Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-06-05
Convention No. 2.

I
was finally determined upon, as the place wher'
he last conpomeration of the Free Soil Part,
were TO curse God and die Accordingly a
ten o'clock A. NJ, the individual members o
that interesting fraternity were seen making
their way with due solemnity towards the place
Of meeting.
The weather, though not absolutely disheart
ening, was nevertheless what might be consider
ed wet 1t rained all the forenoon steadily, but
not violently; the powers Of the air doubtless
acting on the principle Of the small ram on the
tender herb"
The Convention was temporarily organized
by the appointment Of c. B. Harrington, Chair
man, and d P. Thompson, Secretary. After
some unimoprtant business, motion was made
that this be considered a Mass Meeting and
/ that all who considered themselves Free Demo
Gratis be invited to participate in the proceed
ings" The Chair, in putting the notion sub
stituted the word "lelfersonian" for " Free,
with the tacit assent Of the mover, and as thus n
mendel 1t was carried. Somebody then rose and
suggested, that possibly some present might
consider themselves excluded from the Conven-
ton by this resolution. This called up 5. ).
Brown, of Underhll, who made quite speech,
defining Jeffersonian Democracy as now exist
ing, and making 1t appear that there was moth
ing left Of 1t save the Declaration of lndepen-
dence and the Ordinance Of 'S7,-that the prin-
cipes contained in these were carried ont by
Madison Jackson, Van Buren,, and Polk, and that
SO far as they followed and upheld these princi-
pies, they were true biuc," and no further
lie said the party had been and still was ruled
by clique, who had every thing their own way,
and got all the government patronage besides.
lie knew them as well as the God that made
them and they were not to be trusted, in proof Of
which he pulled of his old gig and stood I'M
covered before the multitude. c. G.. Briggs next
rose aud declared that he did not by the terms
Of the resolution consider himself member Of
the Convention, and moreover he thought II I'M
far 10 the Chairman to put the question as he
did. THIS gave rise 10 n considerable debate IN
which the Chair. Stansbury, Barber, and sever
al others took part. Most went for the resolu-
ton as put by the Char. The matter was f.
nally compromised by an ingenious fiction of
Judge Thompson. who, being called upon to read
the resolution from his notes, rose and with a
pous air read as follows: All who consider them
selves Free Jeiiersonians Democrats, &c. This
faithful report was hailed with apparent satisiac-
ton, and soon after the Mass meeting adjourned
TIL aiternoon-free Press.
The Free Press. containing the closing pro-
ceedngs, has not reached US. Our acknowledge
ments are due to Judge Thompson for an official
copy of proceedings
The Committee to appoint State Officers made
the following report VIZ for Governor, Lucius
b. Peck for Lieutenant Governor, Ryland
Fletcher; and for Treasurer, Daniel p Thomp-
son
Charles r. Field for member of the State
Committee, instead of Charles |. Walker about
to remove out OF the Stste and also a member OF
the Committee in the first Congressional Dis
trct
The report was accepted, the nominations rec
commended by the Committee taken up severally
and all unanimously adopted.
L. d. Barber, Esq, in behalf of the Commit
tee appointed for the purpose, reported series
Of resolutions which were adopted. They are
for limited constitutional power; against a gen,
eral system Of internal improvements, but for I'M
proving rivers and harbors non-commi,tal on
the Tariff; for economy; against national
bank for the sub-reasury for cheating the old
thirteen out OF their interest in the public lands,
by selling lands at cost and quite temperate on
the whole in relation to Slavery
That Congress has no power to interfere with,
or control the domestic institutions of the sever
al States, and that such States are the sole and
proper Judges of everything, appertaining TO their
own affairs not prohibited by the Constitution,
nor IN violation of the rights Of the citizens of
other States under It
That Slavery, in the several States of this
Union which recognize its existence, depends
upon State laws alone, which cannot be repealed
or modified by the Federal government, and for
which that government IS not responsible; and
being both a State and sectional institution, Is
not under the control Of Congress 20 establish or
abolish within the limits Of the State, and It can
claim no support from Congress as a national in
terest, TO be los,ered within the States. or to be
extended and legalized beyond their limits.
That the action of the founders of the govern
ment, with Jefferson at their head, and the actu-
al exclusion of slavery from the North Western
Territory by the ordnance Of l7e7, unanimous
ly adopted by the first Congress which met under
the Constitution, and the entire history OF that
period, clearly show that slavery was considered
a local aud sectional institution, and that the set
tied policy of the nation was then not to ericud,
ndiioHdii-e and encourage but to limit locuiisc,
and discourage II; and 10 tins policy, which
should never have been departed from, the gov
ernment ought to return.
That It is the duty oftha Federal Government
TO relieve itself from alb responsibility for the Y
lstence or continuance of slavery IN the District
OF Columbia, and everywhere else that govern
ment possesses constitutional authority to lcgis-
late and Is thus responsible for its existence so
Ni'f H'Nu'h HiHN'hN VI olHNtlN Nilhll uttplc ild-
tIonal, and slavery instead OF freedom, become
sectional
That the only safe means of preventing the
extension OF slavery into territory now free Is to
prohibtns extension into all such territory by an
act OF Congress
That no more slave states ought to be admit
ted into the Union.
That in relation to the Fugitive Slave Law,
passed at the last session Of Congress, we hold
That no person in any State of this Union can
be lawfully deprived Of his liberty without due
process of law; which process, in the case Of an
alledged fugitive from service. is suit nj com
mon law; wherein the fact, whether said fug-
tive was lawfully held to service, in the State
from which he is alledged to have escaped, shall
be determined by trial by jury.
That such trial by jury should precede the de-
livery into the hands Of the party claiming hun,
of such alleged fugitive, aud should be had in
the vicinity where the said alleged fugitive is
found
That IN the determination of the question of
liberty, all Prescriptions of law and fact are
and ought TO be, in favor of liberty.
That tho fugitive slave law enacted by the
Congress lately expired, contravening these prin-
cipes, IS unjust unconstitutional, in derogation
OF the fundamental maNims of free government,
and ought To be speedily aud forever repealed.
That we base all our hopes on the final over
throw OF slave domination in this nation, upon
/ The fidelity Of the Democratic masses to the sub
lime principles Of their creed, and that we cannot