Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-09-07
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
ADOPTED AT CHICAGO, MAY Is, 1860.

ADOPTED AT CHICAGO. MAY Is, 1850.
Resolged, That We, che delegated representatives
of the Republican electors Of the United States
in Convention assembled, in the discharge Of the
duties we owe to OUT constituents and our country,
unit in the following declarations:
four years, has fully established the pfopristy and
necessity of the organization and peEpetuation of
the Republican party and that the causes which
called it into existence arc permanent in their ma
ture, and now, more than ever before, demand ito
peaceful and Constitutional triumph.
Q. That the maintenance of the principles pro-
mulgated in the Declaration Of Independence and
embodied in the federal consttution-"Thst all
men are created equal; that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain inaie nable 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
ers from the sent of the gove1ned-is essential
to the preservation Of eur RspubliSan institutions
and that the Federal Constitution, the Rights of
the States, and the Union Of the States, must and
shall be preserved. . '.
3. 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. it, happiness at
honls and its homer abroad-and we hold in abher-
renee all schemes for dsunion, come from whatever
| source they may-and we congratulate the country
that no Republican member of Congress has uttered
or countenanced the thrests of disunion so often
made by Democratic members, without Hebuke and
with applaus from their political associstes-and
we deaounce those threats of disunion, in case Of
popular overthrow of their ascendancy, as deny
ing the vital principles OF free government, and as
On avowa Of contemplated treason, which 1t 10 the
imperative duty Of an indignant people sternly to
| rebuke and forever silence.
| 4. That the maintenance inviolate OF the rights
Of the States, and especially the right Of each State
to order and control Its own domestic institutions
according to it's own judgment exclusively, is os.
sential to that balance of power on which the
perfection and endurance of our political fabric
| depend, and We denounce the lawless invasion by
armed force Of the soil Of any State or Territory,
no matter under what Pretext, Is among the grav-
| est of crimes.
! s. That the present Democratic Administration
has far exceeded our worst approximations in its
measureless subservienoy to tho exactions of q
sec irnal interest, ~ especially evincsd in its des
perato exeftens to force the infamous Leoompton
Constitution upon the protesting people of Kassas
in constr uing the personal relation between mas
ter and servant to involve an unqualified property
| in parsous--ln its sttemp pied enforcement every
where, land and sea, through the Intervention Of
Congress and Of the Federal Courts, of tho extreme
pretensons Of purely local interest, and its gen
era and unvarying abuse Of the power entrusted t.
it by o confiding people.
6. That the people justly view with alarm thu
reckless extravaganza which perVades every depart
ment of the Federal Government-that . return tt
| rigid economy and accountability Is indispensable
to arrest the systematic plumber Of the public
! treasury, by favored partizans, while the recon
startling development If frauds and corruptioni
a. tho Federal metropolis show that an entir
change of administration is imperatively demanded
z. Tha: the new dogma that the Constitution o
its own force, carries slavery into any oil Of tn
Terri tories of the United States. is dsngerou
political heresy at variance with the exp licit pro
visions of that instrument itself, with cotempora
neous exposition, and with legislative and judicia
precedent is revolutionary in its tendency, ant
subversive of the peace and harmony Of tho coun
try.
8. Tha. the normal condition of all the TERRITORY
of the United States is that of freedom that a.
our Republican fathers, when they had abolished
slavery in oil the national territory, ordained that
90 no person should be deprived Of life, liberty Of
property without due process Of law" it becomes
oar duty by legislation, whenever such Legislation
is necessary, to maintain this provision of the Con
stituton against all attempts Ito violate it; ono
We deny tho authority of Congress, of Territorial
Legislature, or any individuals, to give legal exist
cree to slavery in any Territory Of the United
States.
9. That We brand the recent re.opening of tn.
Aric an slave trade, under the cover of nationa
flag, aid d by perversions Of judicial power. as
crime against humanity and burning shame tc
our country and age; and We call upon Congress
to take prompt and efficient for the total
and final suppression of that execrsbls traffic.
10. That in the recent yet.es, by their fedora
Governors, af the acts of the Legislatures Of Kan
,as and Nebraska, prohibiting slavery in those Ter
ritories, we find practical illu stration of the
toasted pen0cratic principle of Non. intervention
and Popular Sovereignty, embodied in the Kans as
| Nebraska Bill, and demonstration of the decep.
ton and fraud involved therein.
II. That Kansas should, of right, ba immedi-
diately admitted as State under the Constitution
recently formed AMI adopted by her people, and
accepted by the House of Representatives..
u. That, while providing revenue for the sup
port Of the General Government by duties upon
imports, sound policy requires such adjustment of
| those imports as to encourage the development OF
the whole, country; and We commend that policy
OF nntionel exchanges which secures to the work ing
men liberal wages, to agriculture remunerating
| FIcgs, to mechanics and manufacturers an ede-
qnete reward for their skill, labor and enterprise
and to the nation commercial prosperity and indie
| pendence.
| Is. That we protest against any sale or aIiene-
ton tn others OF tho Public Lands held by actual
ttlSr*, and against any view Of the Free Home
stead policy which regards the settlers as psup,rs
or suprliants Of public bounty and we dema and
the passage by Congress Of the complete and salts
factory Homestead measure which has already
passed the House.
| Il. That the r publican party is opposed to any
change in eur Naturalization Laws, CT any State
legislation by which the rights of citizenship hith
erto accorded to immigrants from foreign lands
shall be abridged or impaired and in favor Of Civ
ing full and efficient protection to the rights of
all classes Of CITIZENS, whether native OF natural
lied. both at home and abroad.
Is. The appropriations by Congress for River
and iarbor improvements of national character,
required for the accommodation and security of an
tXistilg commerce, are authorized by the Constitu
t;o2, and justified by the obligation Of Government
to prot ct the lives and property of its citizens.
IS. That Railrosd to the Pacific is imperatiyely
demanded !y the interest Of ths whole country
that tae Federal Government ought to render
immediate and efficient cid in its construction !;
AMI that. a. preliminary thereto, a daily Over
land Mai! should be pr ,mptly established.
II: Finally, having thus set forth our distinct
i've principles and vieWS, we invite the cooperation
Of all citizens however differing other questions,
who substantially agree With US in their airmaace
and support.