The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-29


| their primary and other Conventions, through
the press and in the various other forms in
which, in this quarter of the Union, the masses
are wont to make known their sentiments and
wishes. the voices of the freemen of our State
were lifted up to warn, to encourage, and t"
rally the friends Of freedom the lovers of Jus
tce, and the supporters Of the Constitution
| Stihed at Syracuse. it peaed in trimpet-toncS
at Herkimer and Utica. and has since been re
echoed from every hilltop IN the State"
1t was in this spirit of devotion TO justice.
freedom and the Constitution, and with the
noble purpose of bringing back the Govern
ment to the policy of Jefferson, that the nomi-
nations of the New York Democracy were
| made at Utica in lS4S
Contemporaneously with the Utica Conven-
ton. the opponents of slavery extension and
the slave power, in Ohio. assembled at Column
bus: rejected the nominees of both the Wing
and Democratic National Conventions, as un-
friendly TO freedom and summoned National
Convention. to meet at Buffalo on the 9th of
| August similar assemblage in MaSsachu-
sets concurred in that summons
General DODGE, of Wisconsin. declined the
Utica nomination, and the New York Democ-
racy determined not to supply the vacancy but
/
ialo in presenting TO the American People can
dIdates representing their principles
When the Convention assembled. IL was
found to be composed almost wholly of Demo-
Gratis of Liberty men, thoroughly Democratic
in their principles and views Of public policy
and of Whigs whose attachment to Wing
measures had been overcome by their devotion
to freedom, and their opposition to the en-
crOachments Of slavery and the usurpatlons Qt
the slave power. The New York Democracy
naturally took the lead.
| PRESTON KING. a New York Democrat
! prominent in Congress and at Baltimore, was
| Chairman of the first informal meeting on the
| evening preceding the regular sitting of the
| Convention In a short address, received with
unanimous reclamation he stated the princi-
pies which must form the basis Of the political
organization in which they were about to unite
He was requested TO embody those principles
in resolutions and present them to the Con
ventOn upon its opening the next day, rs the
views Of the meeting Three resolutions were
accordingly drawn up by him and presented
TO the Convention insert them, that it may
be distinctly seen what was the line of action
in respect to slavery, recommended by the New
York Democracy to the Buffalo Convention:
Resolved That it is the duty of the Federal
Government TO relieve itself Of all responsible
ty for the extension or continuance of slavery
wherever that Government possesses constitu-
tional authority and is responsible for its ex-
istence
ResoiCed That the States, within which
slavery exists, are alone responsible for the
continuance or existence Of slavery within such
States and the Federal Government has ne-
ther responsibility nor constitutional authority
to abolish or regulate slavery within the States
Resolved, That the true, and, in the iudg-
mcnt of this Convention the only safe means
of preventing the extensORof slavery into the
Territories now free, is to prohibit it's exist
ence in all such Territories by an act of Con-
grcsso
These resolutions, unanimously approved by
the Convention, were referred to the Commit
tee on Resolutions of which you were chair
man, and were embodied in the platform. |
have already spoken Of the harmony which
characterized the labors of that committee; the
unanimty with which they agreed upon the
platform, and the unanimous enthusiasm with
which the Convention, with one voice ratified
it. You have not forgotten it; you will never
forget it,
That PLATFORM, thoroughly Democratic in
its principles and measures, and cordially ac-
cepted by the New York Democracy, made it
easy for the Convention to adopt the Utica
nomination for the Presidency as their own,
although large number of its members were
already committed to the support of Il New
Hampshire Democrat, ever faithful to freedom
and then endeared to them the more by the
characteristic magnanimity with which he had
placed the nomination which had been pre-
yiously conferred on him at the disposal of the
Convention.
MARTIN VAN buren,, therefore. received
the nomination for the Presidency while CHAS.
| FRANCIS ADAMS, a grandson Of the fore
most and ablest champion of the Declaration
Of independence, and "A son Of the most distin-
| guishcd and indefatigable defender of the right
Of petition and the liberties of the people. re-
cciyed the nomination for the Vice Presidency
The first of these distinguished citizens. him
self an unwayering Democrat, had been ee-
ted to the highest political distinctions, both
STATE and National by the Democratic party
while the second though hitherto in party con
necton Wing, was n Wing of the Revolu-
tlonary stamp-of the school of Franklin and
Jelicrson-not of that modern school, marked
by devotion to the Interests Of Property rather
than to the rights Of man
1t is enough to say of these nominations, and
of the canvass which cnsued that by this ac-
ton of the Independent Democracy, the prohi.
bition Of slavery in Oregon was secured, and
the exclusion of slavery from the other terri
tories was made the most prominent theme of
political discussion, and both the other parties
IN the free States were compelled to declare
themselves in favor Of it, while the whole rea-
tions Of the Federal Government to slavery
were subjected to thorough investigation
convincing multitudes that the best interests
Of the people, as well as the correct nterpre-
tatlon Of the Constitution, demand the total
divorce of the Federal Government from slave
ry. At the close of the canvass, it was found
that three hundred thousand electors nearly
onc-nnth of all the voters in the United States,
had enrolled themselves on the side of freedom
What then, was TO be done! No one SEEM
cd to think the contest over, and the time for
dishanding arrived On the contrary, the or
ganzation was everywhere maintained and
oyertures for union and concert came from that
! division of the Democracy which, during the
recent canvass had yainly expected success
| from concessions to slavery. In Wisconsin and
Vermont, the two divisions of the Democracy
united upon thoroughly Democratic platforms
unsullied by compromise with wrong In Ohio
and in Massachusetts, partial union and co
operation took place In New York, the nego-
tlatlOns for n union were protracted Conven-
| tons of both divisions met at Rome in August
| lSl9, but separated without results At length
however, State ticket was arranged, each di-
vision nominating half the candidates. indie
pendcntly of the other and both divisions
agreeing to support the whole ticket Many
Of the Free Soil Democrat, manifested strong
repugnance to this arrangement They ear
nesty desired to maintain their own distinct or
ganization until the other division of the De
mocracy should be willing to accept their prin-
ciplcs of freedom rs the political faith Of the
united Democracy. They expressed strong APP
prehensons that union upon any other basis
would result in the compromise and final aban-