The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-02
NNATIONAL CONVENTION OF THE
FRIENDS OF FREEDOM.


Hail. on the cath utimo II was called to or.
der by DR. w H. Brisbane on whose motion
Samuel Lewis took the Chair temporarily, and
b. F, Hoffman was appointed Secretary.
Messrs. Errett of Pennsylvania, Julian of Indi-
ana, Clay of Kentucky Davidson of Illinois,
Davis of Maine Benham of Michigan, Wal
ston of Vermont, and Arlington of New York,
were appointed n committee to nominate per-
manent officers for the Convention A COM
mittec on resolutions was appointed, as follows
Giddings and Spaldng of Ohio, Errett and
Clark of Pennsylvania Julian and Harding of
Indiana, Eastman and Lumley of Illinois, Ca
tell of Iowa, Stansberry and WalstM of Yer
mont, Davis Of Maine, Skinner of Connecticut.
Arlington of New York, Booth of Wisconsin.
The committee on nominations reported the
following permanent officers
President-Dr F. julius Lemoyne of Penn
sylvania.
Vice PreSidentS--W oodbury Davis of Maine,
Lewis Tappan of New York, DR.. W. H. Brs-
bane of Ohio, and S. NJ. Booth of Wisconsin
SecretarieS-B +. Hoffman and H. +. Bray
ton of Ohio, and DIR. Nj. Kelsey of Illinois
Cassius M. Clay, being called upon, address
ed the Convention. He said the question Of
Slavery was not question between North ant
South but between the aristocracy of Capital
and Labor He denounced the Fugitive Slav
Law, and insisted that it should be repealed
disavowing any intention, however, TO counse
violent resistance. The Despotism of Slavery
was worse than that of the Russias The fol
lowing paragraphs from report of his re-
marks in the True Democrat define his position
in relation to parties:
"A few remarks in regard to state of parties
| have acted, rs many of you know with the
Wing party | advocated the election of Hen
ny Clay, and, subsequently, the election of Gen
eral Taylor, confding in the promises which
they made me- If there can be any blame at
tached to me in the matter, it is in acting no
long with party that has proved recreant 10
every principle of Liberty and Republioanism
The time has come when | must separate N.Y.
self from that party.
"A word as to policy. We should he inno-
cent rs doves and wise as serpents. We must
look for strength from the ranks of the Demo-
cratic working men of the country 1t should
be the policy Of the Government to make every
man landholder This will be our best
standing army--a standing army should con-
sist in a distribution Of property. The Wing
party embrace the landed property-holders Of
this country they are, and always have been,
the conservatives Of the country; and it is they
who will, in the final struggle, join the slave in
terests of the South
Mr.. Davis addressed the Convention in few
remarks in which he took occasion to acknowl-
edge the services of Cassius NJ Clay.
The True Democrat thus notices the speeches
of Mr. Lewis and Senator Chase
MIR Lewis reviewed the history of the two
great Pro-Slayery parties. He demonstrated
that whatever may have been, at different times
and in certain localities the Anti.Sayery pro-
LESSONS of the Northern section OF either, both
have invariably trampled on those professions
by their action He proved likewise, that those
two parties though as fiercely at loggerheads
IA ever, have, TO all practical intents and pur-
poses ceased to differ from each other in either
their principles or their measures and that
their apparent antagonism is a sheer struggle
for Office and its emoluments. With no refer
ence 10 the name of that distinguished gentle
man, and with the most courteous recognition
Of the purity Of his motives, and the valuable
aid which the exerton of his great powers has
rendered to the interests of freedom, Mr.. Lewis
discussed, with marked pIainness, "the pision "
and the grounds OF Senator Chase's recent
change Of position. We think he proved the
one 10 be not Every far-secing.p and the other
To be woil-nigh bascless. Mr. Lewis stated, very
briefly, the position of Mr.. Vinton and Of Gov
ernor Wood--showing that the election of either
must inevitably enure TO the benefit Of slavery
He also stated, likewise very briefly, the princi-
pies and measures Of the Free Soil Democracy.
explaining the occasion and the cause Of his
having consented to stand, in the present State
canvass, as the representative Of those measures
and principles. His peroration was something
which, in our judgment, the Free-Soiers who
heard it will not willingly let die and which
the Hunkers who heard It will remember after
they are dead II they do not heed il before An
old Wing, who had never before deemed IL
worth his while to hear Mr.. Lewis, told us il
was the best because the most effective, speech
he ever listened TO-
"Thc name OF Chase was called in different
parts Of the hall Senator Chase assembled the
platform, and in few remarks expressed in his
usual tcsc diction, avowed his adherence to every
principle which he had ever adyo-
Gated lie assured the audience that his advo-
cany Of every such principle, and with all the
ability with which God had endowed him. would
cease only with tho cessation Of life, And,
though he sopewhat diiercd--temporarily, he
those with whom he had ~ long
acted, and for whom he expressed the contnu-
ance Of his high and undated respect he beg
ged that none for any light reason, would be- |
lisye him capable Of ALTERING in his support Of
\ cause 10 which the best years Of his life had