The national Republican., 1861-01-10
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.

tives of the Republican Electors of the United
States, in Convention assembled, in discharge
of the duty we owe to our constituents and our
country, unite In the following declarations:
FIRST. That the history Of the nation during
the last four years has fully established the pro-
prety and necessity Of the organisation and per-
petuation 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 Independence,
and embodied in the Federal Constitution, "that
all men are created equal that they are 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 of the governed"
is essential to the preservation Of our republican
institutions and that the Federal Constitution,
the rights of the States, and the Union of the
States, must and shall be preserved.
Third. That to the Union of the States this
nation owes its 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, in case of
a popular overthrow of their ascendency, as de-
nying the vital principles of a 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 inviolste 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
pretext, as among the gravest Of crimes.
Fifth That the present Democratic Admins
tration has far exceeded our worst apprehensions
| in its measureless subserviency to the exactions
| OF a SeCllOnal luttTtSt, MS tsptCldlly eNlutuCeu
| 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 its 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 a confding people,
g;rtb That the peon1e instlv 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 arrest the systematic plunder Of the
public Treasury by favored partsans; while the
recent startling developments Of frauds and cor
ruptions at the Federal metropolis show that an
entire change of Administration is imperatively
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, is
dangerous political heresy, at variance with the
explicit provisions of that instrument itself, with
cotemporaneous exposition, and with legislative
, 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
g ever such legislation is necessary, to maintain
, this provision of the Constitution against all at
o tempts to violate it; and we deny the authority
= of Congress, of Territorial Legislature, or OF
any individuals, to give legal existence to sla-
/. very in any Territory of the United States
= Ninth. That we brand the recent reopenpg Of
n the African slave trade, under the cover of our
a national flag, aided by perversions of judicial
y power as a crime against humanity, and burning
shame to our country and age; and we call upon
= Congress to take prompt and efficient measures
y for the total and final suppression of that exc.
cradle 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 a practical illustration
Q of the boasted Democratic principle of non-n
d tervention and popular sovereignty embodied il
d the Kansas Nebraska bill, and a demonstration
s of the deception and fraud involved therein.
l. Eleventh. That Kansas should Of right be i'm
mediately admitted a State under the Consti
tuition recently formed and adopted by her people
and accepted by the House of Representatives.
l. TweLh That while providing revenue for th
le support of the General Government by dutie
e. upon imports, sound policy requires such an ad
Il justment Of these imposts as to encourage the de
Of veopmeut of the industrial interests of the Who'll
It country and we commend that policy of nation
at al exchanges, which secures to the working me
in liberal wages to agriculture remunerating prices
ct to mechanics and manufacturers an adequat
er reward for their Skill labor, and enterprise an
to the nation commercial prosperity and indie
ID pendence.
N Thirteenth. That we protest against any sal
4 or alienation to others of the public lands hel
- by actual settlers and against any view of tn
free homestead policy which regards the settler
1 i1 as paupers suppcants for public bounty an
al we demand the passage by Congress of the com
g, plete and satisfactory homestead measure whic
ID has already passed the House