The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-08-31

H4 y .
Secretary Of State, Gordon E. Cole, for Attor.
new General, and William Window, for Repre-.
sentative in Congress, three open and avowed
SirthwThat 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 encouragement
consin, and elsewhere, to resist the laws, con-
vict it of being sectional, reasonable, and rev.
dictionary in its objects and aims.
.Seventk-That the principles embraced in
the measure known as the Homestead Bill
were and are of Democratic origin; first in
troduced into Congress by member OF that
party, and, during the last session, voted Tor
by our Senators and Representatives; and
tn at 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 as to lands subject to prl-
vate entry or to pre-. Exemption; that the at.
tempt of the Republican party to claim 1t
as 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-
ceeds of the public lands amongst all the
States, thus despoiling the public land States
for the benefit of the older States of the Union.
as witnessed by its advocating the passage of
the Agricultural College Bill during the last
session of Congress-, in advance of the Home
stead Bl-thus taking from the State of Min.
nesOta over three millions of acres of land and
creating State Land Monopolies in our midst
and disposing of the public domain they pro-
fessed by the Homestead Bill to be DESTROYS of
donating as homes for the homeless.
Eighth-That 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 &C
tual settlers under the operation of liberal
homestead or pre-emptions awiiThat the sale at
this time of the lands now advertised in this
State, would be oppressive to the pioneer set.
tiers upon the public domain, obnoxious to the
earnest and frequently expressed sentiments of
the Democracy of the State, and repugnant
to the policy indicated by Andrew Jackson
and endorsed by the President in his inau-
gural address. This Convention therefore
most respectfully and urgently solicit the Pres
ident to postpone those sales, as a means
of preserving a numerous class from actual
ruin, and contributing to the best interests of
the State.
Ninth-That the covert opposition of the
leaders of the Republican party in this State to
the admission of Minnesota, and the open OPP
position of the Representatives Of that party in
Congress, to the admission of both Minnesota
and Oregon, demonstrate the hypocrisy of
Republican pretensions as being the peculiar
friends of Free States.
Ienth-That the charges made by the late
Republican Convention that the officers of the
State and the Democratic party had tempered
with the purity of the ballot box to secure their
ascendency at the last State election is dishon-
oring to the State, and still more to those who
make them as they know them to be false and
unfounded; and the fact that their candidate for
Governor was repeatedly invited and challeng-
ed to test the question before the legal tribu-
nails of the State, which he and his political
friends declined to do, affords the most con-
vincng proof that neither he nor they believed
what they so vehemently asserted. And in
thus repellng their foul charges, wedeclare our
unlimited confidence, in the integrity and patri
otism of the present State Administration.
Elerenth---That the present numerous repre-
sentatOn in the two houses of the Legislature is
an unnecessary source of expense to the people
of the State, and that this, as well as the pre-
sent expensive system of county government,
should be changed, and the people relieved from
the exorbitant taxation to " hch they are now
subjected and that this Convention, therefore,
pledges the Democratic party of the State to
use its power to change the present system of
county government, to reduce the representa-
ton in the Legislature to the lowest number
consistent with the interests of the State, and
to provide for an economical administration of
the government in all its departments.
Itceth-That the connection of Lake Su-
perior and the Mississippi River with Puget's,
Sound by railroad, is great national work,
vital to the defence and permanence of the
Union and the Democracy of the State stand
pledged to urge the early construction of
railroad over the Northwestern route, and the
extension of the provisions of the reciprocity
treaty from its present western limits to the
Pacific, and thus secure the early and rapid
development of the fertile regions of country
upon and west of our northern frontier.
1hTteenh-That it is the duty of the people
OF Minnesota to preserve inviolate the faith and
credit of the State. That the doctrine of re-
pudiation announced by the Republican party
is one which is abhorrent to the Democracy,
and must receive the condemnation of the
honest masses. That we pledge the Demo.
cratic party that Minnesota shall honorably
and promptly meet all obligations resting upon
her; and we further pledge the Democratic
party TO the following
lst. 10 effect an equitable arrangement
with the Land Grant Railroad Companies by
made to them, and IN respect to those already
issued, to provide for meeting promptly the
payment of the interest as well as principal;
I'd. TO confne the public liabilities within
their present limits and to favor the prosecu-
ton of the Railroads, including the Railroad to
Lake Superior, with the least possible delay;
Sd. To modify the banking law of the State
so as to establish sound currency, and
4th. To advocate such legislation as will
more fully insure to the State guarantee that
the securities held by her from the Railroad
Companies shall not be sacrificed, and the
roads left in the hands of purchasers discharged
would inevitably be the result, should the pro-
gramme of the Republican party be fully car.
ried out.
Democratic State Committee.