Show 7 ID A nod POL M the the independent party t 1 i I 1 i 0 fc 21 IL THE IT AT FRANKLING poli political tic I 1 ch chicanery ca ii y an and d jobbery sat down upon equal rights to all I 1 r f r I 1 7 the OGDEN HE r h the following minutes of a territorial convention of the independent enaena party of idaho idabo held at franklin Prank liti oneida ore county idaho 6 october 1880 1886 with n ii copy of ahe jb platform of the he independent dependent Iti party Q ot idaho both of which it tabes takes pleasure tn publishing the delegates to the convention met at 12 m it wa was moved and carried thet th et john donalds on act as temporary chairman cha irmin and thomas durant as temporary secretary the following committee on credentials was then appointed appoint oid by the chair J E fogg H margarets Marg erets and W b L webster the tile committee then proceeded to ex examine amino iho the credentials and the following named delegates reported As members to the convention john Dna donaldson ldson thomas durant peter W L webster proxy J E F 1059 R b L babeo C 0 eese rese 1 john 0 larson lamon pr proxy ox 1 thomas warrick B S dudley J A hun JA hun ue proxy R S spence H B margress Mar grets H mar alar greta r ets pra proxy ay it V H homer W 5 hackba and d jos dudley the deport was accepted and the corn cittee discharged the convention thed proceeded to elect a permanent organization tion it was moved jy b y W L W webster ebs ter thai that thy temporary organization be considered I 1 permanent carried unanimously WH W H homer moved that W L webster be chaplain carried the convention opened with prayer by the chaplain it waa was moved that a committee cora mUtee of five be appointed by the chair on resolutions one and platform carried the chair appointed lowing aa as said committee R 8 8 p nce R L bybee G C parkin eon son AV W L debater We IV bater W H homer i 5 th the e convention then adjourned till 4 p m at 4 p in the reassembled and while iho committee were preparing their report john I 1 donaldson made some remarks showing our present position and i forcibly showed I 1 the necessity of organizing ourselves into a party serrate separate and independent from all bt other er political parties the committee on resolutions and platform then returned a and d presented platform w which ilio was unanimously adopted by the convention and them committee discharged of OV OK OX 1 PARTY of or IDAHO As light wae was evolved from darkness by tho the divine fiat flat in the beginning so good la Is often brought out of evil by the onial omnipotent potent hand of providence the force of circumstances frequently implies action and causes combinations which result in J benefits tb atwould not have occurred 1 but lot those apparently unfavorable eventa events in this igat we view the movements which have rendered necessary the formation of ail an independent party in southern Sou thein idaho for fifteen years the people of thia this region commonly known as mor mons have voted fur for and sustained the democratic tic party pary of idaho through their influence inua ence that party has gained such victories as have bave crowned its struggle in the field of politics without their aid it could not have succeeded in battling with an unscrupulous and vigorous foe but the party has his become divided in sentiment in relation to the tho catl zens who have been so faithful to its interest falsehoods of the basest kind have been circulated concerning our faith our motives and our fealty to the government government an ant mormon faction has sprung into existence exis lence which with singular agular sh fatuity has fallen in the snare snare set by the republicans to split up the democracy wih wi h their aid an infamous test oath was enacted for the purpose of preventing the exercise of the elective franchise by any member ef the mormon church residing in the territory by my their action the party ti became me so cowardly as to submit to the expel sion from a territorial convention of duly accredited delegates because they represented mormon citizens by this means ft a large number of staunch Demo democrats critis we were re virtually shut out of the party weA weakening kiening it by loss of members and creating disgust in the breasts of all true democrats 1 n bo ho know no creed and recognize no religious distinction in politics this unwise and ungrateful course bab u rendered necessary for self pr preserve ese tion and future action the organization of an independent party in which no di difference Terence of faith will be a br to membership we therefore representing the tle citizens so unjustly justly treated withdrawing all fellowship from every other do organize and establish ent party patty of idaho and announce he the following follow ine as our platform of pies u I lwe we ere are the frienda friends of law and order wo we will uphold every eve r constitutional and just enactment whether national or loc local albut but yve ve are opposed to everything in the shape of a religion religious test in politics and we pledge ourselves oure elve to io work for the re peal of every statute and provision which infringes upon the rights of man and the