The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-10-07
The Democratic Platform.

F0St-1uat tnc StaucS OF Ine OulOu oiC oON'
ereign aud equal; and the powers not express
ly delegated to the Federal Government are
retained by the people of the States
SecOnd-That the people OF the Territories
are Justly entitled to the undisturbed regula-
ton of their local affairs, free from intervention
by Congress or by any State and subject only
to the Cons titutiOn Of the United States; that
on attaining the number of inhabitants equal to
the ratio of representation in the lower house
of Congress, such people have the right to Or
ganize a State Government, and demand ad-
mission into the Federal Union; and that, in the
organization of such State Government, the
People, by the will of the majority. fairly ex.
pressed at the ballOt-bOX, have the exclusive
right to adopt any constitution which does not
conflict with Republican form OF government.
Ihird-The Democracy of Minnesota relter-
ate, and fully endorse the National Democrat.
ic platform adopted by the National Demo.
cratic Convention at Cincinnati, in 1885, and fur
Their declare that the institution of slavery, under
the Constitution of the United States, can only
become pertinent political question within the
State or Territory whereit is proposed to estab-
fish. retain, or abolish it; that the citizens OF such
State or Territory, respectively. have eXclu-
sive jurisdiction of the subject matter within Its
own limits and that, therefore, Congress has
no power to establish or protect slavery IN, or
to exclude slavery from, any OF the Territories
of the United States.
Fou, M-That any attempt to reopen the Al
rican Slave Trade, is disgraceful to the age
and country; and that the advocates OF this
inhuman traffic are enemies OF the government,
and sordd conspirators against the peace,
honor, dignity, and existence OF the Union.
FIfth-That American citizenship embraces
persons of all creeds and nationalities, who,
under the laws, acknowledge and render allie
glance to the American government; and that
The DemocI attic party recognizes no distinction
between such citizens, whether native born or
naturalized, but guarantees to all, alike, the
.AaI,r s<h< nk nndf hn
governmental protection abroad. And we fur.
Their declare that the amendments to the Con
stitutiOn of Massachusetts, placing additional
restrictions upon the admission OF foreign. born
adopted citizens to the right of suffrage, is an
act of the Republican party, and that we hold
them responsible SOr it, as an open avOwal OF
principles which are secretly and cOvertly held
by that party in Minnesota, and wherever that
sectional organization exists; which is mani
tested by the fact that they have placed in NOM
inaton for the sufrages of the native and adopt.
ed citizens of Minnesota, James H. Baker, for
Secretary of State, Gordon +. Cole, for AttOr.
ney General, and William Window, for Repre-
sentative in Congress, three open and avowed
Know Nothings.
Sirth-That all laws of the United States
duly enacted, should be obeyed and respected,
unless declared unconstitutional by the judicial
tribunals and that the aid and encouragement
given by the Republican party in Ohio, Wis.
cOnsin, and elsewhere, to resist the laws, con-
vict it of being sectional, reasonable, and rev.
dictionary in its objects and aims.
SeUenM-That the principles embraced in
the measure known as the Homestead Bill
were and are of Democratic origin; first in
troduced into Congress by member of that
party, and, during the last session, voted for
by our Senators and Representatives; and
that the provisions of any future Homestead
Bill should apply to settlers thereafter to locate
upon public lands, and those now settled
upon them, as well as to lands subject to pri-
vate entry or to pre- emption; that the at
tempt Of the Republican party to claim it
as their measure is, therefore, preposterous
and absurd. but that, on the contrary, the
policy of the Republican party has been.
and now is, the distribution OF the pro.
ceeds of the public lands amongst all the
States, thus despong the public land States
for the benefit of the older States of the Union.
as witnessed by its advocating the passage OF
the Agricultural College Bill during the last
session of Congress, in advance OF the Home
stead Blll-thus taking from the State of Min
nesOta over three millions of acres of land and
donating the same to the older States, thereby
creating State Land Monopolies in our midst
and disposing of the public domain they pro.
fessed by the Homestead Bill to be DESTROYS of
donating as homes for the homeless.
Eighth-That all sales of the public lands are
contrary to the settled policy of the Democracy
of Minnesota, and this Convention pledges the
influence of the party in opposition to any dis
position of the public domain other than to act
tual settlers under the operation of liberal
homestead. or pre.emptions law! THAT the sale. at
this time of the lands now advertised in this
State, would be oppressive to the pioneer set.
tiers upon the public domain, obnoxious to the
earnest and frequently expressed sentiments of
he Democra" of the State, and repugnant
to the policy indicated by Andrew jackson
and endorsed by the President in his inau-
gural address. This Convention therefore
most respectfully and urgently SOLICIT the Pres
idenT to postpone those sales, as means
of preserving a numerous class from actual
ruin, and contributing to the best interests of
the State.
Ninth-That the covert opposition of the
leaders of the Republican party in this State to
the admission of Minnesota, and the open Op.
position of the Representatives of that party in
Congress- to the admission OF both Minnesota
and Oregon, demonstrate the hypocrisy of
Republican pretensiOns as being the peculiar
friends of Free States.
Ienth-That the charges made by the late
Republican Convention that the officers of the
State and the Democratic party had tempered
with the purity of the ballot box to secure their
ascendency at the last State election, is dishOn
Orng to the State, and still more so to those who
make them as they know them to be false and
unfOunded; and the fact that their candidate for
Governor was repeatedly invited and challeng-
ed to test the question before the legal tribu-
mails Of the State, which he and his political
friends declined to do, affords the most con-
vincing proof that neither he nor they believed
what they so vehemerty asserted And in
thus repelling their foul charges, we declare our
unlimited confidence, in the integrity anu patri
otism of the present State Administration.
Eleventh---Ihat the present numerous repre-
sentaton in the two houses of the Legislature is
an unnecessary source of expense to the people
of the State, and that this, as well as the pre-
sent expensive system of county government,
should be changed, and the people relieved from
the eXOr bitant taxation to hch they are now
subjected and that this Convention, therefore,
pledges the Democratic party Of the State to
use its power to change the present system of
county government, to reduce the representa-
ton in the Legislature to the lowest number
consistent with the interests of the State, and
to provide for an economical administration of
the government in all its departments.
Itceifh--That the connection of Lake Su-
periOr and the Mississippi River with Puget's
Sound by railroad, is a great national work,
vital to the defence and permanence of the
Union; and the Democracy of the State stand
pledged to urge the early construction of a
railroad over the Northwestern route, and the
extension of the provisions of the reciprocity
treaty from its present western limits to the
Pacific, and thus secure the early and rapid
development of the fertile regions of country
upon and west of our northern frontier.
Ihirteenth-That it is the duty of the people
of Minnesota to preserve inviOlate the faith and
credit of the State. That the doctrine of re-
pudiation announced by the Republican party
is one which is abhorrent to the Democracy,
and must receive the condemnation of the
honest masses. That we pledge the Demo.
cratic party that Minnesota shall hOnoIably