Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-08-30
From the Buffalo Courier.
PROTEST..
10 fhe friends of Free Soil.

|, q delegate To the Buffalo Convention,
from the Free Soil Association of the city
of New York, Do rRorEsr against the pro-
ceedings OF the said Convention, tor the
following reasons:
lst: | was excluded from seat in the
Convention, by a system OF wIre.working
and jugglery. compelling me to believe that
the organization and proceedings OF the
Convention were conducted by Il secret and
preconcerted influence adverse To Free Soll,
Free Labor, Free Speech, and Free Men
The circumstances | shall make known to
my constituents and the public on my return
to the city.
I'd The Platform Of the Buffalo Con-
ventien does not contain resolution IN
favor of Free Soil. A bungling resolution,
recomm ending grant of lands as wise
and just measure Of public policy, follows
cheap postage and river and haroor i'n-
provements and the subject is thought
worthy OF q favorable consideration, as one
which will promote, in various ways the
interests of all the States of the Union;
nothing, however, is SAID OF the rig hts OF
Man to the earth, nor OF the prohibition oi
public s,les of the Lands. | consider such
Resolution 10 be as much out OF character
with the proceedings of a Free Soil Con
vention, as should deem it out OF character
for an An,i.Slavery Convention to recon-
mend the emancipation oil slaves on the
score of public policy, along with internal
improvements, and without prohibition OF
the further traffic in slaves
In making this protest do not intend to
dictate to National Reiormers what course
they should pursue 1t may be SAID by
some, that the fire of anti-slavery now
burns so brightly in the Free States, that i.
is impossible to prevent Land Reform voters
from rallyng on the nominee of the Buff no
Convent:o / his is not unlikely; bu: yet,
if stood alone, which know do not,
could not refrain from making this protest.
Some may apprehend that the interests
Of Free Soil would be more Jeopardlzed by
the election OF Cass or Taylor, than by the
election of Van Buren,. | d, MT thlhk SO.
Cass or ylor, doubt not, would cheer,
fully recommend the grant Of lands to actual
settlers, as measure Of public policy, along
with cheap postages. But distinct entirely
from that, if Cass or Taylor were elected,
the American Public would then know that
the only path to anti-s!avery, is through
free soil and land Limitation; while on tne
contrary, if The mere anti-slavery platform
of the Buffalo Convention obtains the as
cendancy, party, having conquered upon
that platform, would no, be willing to
change it, and we should be compelled to
fight our battle anew. 1t WIS more easy
for the Ouvricrs of Paris to throw oft their
King than it is now TO emancipate them
selves from the tyranny of the Aourgeoise
You are mott, suppose because man Is
an aboltionst, therefore he is in favor oi
free labor. In Pennsylvania labor is Tree,
but the earth, or the elements oi nature
upon which it must be employed, is not
free He who by monopoly Of the earth,
has made himself master OF the elements OF
nature, has made himself master OF labor.
The legislature of Pennsylvania on the
petitions OF Free Soil men, factory opera
tives and others have passed ten hour law
for the melioration oil the condition OF free
labor. The factory lords Of Pittsburgh,
Penn, presume all of them antl-siavefy
men, conscience wings or democrats profess
ing HoStllity W olafoiy, S'''e ~ " %
-ment nnong themselves, that the opera!lve es
should rel:nquish their rights under that law
or be turned away from employment. The
operatives resisted and now are in Jail IN
Pittsburgh, unless bailed out, on charge
of riot. The factory lords Of Pittsburgh
will demand from the legislature of Penn
sylvania that the ten hour bill shall be re.
pealed, or the factory lords will remove
their factories to " elsburgh. Virginia.
rhe Commons, Lord and Queen OF Great
Britain, passed, and now have ten hour
bill; but in Pennsylvania such bill must
not continue, and only in two States have
we such bill! What hope has free labor
from the tender mercies OF the factory lords
ofPittsburgh? Just the same hope that free
labor has from the influence which directs
the proceedings of The Buffalo Convention.
repeat that do no, wish 10 be under.
stood as debating anything in regard to the
course of the Free Soil Associations Even
if m, self were determined to support the
nominees of the Buffalo Convention, |
should still feel myself constrained by n
sense OF duty to make this protest. For
myself personally, the support Of these NOM
inees wi hout pledge covering our plat
form, is as remote from my purpose, rs the
support OF the Baltimore or the Philadelphia
nominee.
II. II. VAN ARMlNGE.
Buffalo, Aug. 10, ls4S.
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