Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1859-08-27
Il l. A II FOL II m

PLAT 70 lsNI
adopted By the Dens@c ,cy Of III, 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 of he States.
Second--That the people Of the Terrific.
rics are justly entitled to the undi.;turbed
regulation Of their local affairs, free from
intervention by Cong ess Or by any Stale,
and subject only 10 the Consti uticn of he
United Sta es that, on attaining the mum
Der Of inhabitants equal to the ratio Of rep
RESERVATION 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
,?eXpresed at the ballot box, have the cxclu
site right to adopt any constitution, which
does not conflict withna Republican form Of
governme' I.
Third--=The Democracy OF Minnesota re-
ilterate, and fully endorse the \ational Demo-
crate Convention at Cincinnati in 1856,
AMI further decl re that the. institution
slavery under the Cons tuition Of the
United States, can only become per
t'nent political question within the State
or Territory where it is proposed to os ab.
ili>h, retain, or abolish it; that the citizens Of
such State or Territory, respectively. have
excluslv jurisdiction Of the subject matter
within itsown limits; and that, therefore,
Congress has no poWer to, establish or pro
tect slavery In, conference.-the slavery from
any. of the Territories Of the United States:
Fourth-That any attempt to reopen the
African: Slave Trade, is disyracetuI to the aye
and country; Il d tuat the advocates o! this
inhunlan traffic are enemies t the govern
nent. and sorIil c"nsplrators against the
peace, homer, dignity, and existence Of the
Union 1l5/ItH.t' }Ii.'f3 ~ j IL =
Fltth---That Ameri an citizenship EN-
braces persons Of ali crceds and ationaities,
who, under the laws, acknowledge and rem
der allegiance to the American government;
and that the Democratic party recognize no
distinction between such citizens. whethe,
native born or ma urallzed, but guarantee t.
Ill, alike, the same political III hts. nc 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 citlzens to tie right of
suffrage, is an &C Of the Republican party,
ana t. at we hold them responsible for il, as
an open av"wal Of principles which are secret
~ and coversly held by that party in Mime.
sota and wherever that sectional Organize.
ton exists; which, is manifested By the
TACT that they have placed in nomination r.
the suffrage Of the native and adopted citizens
OF Minnesota James Il. Baker, for Secreta,
Iof State, Gordon E. Cole. for Attorney Gene
raj. and William Window, for Representative
lin Congress, three open and avowed Know
~ othings.
Sixth That alllaws of the United States,
duly enacted, should be obeyed and respect
ed unless declared unconstitutional by the
judicial tribunals and that the aid and en-
Encouragement given by the Republican party
lin Ohio, Wisconsin, and elsewhere. to T. sis,
the laws, convict it of being sectional, .rcas.
enable, and revolutionary in its objects and
|aimS.
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 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
loo te upon public lands, and those now set
tied upon them, as we'll as to lands subject to
private entry or to pre- enption that the at
temp: Of the Republican party to Claim it as
their measure is. tn refore, 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
the public land States for the bene-
tit 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 BilI-thus taking from tie State OIL
Minnesota over three millions OF acres of|
land and donating the same to the older
States, thereby creating State Land Monop-
olies in our midst and di|poslng of the pub
lie do,aain they protessed by the Homestead
| Bill to be desirnus Of donating as homes for
| the homeless. .1
! Eightil-That all sales of the public lands
are contrary to the settled policy of the
Democracy Of Minnesota, and this Cunyen
ton pledges the influence Of the par Y in op.
position to any disposition Of the public do
main other than to &C, uaI settlers under the
operation Of 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.
|quentty expressed sentiments of The Dem
|ocracy OF the State, anu rcpuynant to the
policy indicated by Andrew jackson and en-
ftoised by the President in his inaugural al
dress. This Convention therefore most
respectfully and urgently solicit the Presi-
dent to postpone tho>e sales as a meaus of
preserving numerous class from actual
ruin, and contributing to the best interests
Of the State.
Ninth--l'ilat, the covert opposition Of the
leaders Of the Republican party in tin,
State to the admission of Minnesota. and
the open OPPOSITION oftle Representatives Of
that party in Congress, to the admission OF
both Minnesota and Oregon, demonstrate
the hypocrisy Of Republican, prc,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 llot box