The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-09-16
Our Platform.

They constitute the platform On which
that party stands, and embody the prin-
ciples for which it contends -
Resolved, That we re-afirm the principles of
the Republican Platform of the first Conven-
ton of Republicans in this State, at Madison,
July, 18th, 1854, which is as follows, to wit:
Rcsoluel, That the repeated and long-con-
tinued encroachments of the Slave Power, cul-
minating at last in the repeal of the law of
freedom in all the hitherto nnorganized terri
tory OF the Union, forces upon US the convic-
ton that there is no escape from the alternative
of Freedom or Slavery as political issue,
which is to determine whether the future ad-
ministration of the government shall be deyo-
ted to the one or the other.
RESOLVED, That we az Republicans accept
this issue forced upon us by the Slave Power,
and in the defence of Freedom will cooperate
and stand pledged to the accomplishment of
the following purposes.
/. To bring the administration of the gov
eminent back to the control of first principles.
2. To restore Nebraska and Kansas to the
position of free territories.
8. To the repeal and entire abrogation of
the Fugitive Slave Act
4, To restrict slavery to the States in which
it exists.
S. To prohibit the admission OF any more
slave States into the Union.
8. To exclude slavery from all the territories
over which the general government has exclu-
sive jurisdiction. And to resist the acquisition
of any more territory unless the prohibition of
slavery therein forever, shall have been first
provided for.
Resolred, That in furtherance of these pur-
poses, we viii use such constitutional and law
full means as shall seem best adapted to their
accomplishment and that we win support no
man for Office under the general or state GOV
ernments, who is not positively and fully COM
mitted to the support of these principles. and
whose personal character and conduct is not a
guaranty that he is reliable.
Resolved further, That true advocates of free
labor, must necessarily be true friends to free
and unobstructed immigration THAT the right
of citizenship and the full enjoyment and e1er-
else thereof makes true American patriots out
of foreigners; that an abridgement of those
rights would necessarily tend to divide the
citizens of the Republic into different classes
a ruling and governed class-that inequality of
rights among the inhabitants of Republic,
viii always be inconsistent with, and danger
GUS to, true democratic institutions. And that
therefore, the naturalization question is, with
the Republicans of Wisconsin, not question
of mere policy, but question of principle
Resofved. That we cordially approve of, and
are determined in all cases to uphold those
sections ofthe Constitution of the United States,
and OF the Constitution of Wisconsin, which
provide for the naturalization of foreigners.
Resolted, That we are utterly hostile to the
prescription OF any man on account of birth
place, religion, or color, and that We are oppo-
sed to all secret or public organizations which
favor such prescription.
Resoloed, That Judicial power, as all other
power, In the Government, is derived from the
people, ought to be administered for their good,
and the manner of its exercise is at all times
subject TO their review to them, therefore, the
tribunal of last resort, We appeal from the re-
cent decision of the majority of the Supreme
Court of the United States in the case Of bred
Scott.
Resolved, That we assign for error, in that
decision, the following:
For that 1t denies to Congress power which
every Congress has exercised, every President
has sanctioned, and the whole people have
approved, since the formation of the govern
ment.
For that, to Justify the most venal of our
Congresses, and the most unworthy of our
Presidents, it stigmatizes as unconstitutional
the action OF the purest of our Congresses and
the best of our Presidents III
For that 1T denies 70 the people of the Union
sovereign control over their own property.
For that it comedies that sovereign control
TO the first hand of trespassers who NAV take
possession of that property.
For that it denies the right of citizenship to
all who do not wear the Anglo Saxon color,
and, If acquiesced in, may serve as precedent
for denying it to all who do not speak the
tongue
For that 1t ignores the great political truth,
which we here proclaim, that, in the absence
OF positive enactments to the contrary, birth
upon the American soil constitutes the best of
our titles to American citizenship.
For that these manifold errors were commit
ted in defiance of reasons so conclusive as to
make error inexcusable and in defiance of pre-
cedents SO multiplied, as to make error crimi-
nal
For that these manifold errors were COM
mitted in cause of which the Court had CON-
fessedly no jurisdiction, in cause moved by
a political party. and not by private party:
a cause instituted to serve political interest
and not to redress a private right cause in
which the plaintiff was selected by the defend
ant. and the prosecution of which was con-
trolled by the defence.
For that this Judgment which is without
precedent, is decided by argument without
logic; is as false to the dictates of human right
as to the dictates of human reason, and is not
the first, but is the latest and most shameful
instance of Court prostituting its authority
to serve the interests of party,
Resolced, That we are encouraged by the
reflection that in ten years after a partisan
Court had affirmed the right of Charles l., to
levy ship money; and in two years after ano-
Their partizan Court had affirmed the right of
James II. to dispense with the laws. both
Kings and Courts were exiled, by an indignant
people, from all power, and we will, therefore
prosecute this appeal until the American people
shall have indicated their own supremacy,
over their own territories, by hurting from
power the party which dared to demand the
betrayal of that supremacy. and whose Judge
dared to yield it.
ResolUod, That we have full and entire con-
idence in the ability. frmness and honesty of
zach and all of the nominees of this convention
% conduct the several departments of the gov
in a manner creditable TO themselves
md the State, and to secure to the people all
the benefits Of Reform. Retrenchnlent and
Economy. as.
n h <Ha<4