The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-06-15
TO THE PEOPLE OF OHIO

The consummation of the first gret\ act of the
stupendous scheme for the extension Of Slavery,
and the establishment of the Slave Dcfainion over
the North American continent by tse repeal of
the Missouri Prohibition, and othei threatened
future acts, part and parcel of the s. me scheme,
such as the proposed expenditure o. millions in
the purchase of territory from Me icO, utterly
worthless except as basis for the 2erations OF
the slave interest, and the prOpos d waste OF
millions upon millions more in the e-establish-
ment of Slavery in Cuba, in case o. 1.-The entran-
chisement Of the bOndmen of that Sand by its
present Government, call loudly u>on all true
patriots to forego past political diff Arences, and
unite as q band of brother-freemen y defence of
our own rights, and the rights of hu;San nature.
God forbid that our country 70 Ould alone,
among the nations of the earth, take upon herself
the hateful reproach of Slavery Protasgandism
But if this odium is to be averte : the People
must themselves take the matter in md Let 1t
ever be remembered, that while til contest be-
tween Freedom and Slavery-betwt n the advo-
Gates of great public wrong and &c maintain
erS of Public Faith was going on III Washington,
not word of remonstrance against Ne meditated
iniquity was uttered by either bran of the Lee
gislature recently assembled at Col INDUS. The
partsans of the existing National A. niniSration,
avaling themselves of their majOrif in the Lee
gisature, not only thwarted every eC TT to express
the honest Indignation of the PeOpf of the State
against the wrong, but elected 10 ne SENATE OF
the United States known supper Of the re-
peal Of the Missouri Prohibition, thu placing the
moral weight of Ohio in the. scale Slavery Ex-
tension.
We, by no means, charge the mem ers of the old
Democratic Party with approval of his conduct:
but we earnestly invite them to COT der whether
there is any mode of manifesting tb II just indig-
nation, in view of these great wror $, except by
repudiating the present National A ministration,
and the Political Leaders through whose influ-
ence these shameful results have been accom-
plished At all events, it cannot b( doubted that
these things demand the promptes Intervention
of the WHOLE PEOPLE; and not thet things, only,
but many other matters, both of National and
State concern.
The time has passed for half-wa measures in
respect to Slavery. The repeal Of the Missouri
Prohibition has demonstrated the ter futility of
all Legislative compromises. 1t is ecessary now
to recur to the Constitution. In I'll. instrument,
it will be vain to seek for any reco milton of Sla-
very, even as a fact, outside of 81 we States, or
for any power given to Congress to egislate in its
behalf Outside of Slave States, tb H. there must
be no Slavery. There must be no slave-selling,
slave-catching, or slave-holding, lder National
legislation. The Slave Power nst be over
thrown, and the influence Of the MAJ onal Govern
ment must be placed on the side OF Freedom.
The patronage of the President that fatal en-
tailed The People must demand and obtain a
more direct influence upon the praC ical workings
of the Government. For the Pre- pagandism OF
Slavery in our intercourse with FC ceign Nations,
there must be substituted great American In
1uence in favor of Universal Liber y. Freedom,
Reform and Progress, must be the 'fatchwords OF
the People.
In our own State, many things require atten-
ton The disposition and MANAGEMENT Of the
public works the districting of tse State the
laws regulating the imposition ard collection of
taxes and other matters, demand 5he considera-
ton and Judgment of the People. y
In view of these things we insLe our fellow
citizens, who without regard to fo *er party dis
tnctons, are willing to unite in u ! organization
of a Democracy of the People, a.'2inst the sup
porters of Slavery and unjust and unequal laws,
by whatever name they may call themselves, to
assemble in Convention, at Column s, on the 18th
day of July 1854, the anniversar of the Ordi-
nance of 1887, for the purpose consultation
upon the momentous aspects of pu' lie affairs, and
of taking such action as circnms nces require.
With this view, we recommend tn. the people of
each County forthwith assemble appoint one
delegate for every five thousand Inhabitants, no
county, however, appointing less than two, to
represent them at Columbus, in Delegate Con-
vention and we recommend, also that there be
held at the same time and place, Mass Conven-
ton of the People, to sustain the Delegate Con-
vention by their presence, to aid hem by their
counsel, and to express, in the lost emphatic
manner, the cherished sentiment and fixed re-
solves of the People of Ohio, in Ia, guage becom-
ing the demands OF the crisis. y