, 1854-08-26
Address
Or THE FREE SOIL CONVENTION TO THE Vo
TIERS OF THURsToN County.

FcllOto- Citizens-Tnc Undersigned COM
mittee appointed by the recent Free Soil
Convention to prepare an address to the
voters Of ThurSton county, on the principles
and policy of the Free Soil Party, would
respectfully solicit your candid attention to
the views now presented for your consider
alton.
The issue on the slavery question has
become paramount to all others now before
the American People. Old party lines
have become oblterated, and party ties
are being severed by the exciting questions
now before the public mind Questions
not only affecting our moral and social we'll
being, but in which the integrity and per-
petuity of our glorious Union are connected.
Slavery was regarded by the Fathers of
our Republic as a curse, a stain upon our
National Escutcheon, and to accomplish its
extinction, the African slave trade was
wisely abolished, and the institution itself
confined within state limits, or to such ter
ritory as was considered under state juris-
-diction The policy of the General Gov
ernment in that early day was to limit,
hedge in, and discourage slavery so far as
the Constitution would admit. A policy,
had it been persisted in, would before this
have rid our country Of the degrading curse
now hanging over us.
But alas T in proportion to the advance
ment of our country, has been the increase
of the slave power. Louisiana, Florida
and Texas have been successfully acquired
for its indefinite extension. The original
policy of all for Freedom and nothing for
Slavery has been abandoned, and the one
idea Of slavery propagandiSm has become
the ruling principle of our Government
Cuba, with its 100, 900 slaves and territory
for two more slave States, is to be had,
whatever its cost. Hayti, and slice after
slice from Mexico is to be acquired as suits
our convenience. An alliance is to be en-
tered into with Brazil, by which 5000, 900
more Of slaves and the extensive valley Of
the Amazon are to be be received within
our jurisdiction.
Such fellow-citizens, is a brief outline Of
the future policy Of the Slave Power
They make no secret Of the matter, and
are determined to use the power and re-
sources of our General Government foE the
establishment of great central Slave En-
pire. on. ..
Fellow-citizens, how long can our Union,
which, as our Constitution declares, was
formed to establish justice" and to Sc
cure the blessings of liberty to ourselves
and posterity," last under such state Of
things ! ! Where, even now, exists liberty
of speech or freedom Of the press south Of
Mason's and Dixon's line =? Is it not high
time to inquire for the old land marks, to
return to the original policy of our Fathers
who freely offered their lives, their for
tunes and their sacred honors" upon the
altar of liberty.
The friends of Freedom have met in con-
vention in Thurston county. Their banner
is thrown to the breeze, on which is in
scribed the principles of our Declaration of
Independence, the restoration Of the Mis-
souri, Compromise line, and the entire dis
connection Of the General Government
from slavery.
Weenter into the contest with cheering
prospects and high hopes Of success
Thanks to the slave power, all former COM
promises are now laid aside. Freedom and
slavery have grappled in the death strug-
gle, and as they always have been, and
necessarily always will be antagonistical,
one or the other must fall. The hardy
sons Of toll are now moving into the Terrific
ries of Kansas and Nebraska the slave
holders are already there, organized and
threatening to resist by brute force the in
gress of settlers from the Free States into
the former
We present for your support at the en-
suing election, men not only competent for
the several Offices designated, but who we
have good reason TO believe will, if elected,
faithfully represent our principles. That
we have selected more candidates from the
Wing than from the Democratic ticket,
was owing to the fact that principles and
not party preferences regulated the choice.
Could a sufficient number Of reliable men
have been found, our selection at this late
period of the canvass would have been
made equally from both.
To our Democratic felow-citizens we ap-
peal your party is irreconcilably divided
on the new issues The administration Of
General Pierce, following in the wake Of
its predecessor which incubated the odious
Fugitive act, and at the dictation of the
slave power turned the cold shoulder to
the application Of the Sandwich Islands for
admission into the Union, is going out Of
power faster than it went in every cleo
ton in the Free States, since the passage
Of the Nebraska bill, recording its stern