Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-07-27
Republican Platform of 1860.

principles adopted by the Republican Ma
tional Convention, held at Chicago, the
10Th of May last. We point to it with
pride, as noble platform upon which all
Republicans, as we'll as every friend of a
pure, economical and faithful administra-
ton of the Government, of whatever par
ty, can stand alike, and make war upon
the most corrupt political organization
that was ever known to exist:
Re,oiued, That we, the delegated represent
atIyes OF the Republican Electors of the United
States, in Convention assembled. in the dis
charge of the duty owe to our constituents
and our country, unite in the following declara-
tions
First, That the history of the nation during
the last four years has fully established the
proprlety and necessity of the organization and
perpetuation of the Republican party, and that
the causes which called it into existence arc
permanent n their nature and now more than
ever before demand its peaceful and constitu-
tional triumph.
Second That the maintenance of the princi-
Piles promulgated in the Declaration of indie
pendence, and embodied in the Federal Con-
sttution, is essential to the preservation of our
republican institutions that the Federal Con-
stltution, the rights of the States, and the Union
of the States must and shall be preserved ;
and that we reassert = these truths to be self
evident, that all men are created equal, that
they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights that among these are lfe
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to
secure these rights, governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from
the consent Of the governed"
Third That to the Union of the States this
nation owes its unprecedented increase in pop
ulation its surprising development of material
resources its rapid augmentation of wealth ;
its happiness at home and its honor abroad ;
and we hold in adherence all schemes for dis
union, come from whatever source they may ;
and we congratulate the country that no Re-
publican Member of Congress has uttered or
countenanoed threat of disunion, so often
made by Democratic Members of Congress
without rebuke and with applause from
their political associates and we denounce
those threats of disunion in case of a popular
overthrow of their ascendency, as denying the
vital principles of a free Government and as
an avowal of contemplated treason, which it is
the imperative duty of indignant people
strongly to rebuke and forever silence.
Fourth, That the maintenance invioate of
the rights Of the States, and especially the
right of each State to order and control its
own domestic institutions according to its own
judgment exclusively, is essential TO that bal
ance of power on which the perfection and en-
durance of our political faith depends
and we denounce the lawless invasion b. arm
ed force of any State or Territory, no matter
under what pretext, as among the gravest of
crimes
Fifth, That the present Democratic Admin
istration has far exceeded our worst apprehen-
sions in its measureless subseryency to the ex-
of ,xIo IL.
evident in its desperate exertionS to force the
infamous Lecompton constitution on the protest
ing people of Kansas, in constituting the personal
relation between master and servant to involve
an unqualified property in persons-in its at
tempted enforcement everywhere, on land and
sea, through the intervention of Congress
and the Federal Courts, of the extreme preten-
sions of a purely local interest and in its gen.
eral and unvarying abuse of the power intrust-
ed to it by coniding people
Sirh, That the people justly view with alarm
the reckless extravaganza which pervadcs every
department. of the Federal Government that
return to rigid economy and accountability is
indispensable TO arrest the system of plumber of
the public treasury by favored parisans; while
the recent startling developments of fraud and
corruption at the Federal metropolis show that
entire chang" of administration is impera-
lively demanded.
Serenth, That the new dogma that the Con-
stitution, of its force. carries Slavery into
any or all of the Territories of the United
States is dangerous political heresy, at yari-
ance with the explicit provisions of that instru-
ment itself, with contemporaneous exposition
and with legislative and judicial precedent; is
revolutionary in its tendency, and subversive
of the peace and harmony of the country.
Eighth That the normal condition of all the
territory of the United States is that of Free
dom; 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
the process of law, it becomes our duty, by leg
islation, whenever such legislation is necessary
to mainta1 this provision of the Constitution
against al attempts to violate it; and we deny
the authotty of Congress, of Territorial leg
islature, or of any individuals to We legal ex-
istence to Slavery in any territory of the Uni
ted States
Ninth That we brand the recent re-openinc
of the African slaye-trade. under the cover of
our national flag, aided by perervsions of Judi
cial power as II crime against humanity, a
burning shame to our country and age, and
we call upon Congress to take prompt and eff
cient measures for the total and final suppress
sion of that execrable traffic.
Tenth. That in the recent vetoes by their Fed
eral Governors of the acts Of the Legislatures
of Kansas and Nebraska, prohibiting Slavery
in those territories, we find practical illustra-
ton of tho boasted Democratic principle of
non-interyention and Popular Sovereignty. en-
bodied in the Kansas and Nebraska BILL and a
denunciation of the deception and fraud invol-
we'd therein.
E'erenth, That Kansas should of right be i'm
mediately admitted as State under the Con-
stitution recently formed and adopted by her
people, and accepted by the House eff Repre-
sentatives
TtreLfth, That while providing revenues for
the support of the general Government BY du
ties upon imports, sound policy requires such
an adjustment of those imposts as to encourage
the development of the industrial interest of
the whole country and we commend that
poliey of national exchanges which secures to
the working men liberal wages, to agriculture
remunerating prices, to mechanics and manu-
facturers an adequate reward for their skill.
labor and enterprise, and to the nation COM
mercial prosperity, and independence.
Thirtsenth, That we protest against any sale
or alienation to others of the public lands held
by actual settlers, and against any view of the
free homestead policy which regards the settlers
ms paupers or supplicants fol public bounty,
and we demand the passage by Congress of the
COMPLETE and satisfactory Homestead measure
which has already passed the House
Fo,trteenth, That the Republican party is op-
nosed to any change in our Naturalization laws,
pr anv State legislation by which the rights OF
o;ti1ensbip hitherto accorded to immigrants
f,,m foreign lands shall be abridged or impair
cd and in favor of giving full and efficient pro-
lection TO the rights of all classes of citizens,
whether native or naturalized, both at home
or abroad