Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-08-02
For the Portage Sentinel:
Free Soil Club Meeting.

Free Soil Club Meeting.
Mr.. Se'stanel:-Observing in the last Ohio
Star notice of a meeting to form Free Soil
Club, and having also had an invitation by
a friend, who isa Whig bolter, to attend
the meeting, called in merely for informa-
ton, and glad l did. 1t was last Saturday
evening in the room under the Star office. L
did not get in until the Constitution OF the
Club was adopted and was in process of be-
ing signed. Itappeared to be we'll drawn,
and concise to the point; the one idea OF abb
clifton only. With these boilers, Free soil
does not mean as some have supposed, Soil
free to be used-occupied by the husband
man, "without money and without price. "
1t appears to be no object with the Club to
induce Congress to allow free pre-emptlons to
settlers on the public lands; nor yet to stop
the monopoly of the public lands in the hands
of Spectators; neither to induce the State
Legislature to make every family homestead
free to the family of the unfortunate debtor.
No! free soil means free territory only. The
object is, to induce Congress, and the Exc
cutive to be chosen, to make laws against
the extension of Slavery into the new terri
tories, and further 1 do not remember, but
trust it will appear in the next Star. The
idea did not appear to occur to the meeting,
that territory now free, would remain SO
until enslaved by law. But I took my pen
to applaud the good spirit I observed in the
meeting. l like to see people energetic: to
carry out their convictions of right. The
meeting was composed of about 20 persons,
all of whom 1 believe, had heretofore acted
with the Wing party-the writer only ex-
cepted-nearly all signed the constitution,
and committee was appointed to circulate
it for other signatures. Money was prompt.
ly raised to defray the incidental expenses,
the room under the Star Office engaged for
future weekly meetings, and Lyman w.
Hall, Esq. promptly rendered the use of the
room to the Club, to supply it with News
papers, and to be kept open to the members
of the Club and invited friends, every day
during business hours inviting also, mem
bers of the Club to throw in their spare pa
pers to extend the assortment. The men,
bers of the meeting appeared united in their
object, and determined to use their exertions
to promote it during this campaign, by @cir-
culating the documents or circulating the
matter of the documents. This looks like
beginning the campaign in earnest, and in
the right way to produce effect.
should like to be able to say as much of
the other side, the Democratic side of the
political triangle. But we see no such
movement, nor hear any rumor of such in
Old Portage. Elsewhere indeed, we hear
of the Democrats moving. We trust toe
much to the truth and justice of a goo
cause, and the spontaneous action Of the
people, forgetting that our wiley opponents
are constantly misrepresenting our party
our candidates, and our principles, and
thereby misleading honest people. I too
have full conf dence in the truthfulness and
Justice of our cause, and that it will succeed
by the action of the people in due time But
l would hasten the time by diffusing politi-
cal information, the truth, on all the main
points at issue. These conscience wings, to
answer their purposes, represent our Cass as
sold to the South, in favor of extending the
area of Slavery, and that we are ready to
follow, and rivet the chains of Slavery.
This we deny, but the charge is repeated SO
often, that those who make it begin almost
to believe it themselves, and no doubt they
make some of their auditors swallow it as
sacred truth. Let us meet them, and show
up their Misrepresentation. We can do it.
We have the materials in abundance.
H.