; that 10 secsre these rights.
governments are instituted among men; and
that theprnary duty and object of our FEEDER
4 al Government is tn secure these rights IL all
persons underits exclusive jurisdiction, Thai.
us our Republican fathers abolished Slavery in
1 all the national territory, and ordained in the
| Constitution that 10 person shall be deprived
OF life, liberty or property, without due process
Of law, it becomes our duty 10 nailitain this
/ provision Of the Constitution against all at
| tempts to violate il, for the purpose of estab-
! lishing Slavery in the territories of the United
Z
| grcss Of the Supreme Court, Of Territorial
Legislature, Of any individual or association OF
| individuals, TO give legal existence to Slavery
| in any territory Of the United States, while the
| Constitution shall be maintained
| Resalred, Thatth Constitution coniers upon
| Congress sovereign power over the Territories
! of the Ulited States, for .lieir government;
power nj. controyerted for the first sixty years
of our ,.ionaI existence, but exercised by the
general concurrence of all departments of the
Government. through every Administration
from WASHINGTON To PoLK; aud that in the ex-
ercise Of this unquestionable power, il is the
duty of Congress 10 prohibit in the Territories,
those twin relics Of barbarism, polrganly and
Slavery.
Resolred THAg WE ARE YET f RE- EuyS. and that
while We retain the inestimable rights of Free
men, secured 10 us by the sacrifices. sufftrings
and blood of our Revolutionary fathers we will
not submit 10 hayea Hcw Constitution imposed
upon by the extra. judicial opinions of Jud-
ges of the Supreme Corrt--opinious snbyersiys
of the rights OF humtn nainre--in conflict with
the truth of history, with the unbrokcn action
of the government and the law Of the land. AZ
heretofore pronounced BIZ The Federal Iudicia-
rv, aAi the Courts OF nearly every State In th,
American Union.
Resoired, That the recent opinions of the ma
iority of the Judges of the Supreme Court, IN
a case over which they decided the Cont had
no jurisdiction, and, therefore, no authority to
| pronounce the law arising therein is but auoL
| Iher step in cGnsammatiUIs of that cor snjr.ey
against our free Institutions, which had its fTl-
crption in the repeal of the Missouri Comprss-
nse that il is th" direct result OF the late tri-
unlph of the Slave Power in tilt. election of ia
candidate, JAMES BUCHANAN, 10 the Presidency
and unless promptly rebiked by the people at
the ballot-box, may be followed ly other usur-
patiuns fatal 10 the independence Of the Free
Sfafts and flat. liberties f,ff ~,
Resolred, That the constitutional rights of the,
people oil Kansas have been irandenty and yio-
lenTly taken from them. Their teFritor,. has
been invaded by armed force; spurious and
pretended legislative. Judicial and executive
officers have been set over thcIr by whose usrr-
ped authority, Sustained by the military power
| ot the Feleru Government, tyrannical NJ Il ur-
c Institutional laws have been enact,d and en-
forced the right OF the people to keep aud
| bear arms has been ipfringcd test oaths OF an
extraordinary and entangling nature have been
imposed as condition of exercising the right
al suffrage and holding Office; the right of an
accused person to aspeedy ani pubic trial by
! an iInpSrtlai jury has been denied; ael and
unusual pe.hishments have been inflicted upon
the innocent, while murders, robberies aud ar
sons have been iustgated and en- couragcd, and
/ the offenders have been allowed to go unpun-
I lshod; the right of the people to he secure in
therr persons. houses, papers and effect against
| unreasonable searches and seizures. has been
/ violated; they have been deprived Of life. lib
! erty and property without due process OF law;
1 the freedom of speech and of the press has
/ been abridged; the right 10 choose their repre-
Seftativcs has been made of no effect: That all
! these things have been done with the know
/ ledge, sanction and procurement of the Fed
I eras Government, in violation OF the painest
/ mandates of the Constitution; That the usur-
patton by wiliciIa spurious Legislature was i'm
| posed upon Kansas, and its people subjected
10 code of laws unparael Il for cruelty ia the
history of civilized nations is still ia fun force
end the people denied the right peacefully
to assemble aud petitio: fora redress OF griey-
/ anccs; the National Executive has permitted
! two Governors of his appointment TO be driv-
! he Territory under fear of assassina
tion, and has not dared To exert its power for
! their protection against the lawless alnons, OF
\ Slave. :. while Judicial monsters and faen wless
hfnds are red with innocent blood, are retained
| IN Office. 10 carry the work of subjccting
free territory to the cause of Slavery. Kansas
has been denied admission gnder u free consti-
tuition, and fraudulent means are ROW in nro-
gress to secure iss admission as a Slave State
at the next SESSION of Congress-. Against this
stapeadous wrong, we protest in the name of
Con AND nUatyrY-by al teat is glorious ia
sur history, and by tho uemory of the great
aud good men v hu established our liberties.
Resoieed, Thai it is fraud upon our laws,
and fraaght with danger 10 rinSttutions; to
admit to fall participation in their benefits,
any man who acknowledges foreign supre-
macy, which he cannot eonscientiously and
without mental reservation, abjare and forev-
CT renounce; whether that supremacy be civil
spiritual.
Rfsolred, That the stupendons frauds bv
which our popular elections are swayea against
a nIiiorify of the legally qaalis ed voters.
strikes at the foundation aud life OF our system
of government; and unless speedily corrected,
will lead to violence and anare hy; aud v. urge
upon all good citizens to unite for the suppress
sion Of tns evil; aud We call upon our own
Legislature to guard by effective and stringent
laws the purity of the ballot boz,
Rssoirea, That the sale of the. Main I.ipe of
our improvements, is demanded ~ every con
sideration that should weigh with Intelligent
aud honest men. As source of revenue, it
is wholly worthless to the State, while il is
VIGOROUSLY used as a mean of peculatioa and
punder, thereby infiicting sapcn the State pc
cnniary loss, and also irreparable injury. IN the
almost universal decentralization and political
profiigacy engendered throughout its eI.tire
extent,
Resoired That we invite the afiiaton aud
cooperation OF m Gu of all parties, however
differing with us in other respects. in support
of the principles therein declared; and bsev-
ing that the spirit of our institutions, as Wen