The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-22
RESOLUTIONS OF THE BUFFALO CONVENTION
OF l64S

Whereas we have assembled in Convention.
as union of treemea tor the sake of Freedom,
forgetting all past political differences in com
mon resolve 10 maintain the rights of Free La
Dor against the aggressions of the Slave Power,
and to secure Free Soil for a Free People
And ,chercas the political Conventions recent
ly assembled at Baltimore and Philadelphia.
the one sitting the voice Of great constituency
entitled TO be heard in lis deliberations, and the
other abandoning its distinctive principles for
mere availability, have dissolved the National
party organizations heretofore existing, by nom
mating for the Chief MagStracy of the United
States, under slavehoIding dictation. candidates.
neither Of ,chon can be supported by the oppo-
nenis oil slavery extension without a sacrifice Of
consistency, duty, and SET respect:
And rhereds these nominations, so made
furnish the occasion and demonstrate the ne
cesSlly Of the union of the People under the
banners OF Free Democracy, IN solemn and
formal declaration Of their independence of the
Stare Po,cer, and of their fixed determination
TO rescue the Federal Government from its con
troll:
Resotred. therefore, That we, the people here
assembled, remembering the example of our
fathers in the days of the first Declaration of
independence. putting our trust in God for the
triumph OF our cause, and invoking His gui-
dance IN our endeayors to advance it, do now
plant ourselves upon the NATIONAL PLAT
FORM OF FREEDOM, in opposition to the
Sectional Platform Of Slavery.
Resolred, That Slavery. in the several States
IN this Union which recognise its existence,
depends upon State laws alone. which cannot
be repealed or modified by the Federal Govern
ment, and for which laws that Government are
not responsible. We therefore propose no in
reference by Congress with Slavery within the
limits OF any State.
Resolved, That the PROVISO of jefferson.
to prohibit the existence Of Slavery, after 1900,
IN all the Territories of the United States.
Southern and Northern the votes of six States
and sixteen delegates, in the Congress of 1884,
Tor the ProvlSo, TO three States and seven dele
gates against II the actual exclusion of Slavery
from the Northwestern Territory by the ORDI-
NANCE of 1871, unanimously adopted by the
States IN Congress, and the entire history of
that period, clearly show that 1t was the settled
policy OF the Nation, not 10 erfend nationalist.
or encourage, but TO limit, ocallze, and discour-
age Slavery; and TO this policy, which should
never have been departed from, the Govern
ment ought 10 return.
Res0lced, That our fathers ordained the Con
stituon Of the United States, in order, among
other great national Objects 10 establish Justice,
promote the general welfare, aud secure the
blessings OF Liberty; hut expressly denied TO
the Federal Government, which they created,
all constitutional power TO deprive any person
Of lie, liberty, or property, without due legal
process.
Resoired, That, in the judgment of this Con
ventlon, Congress has no more power to make
SLAVE than to make KING: no more
power to institute or establish SLAVERY than
10 institute or establish MONARCHY no
such power can be found among those specili-
cally conferred blythe Constitution. or derived
by Just implication from them.
Resolred. That 1T Is THE DuTy OF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RELIEVE ITSELF
FROM ALL VISIBILITY FOR THE EXISTENCE
OR CONTINUANCE or SLAVERY WHEREVER
THAT GoyERNMrNT POSSESSES CONSTITUTIONAL,
AND Us THUS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS EXISTENCE.
Resolved That the true, and. in the uidr
ment OF tins Convention. the onlg safe means
of preventing the extension of Slavery into ter
rllory now free, is To prohibit its existence in all
such territory by u" aei Of Congress
Resoired. That we accept the issue which
~ ''"'N iONti Hds IOTttu upon us, ana 10
their demand for more Slave Territories. our
calm bu, hnal answer is. no more Slave States
and no more Slave Territory. Let the soil of
our extensive domains be ever kept free. for
the hardy pioneers of our own land, and the
oppressed and banshed of other lands, seeking
homes OF comfort and fields of enterprise in the
New World.
The resolution in regard to the Compromise
blIl introduced into e'Uniled States Senate in
1913, and the resolution relating to Oregon, are
omitted,
ind ,chersas il is due, not only to this occa-
sion. but 10 the whole People OF the United
States, that we should also declare ourselves
on certain other questions OF national policy
Resoired, That we demand CHEAP POSI-
AGE for the people a re,renchment OF theex-
penses and patronage of the Federal Govern
ment; the abolition OF all unnecessary offices
aud salaries; and the election BY the People OF