The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-03
THE FREE AND EASY CONVENTION
The Mass Meeting Mt Wieting Hall, Syracuse.
--s-TsrEc1AL REPORT FOR THE NEW YORK HERALD -
SYRAOuGE Ann

The Mass Meeting Mt Wieting Hall, Syracuse
-"-LsrEcIAL REPORT FOR THE NEW YORK HERALD
SYRACUSE, Aug. 3l--1O p. NJ
The Free and Easy Democratic Convention, which
was in session to-day, held public meeting in
wieting Hall. About thousand persons were
present. portion females, and number of negroes
The meeting was called to order at eight O'Clock
and differed as follows Precedent, Z. L. Soule, Of
Onondsga. Vice Presidents, II. Bosworth, Of Onon
daga; J. Cuyler of Wayne; j. Roberts. Of Niagara;
G. II. Sprague, Of ST. Lawrence, and N. Bronson
OF Wyoming. Secretary, A. Pryne, OF Madison.
Hon. SALMON p. CHASE, Of Ohio, was the first
speaker, and pronounced long philippe against the
Fugitive Slave act. He advanced the old arguments
and said that the act was now virtually dead, be-
cause 1t could not be executed. Ten slaves escaped
for every one that was taken back. There was no
depression in the stock of the underground railroad
The business on the road was greater than ever.
The act was now only kept up as a symbol of the
degradation Of the North Look at the action of the
New York delegation in the Baltimore convention.
They went pledged to freedom. and all lost their
principles when they crossed the Delaware river,
thirtysix delegates, bowed low to Arkansas, with
her four delegates and opened her mouth to prepare
herself for the dose which Arkansas had pre-
pared for her: The only thing that New York asks
for her principles is that Peter Jones sh all be post
master of our village" Arkansas agrees to that,
and throws in foreign minister or couple of con-
sulates. The Wing Convention did the same thing
and the only issue presented by either convention is
that the compromise acts shall be preserved in their
integrity. All that we are to do is to make the
Fugitive act more stringent The platforms of the
TWO parties are identical, and declare it to be i'm
possible to sustain two great political parties upon
the same platform. They agree to support slavery
and the question is settled. Many persons, wings
and democrats supported the candidates and refused
to swallow the platform. They are now divided,
and IT L. curious fact that the liberals of both par
ties have more aifnites for their natural enemies
than for the members of their own party, and the
hunkers of both parties have affinity for each
other than for the liberals OF their own party. The
time is approaching when all other issues are to be
laid aside and the question OF freedom or slavery is
s0on to be settled. The question has taken hold Of
the literature Of the c0untryeven the theatres-and
for weeks in Ohio | have seen great gatherings of
the people, who came up to hear this question de-
bated and would not assemble for any other pur
pose. The hunkers and the shareholders have joined
20 beat back this tide 1t is for you to settle how you
will act in this struggle. Ii God be God follow him;
whole world cries out to in favor or freedom That
wonderful book the creation at q w0man's genius
has aroused all Europe, and the voice Of
freedom comes from Kossuth and
Mazzini. The despots of Europe throw it in our
teeth that too are of their kin The District of
Columbia still contains slaves, and Congress could
abolish it in O moment. Then there Is the coast
wise slave trade, which is as illegal as the foreign
slave trade, and Congress can abolish the slave
trade. Then you abolish the selling the slaves in
DEGREES issued by courts not United States courts
Then you can abolish slavery in the territories, and
lastly you can repeal the Fugitive Slave act When
you will no longer be ruled over by slavery There
are many waiting in the slave States for our infu-
ence, and when the time shall come we shall find
new advocates for freedom springing up in the
han ~ nf cInx I,~ Ln.rn a~knk
work, not to increase our VOTE but to elect
didates. (Applause.) We may fail, but we intend
TO work for victory. We intend to give sixty thou
eand votes for our candidate for Governor. We in
q right to do so. Be up and doing, ye men of New
York, and |, in pledging myself to this work, call
upon you to pledge yourselves to this cause, and
work on and fight on till the great victory shall be
achieved. (Cheers and applsuse.)
There were loud cries for Hale, when
Hon. JOHN p. HALE came forward and was re.
ceived with enthusiastic applause. He proceeded
TO explain the definition Of compromise, which he
should give and take little. Up to lS4S Mr..
Hale hso not known there was any dispute between
the great and the little power, the slave power
ana az ha TREE exopt tine emit
portsnt one-embracng the government of terri
tory of eighteen hundred thousand square miles,
six tines as large as the territory Of the old United
power Mr. Haze INDUCED in highIycolored Ode de.
scnpt0n Of the difference between the slave and free
States. The question was one to be settled by the
people OF New York. The State Of New York was
thegovernment. Washington was the last place to find
it. But New York could not be worked up to point
beyond Indifference. By the vote which you gave
for the compromises you said that the States which
were to be formed out Of territories might come
with slaves or without. In FACT you rather tended
towards slavery That's the way New York stands
on the record with regard to this question. You
gave up the whole territory to the slave power AT
ter this one would have thought the South would
have been satisfied; but no, they demanded more.
They said You have given up large slave pasture,
and now you must give us new fugitive slave law"
And you give them one, which is another cOmpr0-
mise. When you give them trial by jury that will
be another compromise. (Laughter.) When they
the habeas corpus act, and that's another compr0-
mise. Applause and laughter) When they make
you and your sons the bloodhounds to catch the
slaves, that's another compromise. What more?
Why they make the slave act the test Of goodellow-
ship in State and church-thats another compromise;
and New York agrees to it all. The working of the
law Is plain enough, when you see that the same Law
also protects horse Union eV which was s saved at
such expense was hardly worth saving. But, now,
here's the compromise II is very easy to tell what
gave, but what did We take have often heard
The question asked but never heard it answered.
We took nothing but the everlasting contempt Of
the friends Of freedom for oil time.
A VoICE-We get the Union
HALE-There never was such an absurdty as TO
say that the Union ever in any danger. Clay and
Webster could never have met each other and in
guired what the prospects of the Union were with.
out laughing in each others faces 1t was not even
a respectable bugbear. 1t was not fit to brighten
children with. And now we see both the great par
ties leaving all other issues to crush agitation this
subject. They can't do it. The battle must come,
and it makes no difference to the result where you
and are in the struggle, but it makes great deal
Of difference. And now you occupy position in
the eyes of the OLD World tnat you succeed in the
acquisition of Cuba, the chains snail not be struck
from the limbs Of the slaves. How long will you
occupy this position? Are you content that New
York sball always be the advocate of slavery Are
you sati lied that your sons and your sons's sons
shall have no higher destiny than to act as blood
hounos to hunt those miserable fugityes who may
cross your territory, guided by the north star which
guidance of the trembling slave seeking for free
country These are questions you must answer
Your leaders call upon you to conquer your preju.