Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1859-08-27
7'7-7-11
II Lat r q II M

La F o R M
adopted By the Densdc neg Of Hi nesota.
We, the Democracy Of Minnesota, by our
Delegates in Convention assembled, do Of.
firm and resolve
First.---That the States of the Union are
sovereign and equal: and the powers not ex-
pressly delegated to the Federal Government
are retained by the people ofs:he States.
| Second---That the people Of the Terrific.
RIGS are justly entitled to the undisturbed
regulation Of their local affairs, free from
intervention by Cong ess Or by. any State,
and subject only 10 the Consti ution Of he
United Sta es that, on attaining the mum
Der of inhabitants equal to the ratio Of rep
resentation IN the lower house Of Congress,
such people have the right to organize a
State Government, and demand admission
into the Federal Union; and that, in the
Organization Of such State Government, the
People, by the will Of, the majority; fairly
,lexpresed at the ballot-box, have the exclu
: size right to adopt any constitutions, which
does not conflict withna Republican form Of
lgovernme, I.
Third --.s1'he Democracy Of lMinnesota re
''itcrate, and fully endorse the >atiopal Demo.
cratic, Convention at Cincinnati, in 1856
AMI further decl re that the, institution 0
slavery under the icons tuition Of the
United States, can only becomes o. per-
tinent political question within the State
or Territory where it is proposed to esj ab-
IliSh, letaiD or abolish It; that the citizens 81
Isuch State or Territory, respectively. have
excusiv jurisdiction Of the subject matter
Ewithiu itsown, limits; and that, therefore,
ECongress has no powerke establish or pro-
Itect slavery In, geutet sc xc.udei slavery from
any of the Territories Of the United States:
i Fourth-That any attempt to reopen the
African. slave Trade, is disy,aceful to the agc
land country; a d ttlat the advocates OF thi.
Ilnhuman traffic are enemies t. the govern
(mens, aand sordil conspratorsi against the
peace, homer, dignity, and existence Of the
Union ~ /tiIt.lt }Tj.ffi 'Pf3
/ Flith---That Ameri an citizenship EN-.
braces persons Of ali creeds aud .ationalities
who, under the laws, aokno Wedge and rem
der allegiance to the American government;
and that the Democratic party recognize nc
|distincti0n between such citizens, whethe,
native born or ma urallzed, but guarantee t.
III, alike, the same political ri hts. at home,
and the same governmental protection abroad
And We further declare that the amendments
to- the Constitutional Massachusetts,, placing
additional restrictions up N the admission Of
foreign. born adopted citlzenss to tie right oil
suffrage, is an &C Of the Republican party,
and trat We hold them responsible for it, a.
an open avowai Of principles which are secret
" and covertIy held BY that party in Mime
sofa, and wherever that sectional organiza
ton exists; which. is manifested By the
fact that they have placed in nomination f +
the suffrage Of the native and adopted citizens
tot Minnesota. James H. Baker, for Secreta, y
|of State, Gordon E. Cole. for Attorney Gene
ral. and William Window, for Representative
in Congress, three open and avowed Know
->othings.
Sixth That all laws of the United States,
duly enacted, should b. obeyed and respect
ed unless declared unconstitutional by the
judicial tribunals and that the aid and en-
Encouragement given by the Republican party
Fin Ohio, Wisconsin, and elsewhere to sist
the laws, convict it IF being sectional, .r.as-
enable, and revolutionary in its objects and
EaimS.
| Seventh That the principles embraced in
the m assure knowA as the Homestead Bill
were and are Of Democratic origin first in.
troduced in Congress by a 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 t..
loo tie upon public lands, and those now set
tied upon them, as well as to lands subject TO
private entry or to pre- emption that the at
temp: o! the Republican party to Claim it as
their measure is, tn ref;,re, prepos,erous
and absurd, but that, on the contrary, the
policy Of the Republican party has been, aid
now is, the distribution Of the proceeds OF
the public lands amongst all the States, thus
despoiling the public land States for the bene-
fit Of the older States Of the Union, as wit
messed BY its advocating the passage of the
Agricultural College Bill during the last ses-
sion Of Congress, IN advance Of the Home
stead Bill-shus taking from tie State OF
Minnesota over three millions or acres Of
land and donating the same to the olde,
States, thereby creating State Land Monop.
1olies in Cur midst and diIposlng of the pub.
lie domain they professed by the Homestead
| Bill to be desir'us OF donating as homes fol
the homeless. I.[
/ Eighth--That all sales of the public lands
are contrary to the settled policy of tie
Democracy of Minnesota, and this Conven
ton pledges the influence Of the par y in op.
position to any disposition Of the public do
main other than to ac1 ual settlers under the
Operation Of a liberal homestead or pre-emp.
ton law. That the sale at this time Of the
lands now advertised in this State, would be
Oppressive to pioneer settlers upon he pub
lie domain, obnoxious to the earnest and fire.
lquehtty expressed sentiments of The Dem
locracy Of the state; and repugnant to the
lpolicy indicated by Andrew jackson and en-
aotsed by the President in his inaugural ad
dress. ~ This Convention therefore most
respectfully and urgently solicit the Presi-
dent to postpone those sales, as means Of
preserving a numerous class from actual
ruin, and contributing to the best interests
Of the State.
Ninth--rhat, the covert opposition Of the
leaders Of the kepubiccn party in tin,
State to the admission of Minnesota. and
the open OPPOSITION ofthe Representatives Of
that party in Congress- to the admission OF
both Minnesota, and Oregon, demonstrate
the hypocrisy Of Republican pre,ensons as
being the peculiar friend Of Free States.
Tenth-That. the argos made by the
late Republican Convention that the officers
)of the State and the Democratic party had
tampered with the purity Of the b Hot box