Year: 1860

|
! 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 esta bished the proprlety
and necessity of the organization ana pefpetuaton
of the Republican party, and that the causes Whlch
called it into existence permanent In their nature
and more than ever before demand its peaceful
and constitutional triumph.


| Second: That the maintenance of the principles
prom ulC ated in the Declaration OF independence,
and embodied in the Federal Constitution Is essen
tial the preservation of repub
and that the Federal Constitution the flghts or the
States, and the Union of the States must and shall
| be preserved.


Third That to the Union of the States this nation
owes it unprecedented increase Ill population its
sur prising 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 dsunion come from whateve er source
they may and congratulate the country that n"
Renublcan member of Congress has uttered or
tenanced a threat of diSuniOn, SO often made by
Democratic members of Congress without reouke
and with applause from their political associates
and we denounce those threats of dsunon in of
q popular overthrow of their ascendency. denying
the vital principles of free government and as an
avowa of contemplated treason, which it is the inn
perative duty of an indignant people strongly to re-
buke and forever silence.


Fourth: Th.t the maintenance inviolate of the
rights of the States and especially the right of
each State to order and control its domestic in
sttutions according to its own Judgment exclusive
essential to that balance Of power on which the
perfection and endurance of our political faith de-
| bends and we denOunce the laWless invasion by
armed force of any State or Territory matter un
| e w at
Fifth: That the present Democratic Adm inistra
ton has far exceeded worst apprehension in its
measureless subservency to the exactions of sec
tiOnal crest is especially evident In Its despe
rate exertions to force the infamous Lecompton Con
stitution upon the protesting people of Kansas--in
! cnnstrniny the nersoual relation between master
and servants to involve an unqualified property in
persons-ln its attempted enforcement everywhere,
on land and sea, through the intervention of Con
press and the Federal Courts of the extreme pre-
tensions of purely local interest and in its general
and unvaryng abuse of the power entrusted to it by


S1rth: That the people justly view with alarm
the reckless extravaganza which pervades every
department of the Federal Government; that
return to rigid economy and accountability is indis
to arrest the system of plunder of the pub
c treasury by favored paltizans; while the recent
startling developments OF traund and corruption at
the Federal metropolis show that entire change
of administration is imperatlvely demanded.


SevenM That the dogma that the Constitu-
ton of its own force carries Slavery into any all
the Territories of the United States, is dangerous
political heresy, at variance with the explicit pro
visions of that instrument itself. with contempora
neous exposition, and with Legislative and Judicial
precedent is revolutionary in its tendency and SUBJ
versive of the peace and harmony of the country.


Eighth: That the normal condition of al! the terri
tory of the United States is that of Freedom; that
as our republican fathers when they had abolished
slavery in ali our national territory, ordained that
no person should be deprived of life, liberty prop
erty. without due process of law it becomes our du-
ty by legislation, whenever such legislation
ary, to maintain this provision OF the Constitution
against all attempts to violate it; and deny the
authority of Congress OF Territorial Legislature,
or of any individuals give legal existence to slave
rv in any Territory of the United States


Ninth: That we brand the recent re opening of
the African slave trade, under the Of ma
tona flag, aided by the pei versions of judicial pow
er a crime against humanity, a burning shame to
country and age, and we call upon Congress to
take prompt and efficient for the total and
final Suppression of that execrable traffic


TENTH: That in the recent vetoes by the Federal
Governors of the acts of the Leglsat of Kansas
and Nebrasba pr"hibitiniG slavefy in those Terrto;
Democratic princip pie of non-interventon and Pupu-
lar Sovereignty, embodied in the Kansas and Ne;
fraud involved therein.


E1eventh: That Kansas should of right he imme-
diateIv admitted a. a State under the Constitution
recently formed and adopted by her people, and ac-
cepted by the House of Representatives.


I1reIhh: That while providing revenue for the
support of the General Government by duties upon
imposts, sound policy requires such an adjustment
of these impOstS to encourage the development of
the industrial interests of the whole country, and
commend that policy of national exchanges which
secures to the workngmen liberal wages to agrcul-
ture renumerating prices to mechanics and manu-
facturers adequate reward for their skill la Dor
and enterprise and to the nation commercial pros
perity and independence.


Thirteenth That protest against any sale or
alienation to others of the public lands held bv
al settlers and against any view of the free Home
stead policy which regards the settlers as paup-rs or
supplicants for pucc bounty, and we demand the
passage by Congress of the complete satisfacto-
~ Homestead measure which has already passed
the House.


Fourteenth That the National Republican party
is opposed to any change in natura alton laws
any State legislation by which the rights of citi-
zenslIip hitherto accorded to immigrants from for
eign lands shah be abridged or impaired: and in IA
of giving full and efficient protection to the
rights of all classes of citizens, whether native or
naturazed, both at home abroad


Fifteenth That appropriations by Congress for
river and harbor improvements of national charac
ter, required for the accommodation and security of
existing commerce, are authorized by the Const-
tutiun and justified by obligation of the Govern
men to protect the lives and property of its citizens


tSirteenh: That railroad to the Pacific Ocean is
VP of fba al.
country and the Federal Government ough to rem.
der immediate and efficient aid i'll its construction
and that preliminary p.ereto a daily overland
mail should be promptly established


Seventeenth: Finally, having thus set forth our
distinctive principles and views, we invite the CO.
operation of all citizens however differing on other
questions, who substantially agree with us in their
afirnance and support.


When the resolutions were read several elected
warm applause.


The resolution in favor of the protective tariff
received with unbounded enthusiasm by
Pennsylvania, and a large crowd of outsiders
the whole delegations and spectators rising and
giving round after round of deafening cheers


G. w. Curtis of New York, moved to amend
the second resolution by adding thereto the pre-
lude to the Declaration of Independence


Mr. Curtis said that this was the second Nation
al Convention of the Republican party and he
asked whether the party was now prepared to
vote down the words of the Declaration of Inde
pendence He cautioned them to beware before
here in the broad pra1ries of the West they reced
ed from the position they had occupied at Phila-
,lelphia and refused to repeat the words of the
forefathers of the Revolution as used in the De-
ciaration of American independence. loud ap-
plouse']


Mr.. Oyler, of Indiana. said he believed in the
Declaration of Independence. but was it necessa
ry to put it in the platform Loud shouts of
yes yes He told it was-then he
would say it was already in. [Cries of put it in
twice."l He thought it would be as proper to
put in the Bible from the first chapter to the last


The resolution, amended, was passed unani
mously


A scene of the rr;ldast oxn;tannont e,lla..al -,