, 1860-05-22
National Republican Platform

whole scene was one Of the widest enthusiasm.
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National Republican Platform.
[As AMENDED ANN ADOPTED. |
Rtsozrfd. That we, the delegated representa- |
sires Of the Republican electors Of the United
States. in Convention assembled, in discharge
Of the duty We owe to our constituents and our
!. Thut the history OF the nation during the
last four years, has fully established the pro.
prietr aud necessity Of the organization and
pcrpetuation Of the Republican party, and
that tbe causes which called it into existence
are permanent i'll their nature and now: more
than ever before, demand Its peaceful and con-
stisu,ional triumph.
9. That the ma'nteuance Of the pr1nc1pses
promulgated in the Declaration Of 1ndepend-
epce aud embodied in the Federal Constitution,
"That al men are created equal; that they arc
endowed By their Creutor with certain laalnena-
BILE rights that among these are life. liberty
and The pursuit OF hap?iness; that to
secure these rights, governments are
instituted among men. deriving their I4st
powers from the consent Of tue governed =.
IL essential to the preservation Of oas kepaoli-
can institutions; and that the Federal Con -tltu-
of the S:ates must and shall be preserved.
8. That to the Union OF the States this nation
owes its unprecedented increase in population,
its surprising development Of r1ateF1al Re"
sources, its rapid augmentation Of wealth. its
happiness at home and its honor abroad; and
we hold in abhorreuce all schemes for Disunlon.
come from whatever sou1ce tbey NAV: And We
congratulate the country that no Republican
member OF Congress has uttered OF counte-
pauced the threats Of Disunion SO ottea made
by Democratic members. without rebuke and
With applause fFon1 their political associates;
and We denouuce those threats Of disunion, in
case OF q popular overthrow of their ascend
apcy Us denyiug the vital principles Of q free
| government, and as an ayowal ot conte cptated
Treason. wflch it il the imperative duty Of al
| indignant People sternIy to rebuke and forever
silence
| 4. That the maintenance inriolate Of the
ritbts of The States. and especially the right Of
cac5 State to order and control ITS own domes-
| tic institutions according to its own judgment
| erclusiyely. is essential to that balance of
nowers on Which the perfection snd endurance
Of our political fabric aePerds and we de-
nouucc the law!ess Invasion by armed force Of
the soil OF any stste OF Territory, no 1n1tle. ,
under what rretext, as among tie gravest OF
crimes.
| 5. That the present Democratic Admins
t1ation has far exceeded our worst oprrehen'
eions. in its measureless suoservlency 10 tne
| e1actious Of sectional interest,", ~ espec'al'y
eyiuced in its desperate exsrt'ons to fuIce the
infamous l.ecompton Constitution upon The pro-
testing people Of kunsas; in constituting the
| nerscnai relation bet cen master and sefvant
TO involve an unqualified property in persons ;
iu its ATTEMPTED enforcement. everywhere, on
land aud sea, through the intervention Of ton.
| rre.s aud OF the Federal Cuusts at the extreme
Iretensions OF purely local interest; and II
its general and unvarying abuse Of the power
| entrusted to it By ccnduinX people,
{. Tint the peopl= justly view with alarm
the reckless e1sr.raGauce which perrndes every
department Of the Federal Government; that y
return to rigid economy and uc ouutab!l'ty L
| iudiapeusaltc tn lest the systematic plundeI
nj the rubt;c trea urv by favored pariisans
| whil. ill.,, recent startling developments o.
| frauds and corruptions Ut the Federal metropo
liz. show that an entire chaure Ut a1ulinistra
ton is impesafivelr demanded.
:, That the new drgma that the Consfltu
| ton. Of its own force, carries Slavery into any
or alt Of the Territories OF the United States, l
| a dangerous political heresy, ut variance Wltt
the EXPLICIT provisions Of thai instrument itself
With cntempnrantous exposition, and with leg
is,atiye and jadiea! precedent; i>rsvoluttonar.
in i.s tendency. aud suhversi "a Of the peace ant
harmony n1 the country.
4 That the normal condition Of all the terri
toTy Of tie United States is that Of freedom
Ths, "a our Republican fathers, when they hat
abolished slavery ia I'LL our national territory
ife' liberty. or property, Without due process .
! lnw."it becomes ,ur dutv, By legislation, when
aver such legislation il necessary, to 1naintai'
th,- precision Of the Consultation against oil ut
| tempts to violate it: and we deny the authorit,
Of Congress, Of a territorial legislature. or o
any in,]iriduals to give legal existence 10 slave
&c in uny Territory OF the United States.
- Ti1at We brand the recent re-orening Q
: ,he African slaye trade. under th9 coyer Of on
national Gar. aided by peryersious OF judicia
. nnwer AZ cr;ut a.ainst humanity Euda burn
1ap shame to our csuutrv and age; mad we cal
| s"% n4Fn;