The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-27
THE NATIONAL ERA.
A NATIONAL CONVENTION.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass, March Il, 1851

SPRINGFIELD, Mass, March II, 1851.
To The Editor Of The National Era:
DEAR SIR: / read with much interest your ar
tclc, a few weeks since, upon the duty Of anti
slavery voters and have not been less interest
ed in the letter in the last Era from MIR Lewis Of
Cincinnati.
The traction that has taken place among North
ern politicians, on the anti-slavery question has
been witnessed by us all with deep anxiety The
truth Of il cannot be denied Aud while we be-
leve that it is confined mainly to the politicians,
We all know the influence Of the press for evil as
well as for good. Aud the tone Of the Northern
political press on this subject is unquestionably
far below what it WAS in ls47 Various inhuen-
ces have contributed to this result; but there is
one reason, in my opinion more powerful than all
others We theh had an tfcient anislaueTy org0ni.a-
ton. Now we can hardly be said to have any
The course taken by the Free Democracy Of New
York and the extensive coalitions with the old
parties in the New England States, have left us
In a position not very easily determined.
We need, then, as II seems TO me, first and most
Of all things, a State and National organization,
To iud out who, and what, and where we are
Without this we can do nothing. With this,
holding as we do the balance Of power in most of
the free States we can do much We need such
an organization to promote our own efficiency and
strength to prevent our ranks from being bro
Ken and scattered by encouragement or uncer-
tainty. We need II 10 impress the unprincped
politicians of the old parties with Thok SOme fear
when nothing else will restrain them We need
it, above Nil, a citadel to which he good MN Of
the other parties may flee when their hopes de-
ferred have made their hearts sick enough to drive
them out.
l was n member Of the Convention that met at
Buffalo, in October Of ls4s And though the
organization that was then formed was afterwards
merged in the Free Soil movement il never SEEM
ed to me the less important 1t was a nucleus
around which the anti-slaYery fragments that
were afterwards broken from the other parties
naturally gathered We came together by an
affinity that the prsiudices Of years could not
resist. And though as Mr.. Lewis intimltes, the
attraction was mutual, and both parties were
somewhat turned from their old spheres Of motion,
a great work was begun by il But had we not
been o,gaaizej, our attractive power could not
have held them from filling back into the old
ranks ! fully believe that, had it not been for
the f6t Buffalo Convention, the second never
would have been held
Let us then have another National Conven-
ton. in October next, at Buffalo. That is the
most central point for the free States and the
associations connected with the place cannot but
be bentnCai.
We perhaps all hope that many good men now
ia the other parties will act with US at the next
Presidential election. But to delay acting our
~Ssires till we what rh,y will do would be fatal
Th'ir course will not be determined until after
their parties hold their National Conventions
This will not be before May 1852 And it will
not only be too late for rs to begin an organizl-
ton after that, but there will be altogether more
encouragement for them to secede if there is al
ready an efficient organization, directed to the
same object with which they can unite
Nor can zee any objection to the adoption Of
thorough Democratic principles in such on
vention Though was trained up "a Wing Pro-
tectonist, when adopted free principles applied
them TO trads, as well as men, And doubt not il
is so with nearly all anti-savery men. The prin-
ciple of free untrammelled intercourse among
nations is founded in eternal truth and no timid
expedency need deter us from building plat
form Of materials that shall never decay.
And yet we might, and think it is our duty
TO, place ourselves in such position that we can
afterwards unite with any portions of the other
plrties-f in any considerable numbers they
shall secede-oa The ami-slaUery PRESTON alone.
This will be in reality the only question in is
sue On this, men of opposite opinions other
questions may unite. The Slavery question must
be SAtled before any other question can be pre-
scented to the people. 1t is paramount, vital,
question Of life or death 10 the Republic. | can
therefore vote for Seward, or Van Buren,, or any
good man who is on the side of Freedom though
on other questions he does not represent, nor
would he carry out, all of my principles.
Bat should we b. disappointed, and both the
old parties should ride out the next Presidential
storm without being broken up, it is of infinite
Importance that we should be already in the field,
strong in principles, if not in numbers
ready to fight maufully for the truth, and wait
with patience, while we labor in faith, for the
day Of triumph. Respectfully yours,
Ia