Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-06-24
The Republican Party National.

A'' an may nave Gne privilege OF ulrecuy
referring to the National Republican Platform,
we again publish it entire, together with some
editorial remarks from the New Hampshire In
dependent Democrat, which has so nobly sus-
tanned Mr. Hale, and defended the Republican
party in New Hampshire. This is our Platform
until we find a better, and good reasons for
changing
The Democrat saws
Ever since the organization of the present
Republican party, its opponents have continued
10 ring changes ON the charge that it is not
National, but Sectional party-not party
embracing all the interests of great nation,
but one idea party, looking to the interests
OF one section OF the country at the expense of
the other No charge could be further from
the truth. No party in the country was ever
more thoroughly national. No party ever en-
braced, within its scope, interests and princi-
pies moro intimately associated with the great
ness and glory of our whole country
Whoever, therefore, asks 'Shall the Repub-
llcan Party be Nationally asks a question that
conylcts the questioner of gross ignorance of
the principles OF the party, or of u desire to
misrepresent those principles. We have sup
posed, If anything was national, it was Free
4 DOM We know such was not the decision of
! the U. s. Supreme Court in the BRED Scott case,
we know there is class of partisan politicians
in the North and South both, who think moth
ing national but Slavery, and that no party can
be national whose platform is offensive to the
ISlave-Power. There is class of men (they
may be very respectable men) who are anxious
to modify the Republican platform SO as to sink
tho Freedom plank out of sight We confess
that we feel no such anxiety. We desire to see
no such modification. We are willing to see
the Republican party meet every question that
presents itself, whether it be Protective to Amer
lean Industry, Internal improvements, the Pa
cific Railroad or Slavery, and meet them boldly.
But we are not willing to see it dodge, paltcr
and betray the question that overrdes all the
Others, and whose decision involves the fate of
all.
The deadliest of all foes to American Indus
try is American Slavery. The most anti-na-
tional institution in America is Slavery. The
most sectional men in America is the party that
, allies itself with Slavery. The most national
party in America is that party which is true to
the Declaration of Independence, to the Con-
stitution as framed and interpreted by the great
fathers of our Republic. and to the equal polit-
: ical rights of all men under the Constitution.
That party is the Republican Party, which, by
its Delegates in National Convention at Phla-
dclphia in June, 1856, adopted and promul-
gated to the world the following
PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES.
This Convention of Delegates assembled in
pursuance of Call addressed to the people of
; the United States, without regard to past polit-
cal differences or divisions, who are opposed to
the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise; to the
policy of the present Administration to the
extension of Slavery into Free Territory in fa-
vor OF the admission of Kansas as a Free State ;
! of restoring the action of the federal govern
s ment to the principles of Washington and JEFF
forson; and for the purpose of presenting can
didates for the Offices of President and Vice
e President, do resolve as follows:
q Resolued, That the maintenance of the prin.
: ciples promulgated in the Declaration of hide
-. pcndcnce, and embodied in the Federal Consti-
tuition, are essential to the preservation of GU,
d Republican Institutions, and that the Fedora
) Constitution, the rights Of the States and thu
Union of the States must and shall be pre-
served.
Resolved, That, with our Republican fathers
we hold it to be a self-cvident truth that al
!. men are endowed with the inalienable right t.
:, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, ant
- that the primary object and Interior design o
y our Federal Government were to secure thes
=, rights to all persons within its exclusive iurs
~ diction.
~ That, as our Republican Fathers, when the,
y had abolished Slavery in all our National Ter
ritory, ordained that no person shall be deprive'
of life, liberty, or property, without due process
20 of law, it becomes our duty to maintain thi
provision of the Constitution against all at
tempts to violate it for the purpose of establish
N ing Slavery in the United States, by postiv
r legislation prohibiting its existence or extensal
II therein.
l. That we deny the authority of Congress, of
Territorial Legislature, of any individual o
Is association of individuals to give legal exstenc
~, to Slavery in any Territory of the United States
u while the present Constitution shall be main
a tanned.
or Resoloed, That the Constitution confers upo
Congress sovereign power over the Territorie
- OF the United States, for their government, an
~ that in the exercise of this power, it is bot
N the right and duty of Congress to prohibit il
the Territories those twin relics of barbarisn
rs polygamy and Slavery.
r. Res0lped, That while the Constitution of tn
~ United States was ordered and established b
the people in order to form a more perfec
w union, establish justice, insure domestic tran
nr guilty, provide for the common defence, pre-
NJ mote the general wtlfare, and secure the bless
w ngs of liberty and contains ample provision
he for the protection of life, liberty, and propert
of every citizen, the dearest constitutions
rights of the people of Kansas have been fraud
ed ulently and violently taken from them
Sc Their Territory has been invaded by an arne
h. force
Spurious and pretended legislative, judicia
and executive officers have been set over then
lis by whose usurpcd authority, sustained by til
of military power of the government, tyranncs
n and unconstitutional laws have been enacte
and enforced;
NC The right of the people to keep and bea
nd arms has been infringed test oaths of an e,
i'll traordinary and entangling nature have bee
W of suffrage and holding Office
IL The right of an accused person to speed
to and public trial by an impartial jury has bee
ed denied;
III The right of the people to be secure in the
III. persons, houses papers and effects, against III
OF reasonable searches and seizures, has been viz
he lated;
"a They have been deprived of lie, liberty an
;. property, without due process of law;
" The freedom of speech and of the press hi
been Abridged;
The right to choose their representatives h,
las been made of no effect;
ots Murders, robberies and arsons have been il
r. stigated and encouraged, and the offenders ha1
'No been allowed to 60 UNPUBLISHED;
Sn That all these things have been done with ii
knowledge, sanction and procurement of tt
ct present Administration, and that for this hig
III. crime against the Constitution, the Union al
q humanity, we arraign that Administration, Il
an President, his advisers, agents, supporters ape
Mo ogsts and accessories either before or after Il
h, fact, before the country and the world al
md that it is our fixed purpose to bring the actu