Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-11-02
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
ADOPTED AT CHICAGO, MAY Is, 1860.

Resolued, That We, the delegated representatives
Of the Republican electors Of the United States
in Convention enbied in the discharge Of tho
duties we owe to constituents and our country,
unite in the following declarations:
l.. Tdat the history Of the nation during the last
four yeals, nas fully established the propriety and
necessity Of the organisation and perpetuation of
the Republican party and that the causes which
called 1t into existence arc permanent in their ma
ture, and now, more than ever before. demand its
peaceful and constitutional triumph.
2. That tho maintenance Of the principles pro-
mulgated in the Declaration of Independence and
embodied in the federal constitution-"That all
men are created equal that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain inalle nabe rights that
among these ara life, liberty and the pursuit Of
happiness that to secure these rights governments
are Instituted among men, deriving their just pow
from the con sent of the governed essential
to the preservation of eur Republican Institutions
land that the Federal Constitution, the Rights Of
the States, and the Union Of the States. must and
shall be preserved. 544 -sat47s .~s ~
8. That to the Union of the States this nation
owes its unprecedented Increase in population, its
surprising development Of material resources, its
rapid augmentation Of wealth, its happiness at
home and it's homer abroad-and We hold in abhor-
renee all schemes fer disunion come from whatever
source they may-and we congratulate the country
that no Republican men Der OF Congress has uttered
or counter anced the threats of disunion so often
made by Democratic members, without rebuke and
with applause from their political associates-and
We denounce those threats of disunion, in case of
popular overthrow of their ascendancy, as deny
ing the vital principles Of free government and as
an avowal of contemplated treason, which it is the
imperative duty of an indignant people sternly to
retuke and forever silence. -.-l ia
4. That the maintenance inviolate of the rights
Of the States and espscal the right OF each State
to order and control its own domestic institutions
according to its own Judgment exclusively, is es-
sential to that balance of power on which the
perfection and endurance of political fabric
depend, and We denonncs the lawlees invasion by
armed force OF the soil of any State or Territory,
no matter under what pretext, ss among the grav-
est of crimes. - 49,.
s. That the present Democratic Administration
las far exceeded our worst approximations in its
measureless su5serviency to the exactions of q
sectional interest, especially evincsd in its des-
perate exeftiens to force the infamous Lecompton
Constitution upon tina protesting people Of Kaasas
in constr uing the personal relation between mas
ter and servant to involve an unqualified property
in psrsoos-In it's attempted enforcement every
where, on land and sea, through the intervention
Congress AMI CT the Fedora Courts, of tbs extreme
pretensions Of purely local interest, and its geA
ersl and unvaryipg abuse of the power entrustedto
it oy a confding people. We z FTg.ss
6. That the people justly view with alarm tho
reckless extravaganza which peryades every depart
ment of the Federal Government-that return to
rigid economy and accountability is Indispensable
to arrest the systematic plumber of the PUBLIC
treasury, by favored partIzans, while the recent
a. tho Feje, al metropolis show that entire
change of administration is imleratively demanded.
. z. Tha: tie new dogma that the Constitution, et
its force, carries slavery into any ali of the
Territories of the United States. is a dangerous
political heresy, at varance with the OK lict pro-
visions of that instrument itself with cotempora-
neous exposition, AMI with legislative and judicial
precedent; is revolutionary IN its tendency, and
subvsrsiye Of the pease and harmony OF tbs coun-
try. "a ,.4 asgsl asss.lea4E
8. That the norIal condition of all the territory
Of tho United ST. aes is Il at OF freedom that as
cur Republican hers, when they had abolished
slavery in all the national territory, ordained that
sc person should ba deprived OF lfe, liberty CT
property without due process Of law" it becomes
our duty by legislation, whenever such legislation
is necessary, to maintain this provision Of the C,n
stitution against all attempts to violate it, and
deny the authority Of Congress, of Territorial
LIE gisaure any individuals, to give legal exist
ence to slavery in any Territory of the United
states. s.ss4 ...l..t-.
9. That we brand the recent re-opening of the
Aric slave trade, under the cover Of national
flag, aided by perversions Of judicial power. a
crime against humanity and burning shame to
our country and age; and we call upon Congress-
to take prompt and efficient for the total
and final suppression of that exacrabls traffic.
10. That 10 the recent vetses, by their federal
Governors of the acts of the Legislatures Of Kan.
and Nebraska, prohibiting slavery in those Ter
ritories, we find practical illustration of the
boasted Democratic principle Of Non. Intervention
y
Nebraska Bill, and demonstration Of the decep-
ton and fraud involved therein. gag e
IL. That Kansas should, of right, be immeN-
lately admitted SIS State under the Constitution
recently formed ma l adopted by her people, and
accepted by tho House Of Representatives.
IL. That, while providing revenue for the cup
port Of the General Government by duties upon
IMPORTS, sound policy requires such adjustment of
hose imports as to encourage the development Of
he whole country and We commend that policy
w Tn IA
zen liberal wages, to agriculture remunerating
Tices, to mechs mics and manufacturerc p, ede-
uae reward for their skill. labor ani enterprise.
I'D to the nation commercial prosperity snd indie
endenee. s -
Is. That wo protest against any sals CT elena
ion to others OF the Public Lands held by actual
stt'ers, and against airy view Of the Free Home
toad policy which regards the settlers as psup.r
+ suprliants of public bounty and we demand
be passage by Congress of tho complete and salts
actory Homestead measure which has already
assed the House. EsEes EEaT
IA. That the Republican party il opposed to any
hange in our Naturalization Laws, CT any State
'gsiaticn by which the rights of citizenship hth.
rto accorded to immigrants from foreign lands
hall be abridged or impaired and in favor Of Civ
,g full and efficient protection to the rights of
II classes of citizens, whether native OF natural.
led. both at home and abroad.
Is. The appropriations by Congress for River
nd Harbof improvements of q national character
'quired fer the accommodation and security of an
on, and justified by the obligation Of Government
protect the lives and property Of its citizens.
lG. That Railroad to the Pacific is imperatively
I'm anded BY the interest OF the whole country:
lat the Federal Government ought to render
Immediate and efficient aid In its construction:
i'd that. a. preliminary thereto, . daily Over
ed Mail should be promptly establiabed SO
II: Finally, having thus set ferth cur distinct-
. principles and views, We invite the soperatioa
all citizens, however differing on other ouestions
ho ubstantally apfAA With M 10 Thai, .tB.-...S