The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-03-04
THE NATIONAL ERA WASHINGTON G, MARCH, 1852 !

tiers, il nonsideratiop Of the expenses they In
cur y Amazing settlements In the wilderness
which are ussally fully equal to Their actual
cost and Of the public benefits ress'tsng there
from, Of reasonable portions of the public lands
under suitable limitations, is wise and just
measure Of public policy which will promote,
in various ways the interests of all the States
Of this Union |; and We therefore recommend il
to the favorable consideration of the American
People.
Resolved, That the obligations Of honor and
patriotism require the earliest practicable pay
ment of the national debt and we are there
fore in favor Of such tariff of duties as will
raise revenue adequate to defray the necessary
expenses of the Federal Government and to pay
annual instalments of our debt and the interest
thereon.
Resolved, That we inscribe ON our banner
"Free Soil, Free Speech, Free Labor, and Free
Men," and under it will fight on and fight
ever until triumphant victory shall reward
our exertions.
We should prefer resolution in relation to
the Tariff, recognising distinctly the Principle
of Free Trade, but that adopted at Buffalo is
in the usual Democratic form, resting the policy
of Tariff not on the doctrine of protection,
but upon the necessity of raising revenue.
1t might be well to add to this platform an
affirmation in regard to the Principle of Inter-
vention, SO ably advocated in a recent speech
in the House by Mr.. Giddings and the follow
ing form adopted by the late Ohio State Demo
cratic Convention might serve the purpose
Resolved, That we recognise the sovereign
and inalienable right of every nation to estab-
lish and maintain such form Of government as
may accord with the views Of its own people
and that any interference on the part Of other
nations is clearly an infringement of interna-
tonal law and natural Justice. 49,
"Resoived, That the law of nations is in the
keeping of nations; that breach of il by any
one of them is an offence against all the others
and that they are bound, in duty to themselves
and to each other, to prevent or punish such
infraction by all means not incompatible with
their own interests"
Let it be remembered that the Buffalo Con-
vention contained full representation of the
Radical Democracy of New York that many
of its leading actors were Barnburners, so
, called; that the resolutions were reported by a
committee in which eighteen States we're rep
resented the chairman Of which was Benjamin
F. Butler, distinguished New York Demo-
crat; that the platform adopted was fully sus-
tanned by the real Democracy of that State,
and received the sanction of Martin Van Bu-
rem, who was also chosen as the standard
bearer of the new organization. Where will
this gentleman, and those who sympathize with
him, be found in 1852! In opposition to a
policy they sustained in ls4ss Supporting
what in ls4s they opposed! 1t was the mad
Missile demand of the Slave Power in lS4S,
and the submission to this demand by the
Baltimore nominee for the Presidency, that
drove them into a course of independent action
will they sanction similar demand and sub
mission in 1882! Will the men who insisted
four years ago upon divorcng the Federal Gov
eminent from Slavery, sustain Convention
whose action will be directed towards subject
ing the former to the latter for the next four
years? Will the men who four years ago voted
against General Cass, vote for him now, with
his views unchanged, or for candidate hold
ing precisely the same views in regard to Sla-
very? Time will determine. Let us not judge
our friends hastily, but assume that when the
hour shall come for decision, their conduct
will be consistent with their past course and
in harmony with the claims of Principle.