Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-09-23

ment to the people. The people had becom,
I so exasperated with the Convention, and tirec
! Of its deliberations, that Mr.. Chamberlain
| said it would ruin the chance for Catholic
Emancipation for century TO crowd it bach
upon them then; bat this was what the Lo
cofoco party seemed to want. ia do the bus
mess at once, so as forever to exclude othel
chances of future redress TO Catholics, and
because Mr.. Chamberlain advocated this, he
had been accused of opposing Catholic Eman.
cIPaton, whereas he voted for it in all its
stages, and when CONTRARY TO his advice) the
subject was forced upon the people again, al
the next eiectIon-when, as he foretoI6 II
was voted down, receiving about 1000 votes
less than the previous year--the town in which
he lives (Keene) did not give a single vote
against it, but gave 2I7 votes for it. This
the slandeFers of Mr.. Chamberlain know
The Concord Patriot of January 3, 1851.
says that ''it 1oGs grare question tckether the
Convention hare the authority 10 make ann fur
fksr amendments after those notc made shall
hare been acted upon by the people" And We;
now they abuse and slander Mr. Chamberlain
for taking the correct view of this grave ques-
tIon.
Well the Convention was two days in ses-
sion, (June l6 and l7,) and in that time
speeches were made upon this Catholic Eman-
cipation by Messrs. Smith. Chamberlain.
Bell. Eastman Woodbury.. &c. &C.. but not
one word did Franklin Pierce say during the
whole time.
Nor is this all. In June, 1851, the Legis-
lature assembled. and Pierce's candidate be-
ing elected Governor, delivered his message
TO the Legislature. If franklin Pierce had
asked him to put in a paragraph expressing
regret at the failure of the last trial, and urg-
ing support in the new trial ordered, he would
undoubtedly have done lt-but no, in place
Of any such thing we have the following par
agraph rejoicing over the defeat of Catholic
Emancipation. which was und oubtedly seen
and approved by Mr.. Pierce before it was de-
liyered
1T is apparent from this decisive express
ion tsays Gov. DinsmOorl of the popular will
that the present Constitution is, in the main,
entirely satisfactory to large majority of the
people. This result also indicates
the instructive lesson which may be useful
for our guidance hereafter, that no material or
important amendments to the Constitution
can be expected to find acceptance with the
people, which is anything more than de-
claratory Of their knOJcH sentiments; and
that II Is always unsafe to assume knOwi-
edge of the opinions when they have not
been distinctly pronounced. An
occasional examination and discussion in the
principles and forms Of the fundamental Law,
are not without their use, if they serve no
other purpose than TO bring more clearly TO
view the great merits Of our old and wel-tried
Constitution, and to give the people another
opportunity to re-a6irm their strong and una
bated attachment TO it,''-[ Dinsmoor's Mess
age. June, 1851.
If this is not a direct approval of the peo-
pie in rejecting Catholic Emancipation, then
am ignorant Of what language means.
In the month of June 1851. the Locofocos of
New Hampshire held a State Convention at Con
cord to nominate candidates for State officers TO
be elected the following March, when the Catholic
clause was TO be tried again The Convention
passed a series Of resolutions rejoicing in the de-
feat of Catholic Emancipation. Here is the first
ResolUed, That the representatives of the people
in Convention assembled, congratulate each other
upon the signal triumph of the democracy of New
Hampshire over all the forms and combinations
of hostile forces, with which they have been o.
bliged to contend in the recent State election
Ihatwc behold with pride and joyful sensation the
Democratic party coming out from the midst oi
perils which encompassed it, uittoriorls over the
enmtY OF open foes and the treachery of supposed
friends. its strength unimpaired its dignity uncom
promised. its honor untarnshed, and its flsnda
mental doctrines unchanged
Now here we have the whole Locofoco Pierce
Party Of New Hampshire assembled in State Con
venton. and taking Council Of Franklin Pierce at
Concord, Just after the defeat Of Catholic EmanCi
patton at the previous election, and Just after a
new set Of amendments had been ordered TO be
I submitted 10 the people at the same time wher
their candidates would be voted for; and yet in
their long string of resolutions on almost every
subject they found not room for single word in
favor of Catholic Emancipation, but rejoced that
their fundamental doctrines (the Contitution) had
been Ancbanged.
THE DEMOCRAT ON PIERCE & co.
TDJaad oil L-7ovt-r, y,ss n,
and his party were opposed to Catholic Emanci
patton that the Concord Democrat, published in
MS own CITY, and of course read by him, in a con-
spicuous editorial, Published June II, 1851 says
"Ths failtve of that Convention Is directly tracsa
Die 70 those HIsiker leaders. PIERCE .4theyion, &
Co ,cho rere determined that Il should be entire
s,tbsevlea to the partisan Uet0s to tchat tCss
an abortion. They succeeded and Il them belongs tn.
honor"
NOTHING DONE.
Well, from April, lS5l, 10 March, 1852, Cath.
oic Emancipation was before the people of the
State Yet during that period of eleven months
Franklin Pierce never opened his mouth in favor
of the measures. Neither ne nor his friends call
ed any public meeting to advocate it. They saw
thai 1t bad been voted down two 70 one the last
election. and that therefore 1t was incumbent on
every friend of liberal sentiments to bend every
energy in its favor. During that time, any guam
]
abstract questions hundreds of meetings held and
I the very air loaded with unnieanng glcrhcatIons
/ OF Democracy, Yet during that whole time, nc
meeting, no resolutions, no speech for Catholic
Emancipation.
| Well March 1882 approached The regular
/ Loco.oco candidate for Governor had committed
suicide and the Pierce party nominated Noah
/ Martin for the post thus made vacant. The elec
ton was held for state officers. At the same
time three simple amendments to the Constitution
were submitted TO jhe people The first was fo
! Catholic Emancipation. The second was for tht
abolition of the Property qualifications, and th'
I third, an easier mode iOr future amendments. l h
/ first amendment read follows:
/ ResoiUed. That no belief IN the doctrines o
any particular religious Sect shall be required a
a test for holding Office, to be entitled to an
preference Whatever, under the Constitution. AM
this amendment shall be effected by striking from
il in Part I'd, section 1Ath, the words shall be O
the Protestant religion and from section 2ptE
the words ~ who Is not of the Protestant religion
and from section I'D, the words, and unless h
shall be OF the Protestant religion = and in tn
Bill of Rights article 9Th, the word Protestant
The following is the result, by Counties through
out the State: