The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-10-27
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
NATIONAL CONVENTION HELD AT pHILApELpuI4
ssJuNE ETH, 1856.

ssJuNR HrH, 1856.
II This Convention of Delegates assembled in
pursuance of a call addressed to the peonle Of
the United States, without regard TO past no
lltlcaI differences or divisions, who are opnosed
TO the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. to
the poilcy OF the present Administration. to the
extension OF Slavery into Free Territory Il,
favor OF admitting Kansas as Free State. of
restoring the action of the Federal Government
10 the principles of Washington and jefferson.
ana who propose to unite in presenting candi--
dates for the offices of President and Vice Presi-
dent, do resolve as follows -
tsesotved, That the maintenance of the prin-
clples promulgated in the Declaration of fnde-
pendence and embodied in the Federal Consti-
tutlon is essential to the preservation of our
republican institutions, and that the Federal
Constitution, the rights of the States. and tbe
Union of the States shall be preserved.
ResoLved That with our republican fathers
we hold it to be a self-evident truth that all
men are endowed with the inalienable rights to
ii1e, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and
that the primary object and Interior designs of
our FEDERAL government were to secure these
rights to all persons within its exclusive iuris-
dictlon; that, as our republican fathers, when
they had abolished Slavery in all our national
territory, ordained that no person should be
depf1Veo OF hfe, liberty or property, without
due process of law, it becomes our duty to
maintain this provision of the Constitution
against all attempts to violate it for the purpose
of establishing Slavery in any Territory of the
United States while the present Constitution,
shall be maintained 5fsAtaI8 "a 't
Resoteed, That the Constitution confers upon
Congress sovereign power over the Territories
of the United States for their government, and
that in the exercise of this power it is both the
right and the duty of Congress to prohibit in
the Territories those twin relics of barbarsm-
Polygamy and Slavery
Resoloed, That while the Constitution Of the
United States was ordained and established BY
the people in order to form more perfect
Union, establish justice, insur. domestic tram
guilty, provide for the common defence, and
secure the blessings of liberty, and contains
ample provision for the protection of the life,
liberty and property of every citizen, the dear
est constitutional rights of the people of Kansas
have been fraudently and violently taken from
them-their territory has been invaded by an
armed force-spurious and pretended Iegisla-
tive, Judicial and executive officers have been
set over them, by whose usurped authority,
sustained by the military power of the gov
eminent, tyi annical and Unconstitutional laws
have been enacted and enforced-the rights of
the people to keep and bear arms have been
infringed-test oaths of an extraordinary and
entangling nature have been imposed. as
condition of exercising the right of suffrage and
holding ofice-the right of an accused person
to a speedy and public trial by an impartial
jury has been den:e1-the right of the people
to be secure in their persons, horses, papers
and effects against unreasonable searches and
seizures has been violated-they have been de-
prived of life, liberty and property without
due process of Iaw-that the freedom of speech
IF hos oh ha win
TO choose their representatives has been made
of no effect-murders, robberies and arsons
have been ilstigated and encouraged, and the
offenders have been allowed to go UNPUBLISHED
that all these things have been done with the
knowledge, sanction and procurement of the.
present Administration, and that for this high
crime against the Constitution, the Union and
Humanity, we arraign the Administration, the
PRESIDENT, his advisers, agents supporters,
apologists accessories, either before after the
facts, before the country and before the world,
and that it is our fixed purpose to bring the
actnal perpetrators of these atrociots outrages,
and their accomplces, TO a sure and condign,
punishment hereafter - ~ 7'--l'. y
ReSolurd, That Kansas should be immedi-
ately admitted as a State of the Union, with
her present free Constitution, as at once the
most effectual way Of securing to her citizens
the enjoyment of the rights and privileges to-
which they are entitled, and of ending the
civil strife now raging in her Territory.
Rssolred, That the highwayman's plea that
"might makes right, - embodied in the Ostend
Circular. was in every respect unworthy of
American diplomacy, and wculd bring shame
and dislonor upon any government or people
that gave it their sanction.
I1esolred. That a railroad to the Pacific
Ocean, by the most central aad practical route.
is imperatively demanded by the interests of
the whole country, and that the Federal Gov
ernment ought to render Immediate and effici-
emit aid in its construction and as IA auxlli-
airy thereto, the Immediate construction OF an
enligrart route on the line of the railroad.
ReSolued, That appropriations by Congress
for the improvement of rivers and harbors. OF
a national character, required for the accom-
mediation and security of our existing. COM
merce. are authorized by the Constitution, and
justified by the obligation Of Government to
protect the lives and property of its citizens.
Resc5ged, That we invite the aff1lation and
corporation of freemen of all parties, however
differing from us IN other respects, in support
of the principles herein declared; AND BELLE
WING THAT THE SPIRIT OF OUR INSTITUTIONS AS
WELL AS. THE CONSTITUTION OF OUR COUNTRY,
GUARANTEE LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE AND EoUA-
IrTY OF RIGHTS AMONG CITIZENS, WE OPPOSE ALL
LEGISLATION IMPAIRING THEIR SECURITY. g,