The national Republican., 1860-12-24
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.

Resoloed, That we, the delegated representa-
tives of the Republican Electors of the United
States, in Convention assembled. in discharge
country, unite in the following declarations:
Frat. That the history Of the nation during
the last four years has fully established the pro-
priety and necessity Of the organisation and per-
petuaton Of the Republican party, and that the
causes which called It into existence are perma-
nent in their nature, and now, more than ever
before, demand its peaceful and constitutional
triumph.
Second. That the maintenance Of the principles
promulgated In the Declaration of Independen
and embodied in the Federal Constitution, "that
all men are created equal; that theyare endowed
BY their Creator with certain unalienable rights;
that among these are life, liberty, and the pur-
suit Of happiness that to secure these rights,
Governments are instituted among men, deriving
their just powers from the consent ofthe governed"
Is essential to the preservation Of our republican
institutions; and that the Federal Constitution.
the rights Of the States, apd the Union of the
States, must and shall be preserved.
nation owes ita unprecedented increase in popu-
lation; Its surprising development of material
resources its rapid augmentation of wealth /;
Its happiness at home and its honor abroad; aud
we hold In adherence all schemes for disunion,
come from whatever source they may; and we
congratulate the country that NO Republican
member Of Congress has uttered or countenanced
a threat Of disunion, SO often made by Demo.
cratic members without rebuke and with ap-
plause from their political associates; and we
denounce those threats of disunion, iu case Of
popular overthrow Of their ascendency, as de-
nying 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 rebuke and forever silence.
Fourth. That the maintenance inviolato of
the rights Of the States, and especially the right
of each State 10 order and control its own do
mestic institutions, according to its own judg-
ment exclusively, Is essential to that balance Of
power on which the perfection and endurance Of
our political fabric depends and we denounce
the lawless invasion by armed force of the soil
Of any State or Territory, no matter under what
preteIt, as among the gravest Of crimes.
Fyth. That the present Democratic Admins
tration has far exceeded our worst apprehensions
in Its measurelsss subserviency to the eIactions
Of a sectional interest, as especially evidenced
In Its desperate exertions to force the infamous
Lecompton Constitution upon the protesting peo-
pie OF Kansas-in constituting the personal rela-
ton between master and servant to involve an
unqualified property in persons-in It's attempted
enforcement everywhere, on land and sea- through
the Intervention Of Congress and of the Federal
courts, Of the extreme pretensions Of purely To-
Interest and In its general and unvarying abuse
Of the power intrusted to 1t by q con6ding people
Sizth. That the people justly view with alarm
the reckless extravaganza which pervades every
department Of the Federal Government; that a
return to rigid economy and accountability Is in
dspensable to arrest the systematic plunder of the
public Treasury by favored partisans; while the
recent startling developments Of frauds and cor
ruptions at the Federal metropolis show that an
entire change Of Administration 10 imperatiyely
| demanded.
Seventh That the new dogma that the Consti
tuition OF Its own force carries slavery into any
or all OF the Territories of the United States, Ia
dangerous political heresy, ut variance with the
explicit provisions of that instrument itself with
cotemporaneous exposition, and with legislatiye ye
and judicial precedent; is revolutionary in its
tendency, and subversive of the peace and har-
| mony of the country.
Eighth. That the normal condition of all the
territory OF the United States is that Of Freedom
that as our republican fathers, when they had
abolished slavery in all our national territory,
ordained that "no person should be deprived OF
life, liberty, or property without due process of
law" 1t becomes our duty, by legislation, when
ever such legislation is necessary, to maintain
this provision of the Constitution against all at
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