The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-05-28

ported invasions by foreign mobs. which burned
sustenance. destroyed our presses and murdered
our pe0pie, eyineed q total disregard OF popular
rights and q settled determination TO force the
y, OF negro siaverI upon Us; attempted
TO put IN execution laws which, for injustice.
cruelty. and fraud. have scarcely been paraieled
IN the history Of the most barbarous ages; sup
ported that creature Of Infamous usurpatioD. the
iecomptop Constitution. BY Federal bayonets IN
Kansas and by ofhcial patronage and Executive
corruption at the National Capitol; made an in
vidious and disgraceful distinction between Free
and Slave Consultations By Offering us bribeto
enter the Union under the former without q
Representative population. and refusing US ad
mission under the latter until we bad a p6pula-
ton q %.oos; appointed corrupt and obnoxioGs
partisan synipathles and partial decisions have
prevented the administration Of justice; and b.
long tram q abuses. erine., and usurPaiions
sss and the enemy Of popular rights every
where, ana,
Exersas. The Republican party has. on all &C.
casions, eyinced adeyotion TO popular rights and
an attachment to the bestinterests of the nation,
that deserve our approval; and has. By its ad-
heTence to the principles Of the Fathers Of the
Revolution. and its earnest support of the cause
OF Freedom in Kansas. won our appreciation and
gratitude; aud,
FhereGs We believe the time has come for the
people Of Kansas to take o position and affiliate
with party National in its organization and
objects;
ResoiUed, That VIC, the people of Kansas, in
delegate convention assembled. do proceed to
organize the Republican party and declare our
principles as follows:
I'd. Resotred. We affirm that the only true busis
OF Free governments and Of popular rights for all
countries and times. IS to be found in the great
self-eyident truths enunciated by Thomas Jefisr-
son and the Fathers of the Republic in the
DECLARATION Of Independence.
3D.. Resoircd, That while we declare our sub
mission TO the Constitution and laws Of the
United States, and disclaim all control over
slavery in the States in which il exists, we hold
that the Constitution does not carry slavery in
to the Territories but that it is the creature Of
special enactment, and has existence only where
supported By it, and We reprUbate and condemn
the peryersion OF the power of the Supreme
Court of the United States to sectional demands
and party purposes.
4th. Resotced. That with the founders Of the
Republic. We believe that goyernmepis derive
their just powers from the consent Of the gov
erned and that it is proper that the people OF an
organ zed Territory should be permitted to Sc
let their own officers and enact their own laws,
| free from Congressional or Executive control
5th. Resoired, That Freedom is national and
Slavery sectional. and that we are iDlexibly OPP
posed to the extension of slavery to soil now
| 9th. Rssolced, That we condemn the Admins
tratiOn for its fee bleness and impotence in the
enforc ement OF the law prohibiting the impor
tatio1 OF African slaves into the United States,
gress as viii forever suppress the inhuman traf-
eth. Resolred. That the wyandott Constitu-
! tionai Convention be requested to incorporate
| in the Bill! of Rights in the Constitution. pro-
vision that neither slavery nor involuntary SER
vitude shall ever existin Kansas except in pun
ishment Of crime.
9Th. Resoired. That the passage Of a liberal
Homestead Bill, giving one hundred and sixt,
| ceres Of land 10 ever citizen who will settle
upon and improve it, would be measure just in
principle, sound In policy and productive Of the
| greatest good to the people Of the nation and
| that We regard the defeat of Mr.. Grows Bill in
| the Senate By the Democratic party, rs direct
| blow at the labOrng classes of The country. and
as unworthy Of the liberality of great Govern
ment. tl-
9th. Resoiutd, That the President. in ordering
the public lands in this and other Territories to
| be sold during season Of universal depression,
| thus impoverishing thousands of our Fellow citi-
zens, has been guilty Of au act unworthy Of a
free govern meni: aud that the Republicans, for
! their generous though unsuccessful effort to Sc
| cure the postpOnement vf the sales, deserve the
thanks of the people of Kansas and the West.
luth. Resotred, hat We protest against any
action which would put the adopted citizen un-
der greater political disabilities than those row
imposed b the naturalization laws ofths United
States.
18th. Resolred, That the people of the West.
the commerce of whose lakes and rivers in spite
of the neglect of Democratic Administrations
aud Congresses. has grown to be three-lold great
er than the whole foreign commerce OF the eoun-
| try, will hold, henceiorth, the Empire of the
Government. and should unite in inapgurating
| a national policy which will open and improve
! the rivers and harbOrs of the country, AMI nigh
ways over the Inferior Of the continent for the
great ana growing commerce of the Plains, and
that a Railroad to the Pacific, by the most CEN
trail and practicable route, is imperatively de-
manded by the interests of the whole country,
and tn Federal Government ought to render
! immediate and efficient aid in its construction.
No sooner read, than Phillips read a
protest against the 4th resolution, and the
clause of the 9TH resolution which asked
the Wyandott Convection to submit the
question of negro suffrage separately to
the people. He thought SO long as the
Congressional sovereignty men had con-
sented to forego an adoption of that prin-
ciple in the platform, it was unfair to be
compelled to commit themselves to the
popular sovereignty of the 4.h resolution.
The negro suffrage resolution was un-
called for Thacher was also on hand
with protest against the 4th resolution.
j. F. Cummins aud W. Y. Roberts read
a protest against the 9Th resolution. NJ
one else going to protest, the report was
accepted and discussion commenced on
its merits, confined mostly to the 4th res
olution.
Phillips and Branscomb filled up the
remainder of the morning session.
After dinner, another protest against
the negro-suffrage clause was read, and a
motion made to strike it out of the plat
form. The speakers took wide latitude,
mainly discussing the real point at issue,
Congressional Us. Territorial sovereignty.
After the aspirants for political honors had
defined their positions, the negro suffrage
clause, and the action of the Convention
on that clause, were ordered, on motion Of
Mr.. w. Delahay, to be expunged from
the records of the Convention.
johnson proposed substitute to the
4th resolution, designed to harmonize
better the conflicting elements, which
failed, as did Phillips motion to strike
out that resolution. The platform was
adopted without dissenting vote. The
Convention was wild with excitement,
and ratified the platform by cheer upon
cheer. Roberts withdrew his protest ;
Phillips, Thatcher, and the other protest
ants, followed suite. Roberts and Thach.
err, at the earnest demand of the crowd,
shook hands over the ccnsummation SO
devoutly wished.
| After the appointment Of a Territorial
committee, of which Gen. Pomeroy is
chairman, the delegates dispersed. appa-
rently in harmony, satisfied that they had
secured platform on which they could
wipe out the Democracy Of Kansas in
1859 and 1860. ts Fl
/ Some Of the members felt the responsi-
bility resting upon them, as the Osawato-
mic platform they considered would be
the basis Of the national Republican plat