Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-06-19
Union STATE PLATFORM

'stt~~ttSfit HhA tut Vi Iffc same de-
straetive policy clearly foresbadowed BY the
acts and declarations Of the administration j-st
inaHgnrated do
hesotre, That the maintenance of the DE- ash
pies promulgated in the Declaration OF Inds
pendence, and embodied Ia the Federal Con-
sttution, is essential to the presei yation ot
our Republican institutions that the Federal
Constitution, the liberties of the people. th q
sovereign rights Of the States, and the Union
of the States, must and shall be preserved
Resotref, That With our Republican fathers.
we hold u 70 be scli-eyident truth, that nil
men are created equal; that they are endowed
by tieir Creator with certain inalienable rights:
that among these are life, liberty and The pur-
suit OF happiness that 10 secure these rights.
governments are instituted among men; and
that the primary duty and Object of our Feder-
al Government rs to secure these rights Ia All
persons under its exclusive jurisdiction. That.
as our Republican fathers abolished SIayer,. in
all the national territory, and ordained in the
Constitution that no person shall be deprived
Of life, liberty or property, without due process
OF law, il becomes our duty to maintain this
provision of the Constitution against all at
tempts to violate it, for the purpose Of estab-
fishing Slavery in the territories of the United
States. That we deny the authority of Con-
gresS. 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
ResoLred, That the Constitution confers upon
Congress sovereign power over the Territories
Of the United States. Tor their government; a
power net controverted for the first sixty wears
of our national existence, bat exercised bv the
general concurrence of all departments of tho
Government, through every Administration
from WASHINGTON to Polk; and that in the ex-
erciSe Of this unquestionable power, it is the
duty of Congress 10 prohibit in the Territories.
those twin relics Of barbarism, polrgamy and
Slavery.
Reso!red, THAT We ARE YET FRFRMEs. and that
while we retain the inestimabe rights of Free
men, secured to us by the sacrifices, sutferings
and blood of our Revolutionary fathers. we will
not submit 10 hayea new Constitution I'm pased
upon us by the extra a-judieial opinions of Jud-
ges OF the Supreme Court opinions suhYersiye
Of the rights of human nature-in conflict with
the truth of history, with the unbroken aeticn
Of the government and the law of the land. as
heretofore pronounced bv the Federal Judicia-
ry, and the Courts of nearly every State in tha
American Union.
Resoired, That the recent opinions of the ma
jorify Of the Judges Of the Supreme Court. in
a case over which they decided the Court had,
no jurisdiction, and, therefore, no authority to
pronounce the law arising therein, is but ano-
ther step IN consummation Of that cor spiracy
against our free institutions, which had its in
ception in the repeal Of the Missouri Compro-
mise; that il is the direct result of the late tr-
umph of the Slave Power in the election of its
candidate, JAMES BUCHANAN, to the Presidency,
and unless promptly reb liked by the people at.
the bailot-box, may be followed by other usur--
pations fatal to the independence OF the Free
STATES and rh4. Ebartiac Of,
Resolrei, That the constitutional rights Of the
people Of Kansas have been traudently and vo-
lenty taken from them. Their territory has
been invaded by armed force; spurious au,!y
pretended legislative, judicial and executive
oibceiS have been set over them by whose usur-
ped authority, sustained by the military power
OF the Federal Government, tyrannlcal al d un-
constitutional laws have been enacted and en-
forced; the right OF the people to ke, D and
bear arms has been infringed; test oafhs of an
extraordinary and entangling nature have been,
imposed as u condition of exercising the right
Of suffrage and holding Office; the right of an
| accused person 10 speedy and publ; trial by.
an impartial jury has been denied; CT uel and
unusual puuishments have been inflicted upon
the innocent, while murders, robberies and ar
sons have been instigated and encouraged, and
the offenders have been allowed TO GO unpun-
lshoGi 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 lib
| er;y and property, without due process OF law;
/ the freedom Df speech and of the press has
| been abridged; the right to choose their repre-
! Sentatiyes has been made Of no effect: That all
these things have been done with the know
| ledge, sanction and procurement of the Fed
erai Government, in violation of the plainest
1 man1 .,tt4S of ha GnnStifufiap. That a.. ,,s,,r
| patton by which spurious Legislature was i'm.
| posed upon Kansas, and its people subjected
/ TO code of laws unparalleled for cruelty in the
history of civilized nations, is still in full force
| and the people are denied the right peacefully
| to assemble and petitioG fora redress of griev-
/ ancrs; the National Executive has permitted
! two Governors of his appointment to be driy-
! Ell from the Territory under fear of assassin2-
| tion, and has not dared ro exert its power for
their protection against the lawless minions of
/ Siavei y, while Judicial monsters and men whose
hands are red with innocent blood, are retained
| in Office. TO carry ou the work of suhjecting
| free territory TO the cause of Slavery. Kansas
| has been denied admission under free eonsti-
| tuition, and fraudulent means are now in pro-
| gress to secure its admission as a Slave State
/ at the next session OF Congress. Against this
! stupendons wrong, We protest, in the name OF
| GoD AND HuMANITY-by all teat is glorious in
| our history, and by tho memory of the great
and good men WHO established our liberties.
! Resoired, That it is fraud upon our laws,
| and fraught with danger TO ourinstitutions; To
admit to a full par, icipation in their benefits,
| any man who acknowledges fore ign supre-
macy, which he cannot eonscientiously and
without mental reservation, ahjare and forey-
er renource; whether that supremacy be civil
| or spiritual.
| RssOiued, That the stupeadous frauds by
Which our popular elections are swayed against
| a majority of the legally qgaiif ed voters,
strikes at the foundation and life of our system
of government; and nnless speedily corrected,
win lead to violence and by; and W. urge
upon all good citizens to unite for the suppress
sion of this evil; and We call upon our own
| Legislature to guard by effective and stringent
laws the purity of the ballot box
Resoired, That the safe of the Main Line OF
our improvements, is demanded by every con-
sideration that should weigh with intelligent (
and honest men. As a source of revenue, it
| is wholly worthless 10 the State, while Ii is
notoriously used as mean o { reeulation and
plunder, thereby infiicting supon the State Pc
| cuniary loss, and also rreparabe injury, in the
almost universal decentralization and political
pvohigacy engendered throughout its eLtire
extent.
Rssolred, That we invite the atfliation and
cooperation of m en- of all parties. however
| differing with us in other respects, in support
of the principles therein declared; and beliey-
ing that the spirit of our institutions, as we'll
as the Constitution of our country, guarantees
liberty OF conscience and equality of rights
among citizns, we oppose all e gislation i'm,
frsn . batr