Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-08-28
NATIONAL FREE-soIL CONVENTION.
Speeches of Messrs. Smith and Giddings.
TIE PLATFORM ADOPTED.
Nomination Of John z Hale, Of NeaD Hamp.
share, for President, and George ". Julian,
Of Indiana, for Vice President
SECOND DAY OF THE SESSION.

| 'lot a. . CIoCh, III Lafayette mai none
but delegates being admitted.
The Masonic Hall is still occupied by the
mass meeting of mired colors
Fred. Douglass in his speech last night de-
clared that "the only mode OF rendering the
Fugitive Slave Law dcadletier, was to put
bullets through half dozen slave.catchers,
which would deter them from pursueing fu-
| giti~s.o This sentiment was received with
enthusiastic cheers.
The Convention was opened with prayer,
by Rev. Mr.. Lovejoy, of Illinois.
The Journal was read and approved.
The first business in order was the appoint
ment OF National Committee.
Joshua Giddings, chairman of the commit
tee, reported platform from which we ex-
tract the following resolutions
Twelfth. That the public lands Of the
United States belong TO the people, and should
not be sold to individuals, nor granted to cor
porations, but should be held as sacred
trust for the benefit of the people, and should
be granted, in limited quantities, free of cost
to laudess settlers.
Fourteenth. That slavery is a sin against
God and a crime against man, the enormity
of which no law nor usage can sanction or
mitigate and that Christianity and humanity
alike demand its abolition.
Twentieth. That the Free Democratic
party is not organized TO aid either the Wing
or Democratic wing of the grea, slave com
promise party of the nation, but TO defeat
them both and that repudaling and re-
rouncing both as hopeessly corrupt and Ut
terly unworthy of confidence, the purpose Of
the Free Democracy is 10 take possession Of
the Federal Government, and administer it
for the better protection of the rights and in
teress Of the whole people.
Twenty-frst. That we inscribe on our
banner-''freo soil; free speech; free labor
and free men )" and under it, will fight over,
until triumphant victory shall reward our
eXertions.
Gerritt Smith, from the minority Of the
committee also reported platform as IA sub
sttute, from which we extract the following
reasonable and in famatory resolutions:
4h. That not only do we condemn and
trample upon the enactment called "the Fu-
gitve Slave Law" and upon every other
enactment for slavery; but we hold all forms
of piracy, and especially the most atrocious
and abominable one of slavery, to be entirely
: incapable of legislation.
| 5lh. That inasmuch as all the nations ant
| reces of men constitute but one brotherhood
we offer our fraternal sympathies 10 the op
l pressed, not only of our own land but o
every other land--to those for whom Kossutl
5 so eIoquently pleads, as well as TO The Amer
I lean slave.
The question then recurred on a substitute
e and Gerril Smith took the floor,
e My lellow-clizens said Mr. Smith, I en-
: tertain but very little hope that this superla
d lively guilty nation can ever be saved from
n the curses of an ever Just and righteou
S God. Perhaps there are other nations equal
5 " guilty, but they are not committing thei
I crimes in the name of Republicanism anC
i Christianity. Were our system of govern
i ment despoic, or our religion heather, ther
h might be some hope of revoulionizing an
d regeneratiug her, If our Christian light
!. have become darkness, how grea, is tha
u darkness and how heinous our crime.
II came to this Convention with little hope tha
/ my guilty country can be saved, and | sha
h 90 away, perhaps, with as little, and pc
d haps with less hope. This is, however, a
e action, if this Committee would take it, wi
d send me home with hope at least, 1t
J. hardly necessary for me 10 refer TO this a
E ton, as you are not ready 10 take il, an
ID when ready, it may, alas be too late--yo,
e. country may then be ruined. For the la
+ half dozen years | have abored for this "a
e, tion, and would recommend it TO you, AT
re had | any encouragement---IC Cries of "L
10 us have it ~ Well-.-I will give it to yo
'e The first is, that you organize party
10 wide in its scope as our country, aud III
u' you adopt, as lis fundamental principles, Il
" doing TO others as you would have other
IT. do unto YOU Yon say You have broken {
" from the old political parties, but you inter
~ II 10 return to them again. Cries Of IN
. no !"l You certainly have desire
u, thought to return again 10 the old flesh pc
7u of Egypt, Have You not---[Cries of "N'
IL never !"l They must come TO us. You ct
Il, taiuly believe that these old parties are c
az pable of future usefulness-.-lhat there
y some good in them. Enthusiastic cries
" mo no ~ Why, you really encoura
"a me, and have some hope of you, Cheer
Lot left Sodom with the belief that that C
=" would be consumed, and in leaving The
~ old political parties, let me urge you nev
,c' like Lots wife, TO cast lingering look
az hind. There are good men in those parii
but they must come up 10 us we cam
Ioy go down TO Them, You have left behind }
'' -" a deep and impossible gulf between yours
and these accursed parties Do you I
go? lCries of eyes yes" Then,
wv. friends we will regard that matter as s
lled and have some hope. We hi