Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-09-21
Cbs Tele9rapb.
c. L. SHOLES, EDITOR.
Friday, September FL. IS49.
APE THEY HONEST .

corresponding IN sentiment with those on which
the Free Democracy are planted Now this de-
mand, we confess has an appearance of fairness
about 1t, but suppose we have good reason to be-
leVe that these men are not honest in the ayow-
ais they have made, then their design stands re-
vealed to trap free democratic votes and betray
the principles a result we should be very care
full in guarding against. Are they honest!
If they really entertained the sentiments they
profess, and upon the more -avowal of which
they ask us to support thor candidates, why
were they so careful to prevent any union with
US? Every possible opportunity to unite was
given them; they were called upon to sacrifice
nothing whatever and yet whilst they make a
profession of our sentiments, they have been vi
gilant in keeping us at distance. If they no.
nestIy believed with us they certainly had moth
ing to apprehend from us ; but the truth is, they
do not believe with us,-all their avowals are
mere sham, and we were kept at a distance sim
Ply because it was apprehended we should de-
mand the nomination of men who honestly repre-
s2nted the principles professed and thereby their
desisn f pu ng forward old party hacks-meu
of all principles and no principles, would be de-
feated
But what are the facts with regard to those re-
solutions? The chairman of the committee on
resolutions was one of the few who last winter
in the Senate, voted against the censurc of Isaac
p. Walker, and took thorough ground in favor
# tho Niobo1eo,, IL
slavery, and the resolutions as he introduced
them correspond9d with those views, and in that
shape they were passed by the convention. The
resolutions as they now stand, were the result of
reconsideration. Doubtless the real sentiments
of the convention were expressed in their first
vote, butthe second thought led them to doubt the
policy of their position, and men swallowed their
previously avowed sentiments, nursej their ha-
out with flaming free soil protestations and for
what Because they believed them? They had
soemnly declared not an hour before that they
believed Eothing of the kind Wherefore the
great change? Had they really in the short re-
cess taken by the convention, received new light
on this subject of the proviso and honestly chan
gel their opinions with reference to it? Take an
example. John P. Sheldon, before the recess,
denounced any thing like the proviso in unquali-
ed terms. he lhiaks the negro less than a man,
and claims slavery to be his natural condition.; he
has just returned from a four years sojourn at
Washington, as clerk of Secretary Walker, in
the treasury department, yet after the recess, he
consented to the adoption of strong free soil reso-
lutons. The fact is simply here, and it is as
plain as sunlight. Daring the short recess of the
convention it was urged that strong free soil re-
s)lut ons were absolutely necessary to catch
votes and in view of this conceded necessity, the
members returned TO their labors and passed tree
soil resolutions, unanimously. Yes, without
dissenting voice, the report states, when an hour
before majority voted against this very thing :;
and when we and others have personal know
ledge that numbers of that convention have a
deadly hatred of any thing and every thing like
free-soilism. But TO continue.
Some of the candidates who were nominated
the representatives of these principles respon-
ded to the convention in speeches One gloried
in voting for Cass and announced his willingness
to do it again, and another thought that a man
might hold a hundred slaves in Georgia, and be
just as good a democrat as any body. Now what
is this but distinct reputation of the principles
of the resolutions for the resolutions are pointed
directly against Cass and against the Georgia
Shareholder. But let us look to their presses.
The action of that party has pointed to the Mil
waukee Com. Adv, as its organ at the CONNER
cia emporium of the state. Its editor was one
of the Secretaries of the convention and in his
paper the proceedings first appeared. We find
the tollowings resolution among the proceedings:
Resolved, That we believe it to be the duty of
Congress to incorporate the provisions of the or
dinance of 1897, prohibiting slavery or invoun-
tary servitude, into all territorial organic acts
hereafter to BE- passed, and to oppose the adInis-
sion into the Union of any new slave state.
| In this same organ which contains these same
proceedings we find the following, which the ed
itor says, is worthy the attention of every Wis
consin Democrat" ave must discard all diff
ferences, and turn our guns upon the common
enemy. 1t is only by adhering to principles, cs-
chewing faction, and repudiating all SECTION
AL organizations, that we can stand on perma-
mont ground. Let not the democratic
party engage in SECTIONAL issues and differ
ences, which array one portion of the country
against the other" So talks this party organ,
and we can see nothing in it bat distinct repu-
diation of the resolution we publish. There is
no SECTIONAL issue talked of but the issue of the
Wilmot proviso; this, the resolution says, it is
the DUTY of Congress to enact, but this organ
says, let NOT the democracy engage in its en-
actment And as this press talks, so talk others
of them. They publish the resolutions of
this convention, and denounce free sellers for not
coming up and voting for their candidates, and
yet their columns TEEN with articles selected and
original, showing clearly that they repudiate the
doctrine, and have ayowed it only to deceive the
honest voters.
So much fort majority of the men who COM
posed this convention, their candidates and their
objects But view of the fact that these avow-
ais have been forced from these men by the pres