immunities of citizens ARTICLE 2 we wo dispute the right of the state to encroach upon the law ful domain of the church we aleo also deny the right of the church bodom to dominate the state E each aeh has a P fehere here of its own and neither should in fringe on the other religion as well as civil liberty ie Is a fundamental principle of our national system both are equally essential in a true re I 1 s w P ent xo eeck pact houna a i iltis ill 1 I 1 tic it f ate 41 ii rl 1 11 neither either shoil sh oil nl i un r ligha ligi iii audy be difed 1 1 in 1 1 slate state hialit hi ho otilit or 1 1 8 every 1111 1 y r littion under the he sun tun be bo entirely free until it invades natural rights or boreako out into overt acts acta against peace and good order and all pretended jans laws tat that seek to bind the consciences of nien en are tire unconstitutional ind and void 3 we demand freedom of speech and of the press as a coti constitutional sti tut ional unlit right while no man by voice or pen should be permitted to libel another a muzzle must not be placed on mens mouths or a fetter upon human every attempt to wile 1 free speech however oknox ibus may be the sentiment of the so long as he lie dof does snot not abet actual crime is absolute tyranny and ind should be resisted resi eted by every free mac mar the right of all people to fre freely ely assemble discuss their views and pre sint ent th their e ir grievances must and shall bo maintained ticla 4 cewill we will maintain and struggle fai the rights of local self government the officers of the territories ri should be selected from the territories each political division ought to be permitted to choose its officials all governments in all departments part ments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed rile the majority mal arity in each locality should rule avery official should be responsible pon sible he fur for bis his official acts fiets to the tile citizens Iti zens whose business bu sineas he lie conducts or whose interests he lie is appointed to euba erve public officers are the servants not the tile masters of the people liwe li we are in favor efow of low taxes consistent with public improve economy in tion of public avaird is 13 to the public welfare Db honesty and fraud should be punished rigor and no officer who betrays his trust should continue in the public service we aro are opposed to jobbery in eveia every form salaries to public servants are inconsistent with the general interest all als should be content with fair wages for fair work the fee system is isan an avenue for muen abuse it should be abol dished wherever just salaries can be consistently substituted 6 we denounce ballot box stuffing stuff ine illegal voting and find political chic ancery in every patty 7 we despise cowardice treachery and vai vat illation and will stand by those who fearlessly stand bv ua us 8 we will sustain for office good men and wise me men only who appear to us worthy of our vote and confidence ARTICLE 9 we pledge ourselves to unite units and struggle against every assault upon human freedom in in this territory and nod to labor fur for the tile promotion of the public publia welfare and for the exercise of all the rights and privileges of citizenship by every law abiding individual we proclaim ourselves the friends of all who are lawfully battling for human luman freedom freedm and the foes cfall of all who villo seek to oppose mankin dand and who place private and factional interest above the general welfare u ARTICLE 10 we are a local party organized for local purposes end and therefore abstain from rom touching upon national oat ional questions ARTICLE II 11 we ve invite true men of all shades of opinion religious or ox political who can endorse sentiments to join us in the good work of purifying the politics of idaho and establishing political independence and pledge them a hearty heart and cordial support and we invoke upon our efforts the benedic tion of the supreme Sup euler ruler of the universe B R chairman IV L webster moved that the minutes of this convention be published in the idaho independent and tho the utah journal and that 1000 copies of the platform p be printed carried mr homer tbt tho we proceed to nominate a central car commit amit tee and that the committee be composed of three citizens from each of the counties of bear lake bing j barn bam oneida and cassia and anti that one DO member be chosen from each commissioners Commissi onera district di carried the members nominated for bear lake county were J 4 hunt R S spence ed borgoyne for oneida county joseph dudley isaac thorne W V L webs webster ter for bingham county W H homer J JA A eldridge john joba donaldson Don aldeon for cassia cassis county horton D haight might X EL L wood john bow ler for carter county george harland it was moved by W L webster that a finance committee of five be a appointed cpr 0 i ll 11 ted by the chair carried the b e chair appointed as said committee W L web We bater ter K R S spence R L bybee H D i haight and george harland Haria cd convention adjourned with prayer by the chaplain chapla iii JOHN DONALDSON chairman THOMAS DURANT secretary a |