Tuesday, March 04, 2014

"We will maintain the right of all citizens to keep and bear arms...."

For The Convention.

UNION REPUBLICAN TICKET.

WM. PERRY.
N.J. NEWELL.
SAMUEL JOHNSON.

Platform of the Union Republican Party.

   The Union Republican Party of Anderson, South Carolina, in council assembled, representatives from ail portions of the District, unanimously adopted the following Platform as a basis of reconstruction of our State Government:

   Whereas, we acknowledge with due humility our utter dependence on the Great Creator and Preserver of all things, and thank Him with grateful hearts for having borne us safely through the stormy scenes of the late revolution, and preserved the great republic that is the admiration of the civilized world; and whereas the loyal citizens of South Carolina earnestly desire to see n settlement of all questions that disturb the prosperity of their country, and to see peace established on the enduring basis of justice to all men; and whereas we believe an important preliminary to this peace is, to endorse the Republican Party and the reconstruction measures of Congress. Therefore,

   Resolved 1. That we adopt the name of the Union Republican Party, and pledge our undivided support to the National Republican Party of the Union.

   2. We hold that all men are born free and equal--naturally, civilly and politically--and are entitled to equal rights and privileges, and the same protection of life, liberty and property.

   3. That all power is vested primarily in the people, and to them all officers of Government are at all limes accountable, and we do repudiate all aristocratic and despotic systems of Government. We further hold that the people of South Carolina have the sole and exclusive right of governing themselves, as a free and sovereign State, and do, and forever hereafter, shall exercise and enjoy every power, jurisdiction and right which is not or may not be hereafter expressly delegated to the United States of America.

   4. That we will maintain freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and perfect toleration of opinion in matters of religion.

   5. That every citizen of the State ought to have a speedy redress for all injuries to his person, or properly, or character. He ought to obtain right and justice freely, and without being obliged to purchase it--completely and without denial--promptly and without delay--conformably to law.

   6. That no person shall be arrested or imprisoned, or searched in his person, house, or papers, but upon a warrant issued on an affidavit showing probable cause, or deprived of his immunities, privileges or property: put out of the protection of the law, exiled, or deprived of his life, liberty or property, but by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land; nor shall the Legislature abolish or abridge the right of trial by jury.

   7. That we reject all right of primogeniture, all ex post facto laws, and particular or exclusive privileges to particular classes of men.

   8. That, in criminal prosecutions, the right to have all indictments passed upon by a Grand Jury, and the right of the accused to be confronted by his accusers--to have a copy of the indictment wherein the offence with which he is charged shall be formally and plainly stated--to produce all proof necessary for his defence--to be freely heard in his defence by himself or his counsel, and to speedy trial in the vicinage where the crime is alleged lo have been committed, shall be forever inviolate.

   9. That all elections ought to be free; and all the inhabitants of the State, having such qualifications as they shall establish by their frame of Government, have an equal right to elect officers, and to be elected to public employment.

   10. We will maintain the right of all citizens to keep and bear arms--their right to assemble and petition for a redress of grievances--to be exempt from the quartering of soldiers in times of peace;
and the subordination of the military to the civil authority.

   11. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.

   12. No citizen shall be compelled to be a witness against himself, nor to be twice jeoparded for the same offence, nor shall the privilege of the writ of Habeus Corpus be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safely may require it. and then only by authority of Congress.

   13. Taxes rest too heavily upon industry and business, and we demand a more just and equitable system of taxation. All taxes on property should be ad valorem, and a capitation tax should not exceed the tax on 100 acres of third class land.

   14. All officers of the Government, from the highest to the lowest--executive. legislative and judicial--should be elected directly by the people, and they should have honorable salaries, ascertained and established by law.

   15. Congress having passed a Bankrupt Law, for the benefit of all those whose indebtedness exceeds $300, we hold that equity and justice demands that some provision, at least, should be made for those whose indebtedness does not exceed $300.

   16. As all men are bound by a legal and moral obligation to pay their just debts, we oppose and condemn all efforts to repudiate individual debts, but favor their being paid by regular installments,

   17. The Legislature shall provide for the exemption from levy and sale (except for taxes) of every debtor, his household furniture and family stores of house keeper; provided, that the whole, including beds and bedding, does not exceed in value the sum of S300. Also, one horse or mule, one cow and calf, the necessary wearing apparel of such house-keeper and his family, the necessary farming utensils: if a mechanic or dentist, the tools of his trade; the books and library of all professional men, and provisions for six months to each family, with the ordinary cooking utensils, the dwelling house and houses appurtenant thereto, together with not less than fifty acres of land: provided that the land shall not extend to nor include any property within the limits of any city or town corporate of this State: and provided further, that the said real estate, in town or county, shall not exceed in value the sum of $600.

   18. We favor the abolition of imprisonment for debt, and protection of the rights of married women, and oppose confiscation in any and every form.

   19. We regret that some portion of our citizens should be placed under civil disabilities: and upon the State being restored to her position in the Union, pledge ourselves to an earnest effort to have those disabilities removed from many.

   20. The tax on cotton is an unjust and oppressive discrimination against the agricultural laborers of the South, and should be repealed at once.

   21. We will encourage a general system of free schools for the education of all classes. Also, a liberal system of public improvements, and such a system of awarding contracts for the same as will give all our fellow-citizens an equal and fair chance to share in them.

   22. The Electors for President and Vice-President of the United States should be elected directly by the people.

   23. That in the government of the State of South Carolina, the legislative department shall never exercise the executive and judicial powers, or either of them; the executive shall never exercise the legislative and judicial powers, or either of them; the judicial shall never exercise the legislative and executive powers, or either of them, to the end that it may be a Government of laws and not of men.

   24. That we favor the repudiation of the State debt, as eighty thousand of the voters of this State had no voice in making said debt,, and also favor the appropriation of three hundred thousand dollars, the annual interest on said debt, for the purpose of building the Blue Ridge Railroad, thereby placing South Carolina in a position to raise cotton cheaper than any portion of the known, world.

   25. Civil and political equality does not include nor lead to social equality. The former results from positive enactments--the latter from the mutual consent of mankind, and is beyond the control of law.

   The foregoing annunciations of principles we think, are wise, beneficent and just: and we invite the cordial co-operation of all classes of our fellow citizens to give effect to them in the re-organization of our State Government.

Oct. 13, 1867                                               22                                                 1.

[The Anderson Intelligencer, Anderson, S.C., Wednesday, November 13, 1867. Vol. 3. No. 22. Pg. 2]

No comments: