Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-07-07
The Conventions.

The Barnburners Convention at Utica, and
the Free Territory Convention at Columbus
indicate a state of feeling in the political
ranks that is too strong for the slave power
to crush. The former nominated Martin Van
Buren, as candidate for the Presidency, sub
iect, we presume, to the decision of a Nation
al Convention of Independents, which is to
be held at Buffalo on the 9th Of August
Should he accept the nomination, and should
the disaIected Wings forget, or wave the
minor questions Of party, the friends oil lay
lor and of Cass may well tremble for the re-
suit; for movements like those of the Barn
burners of New York, and the Independents
of Ohio, are fraught with the utmost impor-
lance to the two great political parties Of the
land and they also show the progress of that
moral regeneration which must necessarily
precede all political or other physical force
efforts.
We have before US the address of the Co.
lumbus Convention TO the people of Ohio,
but as it is too longfor our columns, we must
make a few extracts suffice.
After briefly referring to our acquisition of
Mexican territory, it asks,
"Shall this vast region be Free Territory
or Slave Territ'ry! 1t is now Free. Nota
slave breathes its pure air. Shall Slavery be
forced into it by the Government Of the Uni
ted States! Shall Freedom be abolished to
make room for Slavery? Shall the free la
borers of the North and the South, the Union
and the World, be excluded thence, or de-
graded there, in order that the enslavers of
men and dealers in human beings, may be
admitted with their victims and their mer-
chandize!
This is the Great Paramount Question of
the present moment, not to be evaded or post
poned. In view of this question, the people
of the Free States, have, within the last three
years, repeatedly, and in every form, and with
singular unanimity, announced their fixed
determination to permit no further extension
of Slavery. This determination has found
expression in the Wilmot Proviso, adopted
by a large majority of the House of Repre-
sentatives, but unhappily defeated in the Sem
ate in the Resolves of Legislatures in the
Declarations of State Conventions, and in
the resolutions of primary meetings Of the
People of all parties throughout the Free
States.
No where was this all pervading senti-
ment more distinctly announced than in Ohio,
the Empire State OF the West, herself indebt-
ed for this proud distinction to the provision
of the Ordinance of 1887, excluding the curse
of slavery from her borders. Her Legisla-
ture in both houses, the Conventions of all
her Political Parties, and Popular Assemble
ges of each Party, took decided and unequiv-
ocal ground. Among the Principles of Ohio,
none seemed more firmly fixed than that Of
hostility to Slavery extension and the growth
Of the Slave Power.
1t is now 10 be determined whether Ohio
will abide by her Principles, thus declared,
or basely surrender them upon the demand
of the Shareholders and Submissionists, who
have succeeded in obtaining the control of
the National Conventions of Two of the great
Political PARTIES"
1t then speaks at some length of the action
of the Democratic and Wing nominating con-
v%entions, and says,
"The Baltimore Convention disbanded the
Democratic party. The Philadelphia Con-
vention performed the sam service for the
Wing party. 1t is true that the nominations
both of General Cass and General TAYLOR
were made by persons delegated respective
ly, for the Wing and Democratic parties, and
each nominee may receive the suffrages of a
plurality of those who have hitherto c%onstitu-
ted the party for which he was nominated,
But General Cass is not a true representa-
tive of the Democracy nor is General Tay-
Tor IN any sense, a representative of the Wings.
The supporters of Cass are Cass men rather
than Democrats. The supporters of TAYLOR
are Taylor men rather than Wings. The
supporters of both are willing or unwilling,
conscious or unconscious ~vassals controlled
by the Slave Power. While the nations of
Europe, in the light of the great principles
OF the American Declaration of Independence,
are struggling Tor ireedom-at the very mo-
ment when France, having overturned the
Throne and established the Republic, is CIV
ing 10 her colonial slaves, that freedom which
she has just acquired for herself, the world
beholds the amazing spectacle of two urea,
parties in the United States, wing with each
other, not in providing securities for freedom
and extending the blessings of liberty. but
in preparing letters for themselves and their
posterlty, by extending slavery over vast re-
glons now exempt from the baneful curse.
We have met in Convention tn nro,es,
against this base surrender of the RIGHTS of
the Free States to declare ourselves and tho
people exempt from all obligation to the sup
port OF the nominees of the Shareholders and
their adherents; to call upon all lovers of Ii.
berty,a all haters of Despotism, all true Who's
OF i776, all true Democrats of the school of
Jefferson, to rally under the glorious banner
OF Independence against their nominations.
We wage no war against Slave States
We do not ask that Slavery be abolished bv
congressional enactment in any State. Bnt
we do demand Slavery shall not Law its foni
hands upon us. We do demand that slave
~ shall cease to control the action of the
National Government. We do demand that
Slavery shall be excluded from National Ter.
~ritories. iei-