Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-04-28
PLATFORM.


Campaign Of 1850, and appointed delegates to
the National Convention of the Republican
party to be held at Chicago, on the 10th of
May, deem it Just to ourselves, and respectful
to those from whom we differ in political
matters, to indicate in general terms, but with
plainness and candor, the views and feelings
which induce Us to act with the Republican
party.
l. We declare our firm attachment to the
Union, and to the Constitution Of the United
States, and denounce as enemies to their
country those who stake the perPetuity OF tie
Union upon tho success of their own party.
2. We are opposed to the present Federal
Administration. We think that its conduct to-
ward the territories has been unjust and wick
ed; and that the LecOmpton bill which it recon-
nended and urged, the English bill luPon which
it finally subsided its present hostility to the
admission Of Kansas into the Union, ell flow
Fl ON an unjust and perverse discrimination in
favor of slavery over freedom. We think that
its policy in Utah has had little other effect than
to enrich the Mormon chiefs, to countenance
them in the outrages upon the lives and prop
erty of American citizens, and to darken one
of the darkest stains upon the national escutch-
eon. We are further opposed TO it for its re-
missness in not enforcing the laws against the
African slave trade; because it has, in time of
peace, incurred heavy national debt, and has,
by the war-making power, taken the direct
road towards despotism. - IN ~ d.
3. We repudiate the new and repulsiVe
doctrine that the Constitution, of its own force
carries slavery into all the territories of the
Unite States. We regard slavery as purely
the creation Of local municipal law. 1t can
have no force in any community, except by
E,r of Ioru al hT tha moi
When such laws are enacted in a constitutional
manner, the rights of masters to the services
Of their slaves, must be respected as other civil
rights.
T. We deny TO Congress any power over
the institution Of Slavery within the several
States, and claim for the people of the States
themselves, only, the right under their eonsti-
tutionAl and moral responsibilities 70 establish
and regulate or abrogats the institution. But
as to the Territories, we hold now, as our faith
ers and all parties have hitherto held, that
Congress has power to pass all needful rules
and regulations for their government, to the
extent Of enacting laws for them, OF repeating
laws enacted by them.
5. ReprOaching as we do our British ances-
ters, for introducing slavery among US, and
considering it as conflicting with the spirit of
our institutions, we are opposed 10 its eXten>
sion into any Of the Territories of the United
States.
6. We are opposed to the re-Opening of the
African Slave Trade. and in favor Ofthe effect
uaI suppression Of that cruel and infamous
traffic.
Z. We believe that portion of the public
domain should at all times be held subject to
the provisions of we'll considered Homestead
law.
sth. We repudiats and denOunce as revolu>
tiOnary and especially dangerous to the best
interests Of society, the doctrine Of the Demo
cratic party, announced in Mr.. Buehanan's
Message of Feb. ID, 1883, that a bare majority
Of people in State can change its OOnstitu
ton at any time, in disregard of its provisions,
the mode Of amendment.
9th. We believe that Territories possessing
a sufficient number of inhabitants ought to be
admitted into the Union, as sovereign States,
provided only that they present Constitutions
Republican in form, and fairly adopted.
10th. We are opposed TO any inequality Of
rights among citizens.
llth. We think that government should aid
in uniting by railroad the Atlantic and Pacific
States, believing that such communication will
strengthen the bonds of our National Union,
be great Importance in the time of war, and
promote the general welfare of our common
country.
l2th. We are in favor Of procuring by treaty,
territory in iSOuth and Central America, for
the free blacks of the United States.
18th. We regret the repeal, by the late Leg
islatuTe, of the action of 1888, which forbade
the importation of slaves as merchandise into
Kentucky, and we pronounce the act concern
ing free negroes, mulattoes, and emancipation,
passed by this, for thirty years the first Dem-
Ocratic Legislature of Kentucky, as a disgrace
to the age in which we live.
l4th. Finally, Teposing confidence in the in
telIigsnce, patriotism and integrity of the Re
publican party, We assume its name, to adhere
to it through good and svil report, in prosper.
itY and in sdversity, unless it proves false in
its promises of usefulness, and SO disappOint
our just expectations.