The Republican Party

The Republican party of the Union, at its great convention held in Chicago on the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th of May, 1860, in which all the non-slaveholding states, and Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri and Texas, were represented set forth a formal declaration of their principles and of the ends they desired to attain.

Let us review these principles and objects, as embraced in the platform of the party, adopted at this convention:

1^st  That the Republican party should be perpetual.

That is a question which the party itself will decide.

2d that the principles of the Declaration of Independence are essential to the preservation of our Government.

On that point we all agree.

3d  That to the Union of the States the nation owes its prosperity and greatness.

On that point all but traitors agree.

4^th  That the right of each state to control its own domestic institutions is inviolate.

On that point we all agree.

5^th  That Mr. Buchanan’s administration was an unmitigated nuisance.

On that point we all agree.

6^th  That extravagance in the management of the Federal revenue should be avoided, and strict economy be practiced.

On that we all agree.

7^th  That the dogma that the Constitution carries slavery into all the Territories is a false and dangerous one.

The Republican party have settled this question by organizing all the Territories, and thus making this issue a dead one.

[8^th]  That the normal condition of all the Territories is that of freedom.

The same remark as above applies to this.

9^th  That the African Slave trade should be stopped.

We all agree on that.

10^th  That the administration of Mr. Buchanan was dishonest on the popular sovereignty issue.

We all agree on that.

11^th  That Kansas should be admitted as a free State.

Kansas has been admitted as a free State.

12^th  That working men should have fair wages, farmers have good prices, merchants and manufacturers adequate rewards, and the nation commercial prosperity and independence.

To which all the people say amen!

13^th  That the Homestead bill should be passed.

The Homestead bill has passed.

14^th  That there should be no change in the naturalization laws.

And we all agree on that.

15^th  That needful harbor and river improvements, of a national character, are constitutional.

The people will not dispute that.

16^th  That we should have an overland mail to California and that the Pacific Railroad Bill should be passed.

We have the overland mail, and the Pacific Railroad bill has passed.

So that it appears that the Republican party, fresh, young, vigorous and impetuous, have very nearly completed all the work that they laid out for themselves to do.

The only live issues they have left for themselves are:

1^st  The preservation of the Union of the States.

2d  The right of each State to control its own institutions.

3d  The necessity of economy in public expenditure.

4^th  To secure good wages and good prices to both consumer and producer.

On all these issues the Republicans of Missouri, and the other Union men of Missouri of no matter what previous political affinity, can stand shoulder to shoulder, and fight and triumph together.

And no man, or set of men, have the right to interpolate any new dogma, to call it a Republican Doctrine, and to denounce men as anti-Republicans who will not accept it.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 31, 1862, p. 1