The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-08-19

Representatives oi Tue DemOcatlc press Oh
the State. The caucus took up the plat
form, and discussed it for five hours, in On
smicsble spirit The principal bone Of COD,
tention was the resolution on State policy
which, after various unsuccessful attempts
to amend it, was approved by the caucus in
the manner 1t came from the committee
At four o'clock the caucus dissolved, the
doors were opened, and the Convention was
once more called 10 order.
Mr.. VAN ErrKS from.the Committee on
Resolutions presented the following plat.
form:
We, the Democracy Of Minnesota, by our Del.
egates 10 Convention assembled, do affirm
and resolve
F.ra.-TAat the States OF the Union are SOW.
ereign and equal; and the powers not express
ly delegated to the Federal Government are
retained BY the people Of the States.
>scond-Thst the people Of the Territories
are justly entitled to the undisturbed regulA-
ton OF their local affairs. free from inter
| by Congress or by any State, and subject only
to the Constitution 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.
game 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 ma jority. fairly ex.
pressed at the ballotbox, have the exclusive
right TO adopt any constitution which does not
conflict With Republican form Of government.
1hUd-The Democracy Of Minnesota reiter.
ate, and fully endorse the National Democrat.
&c platform adopted by the National Demo.
cratic Convention at Cincinnati, in 1856. and fur
Their declare tha. the institution Of ,lAvery under
the Constitution Of the United States, can only
become pertinent political question within the
State or Territory whereit Is proposed to estab-
lsh, 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.
FourM-That any attempt TO reopen the AZ
rican Slave Trade, Is disgraceful to the age
aud country; and that the advocates Of this
inhuman traffic are enemies of the government
and sordId conspratOrs against the peace,
honor. dignity, and existence of the Union.
FJh-That American citizenship embraces
persons Of all creeds and natonalities, who,
under the laws, acknowledge and render allie.
>
the Democratic party recognizes no dis 'incton
4 between such citizens, whether native born or
naturalized, but guarantees to All. alike, the
same political rights at home, and The same
governmental protection abroad. And We igr.
| Their declare that the amendments TO the Con
stitution OF Massachusetts, placing additional
restrictions upon the admission of foreign born
adoptsdreltizens to the right Of suffrage, is an
act OF the, RApublicaApMty and that we hold
them Fespensble for 4. n an open avowal of
principles which are secretly and coyertly held
by that party in'Minnesota, and wherever that
sectional organization exists which il mani
tested by the fact that they have placed in nom.
inati0n for the suiiTages OF the native and adopt.
ed citizens Of Minnesota, James II. Baker, Tor
Secretary oiJState, Gordon +. Cole for Attor.
ncy General and William Window, for Repre-.
sentative in Congress, three open and avowed
Know Nothings.
S,rh-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 enc oura geme mt
given by the Republican party in Ohio, Wis
consin, and elsewhere, to resist the laws, con.
Wet II OF being sectional, reasonable, and rev.
dictionary in Its objects and aims.
Ssrtnh-Thst the principles embraced in
the measure known as the Homestead Bill
were and are of Democratic origin first in
| tr0daced into Congress by amember 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 a. TO lands subject TO pri
yate entry or to pre- emption that the at
| tempt OF the Republican party TO claim il
a. 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.
D nf Ia. Lar 10 ali
States, thus despolling the public land States
for the benefit Of the older States of the Union
. ~ witnessed by its advocating the passage of
the Agricultural College Bill during the last
session of Congress. in advance Of the Home
stead Bll--thus taking from the State OF Min.
| nesots over three millions Of acres Of land and
| donating the same to the older States, thereby
| creating State Land Monopolies in our midst
aud dsposlng Of the public domain they pro.
fessed by the Homestead Bill TO be DESTROYS OF
| donating as homes FOR the homeless.
EIghh-Thst 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 ac
tual settlers under the operation Of q liberal
homestead. or pr,.,mptions aw THAT the sale a,
| this time of the lands now advertised in this
! state, would be oppressive TO the pioneer set
tiers upon the public domain, obno xious TO the
] ""N tNfi'HNNi VI
the Democracy OF the state, and repugnan;
to the policy indicated by Andrew Jackson
and endorsed by the President in his inAu-
/ gursl address. This Convention therefore
most respectfully and urgently solici, the Pres.
dent TO postpone those sales, ss q means
/ OF preserving a numerous class from actual
ruin. and contributing to the best interests of
, the State.
Ninih-That the covert opposition Of the
leaders Of the Republican party in this state to
the admission Of Minnesota, aud the open op
position of the Representatives of that party in
J Congress, 10 the admission OF both Mime sofa
and Oregon, demonstrate the hypocrisy Of
Republican pre:ensions rs being the peculiar
I friends of Free States.
Tsnth-That the charges made by the late
. Republican Convention that the officers Of the
state aud the Democratic party bad tempered
with the purity Of the balo, box TO secure their
ssceudency At the last State election. IL dishon.
oring 10 the state, and still more 20 those who
make them A. they know them 10 be false and
unfounded; and the fact that their candidate Tor
Governor was repeatedly invited and ebalIepg.