Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-19

he rejoiced as it was the last straw to the
cauel's back that would lead to the throwing
| off of the burdens which had too long been
borne. He believed tito be the duty of the
country to remove from The Constitution Tie
obligation TO return fugitive slaves, even at al
hazards, and it was for the interest of the south
as well as the north to do SO. After pointing
out the great evils which had resulted from the
| fugitive slave law and slave extension, he indi-
Gated as the remedy the union of the free
I States in the demand for release from the fugi,
| tive slave obligation, which measure, if carried
out, would -infuse new life into the union of the
! States.
! Three loud cheers were given for Mr.. Quincy
at the conclusion of this speech. t4t
The committee on credentials reported seven
! teen hundred and seventysix delegates, repre-
senting two hundred and ninety seven towns
and cities. $3.50
| The vote for a candidate for governor was
SIS for Washburn, Ill for Senator Rockwell
and 6 scattering. The vote was then made
| unanimous for Washburn. i
! The votes were then collected for lieutenant
governor, when the convention adjourned for
dinner
34, AFTERNOON SESSION.
/ In the afternoon session, the committee on
the nomination of q candidate for lieutenant
| governor, reported the whole number of votes
as 569 For Vim. G. Plunkett, 566; for John
| G. Palfrey, 3. t:H
Mr.. White, Of Lowell, from the committee on
resolutions reported the following:
Resolced, That the wing party of Massachu.
sets, ever true to liberty, the Constitution, and
the Union, have no need to abandon its organ
ization or to change its principles.
| Resotred, That the Union was formed to es-
tablish justice, insure domestic tranquility, pro-
mote the general welfare, and secure the bless
ings OF liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
Resoloed, That we cherish a cordial, habit
ual and immovable attachment to the Union,
as the palladium Of our political safety and
| prosperity; that we recognize now and ever
/ our tealty to the Constitution, and our obliga.
tons to maintain its principles and yield to its
! requirements.
Resolred, That it was the policy Of the Fa-
theirs of the Republic to confne slavery to its
then existing limits, as is evinced by the pas.
sage of the ordinance OF 1887, and applied to
! all the Territories of the Union-thus clearly
establishing as cardinal principle of the gov
/ eminent that slavery should be forever prohib.
/ tied in the public domain.
| Resotced, That the recent act Of the national
/ legislature, is wantonly and faithlessly annull-
! ing solemn covenant which had stood for
| more than thirty years, and which the south
had received the full benefit of, leaves no re-
striction upon the action of the free States be-
| yond the exact provisions of the Constitution
! ITSELF
Resolred, That the long repeated and long
! continued aggressions Of the advocates of
| slavery extension, have awakened the people
| OF Massachusetts and Of the free States to the
fact that their end and aim is political supre-
macy. That by this last browning act the re-
peal OF the Missouri compromise, effected
l through southern iaithessness aud northern
treachery, stimulated by the corrupt use Of
! southern influence, the naked question of lib.
/ erty or slavery as the controlling principle of
the government, is presented to the American
people; and for ourselves we declare our read
| mess to meet that issue, and our determination
at all times and under all circumstances SO to
exercise our constitutional rights as to secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
| posterity.
! Resotred, That we are unalterably opposed
to the extension Of slavery over one foot of ter.
ritory now free-that we will seek the immedi-
ate and unconditional repeal of so much Of the
Nebraska and Kanzas actas annuls the Missouri
! compromise, and that we will oppose the ad.
mission into the confederacy of any new State
formed out Of any of our territorial possessions,
unless slavery be prohibited therein.
ResotDed, That the provisions in the Consti-
tuition OF the United States, that the citizens of
each State shall be entitled TO all the privileges
and immunities ofcitizens in the several States,
has been for years, and is now grossly violated
by those States Of this Union where laws exist
for the Imprisonment of citizens of Massachu.
sets without trial or imputation of crime
ResoLred, That the fugitive slave law of 1850.
contains large and arbitrary provisions which
are unnecessary TO secure any rights of slave
/ holders under the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
which are justly obnoxious and odious to a
I free people who claim by inheritance the right
! OF trial by jury, and Of the writ of habeas cor
pus as the great safeguard Of personal liberty;
and we trust we shah never cease 10 demand
such amendments as shall make IL consistent
with the constitutional rights Of the free States.
or failing in this, its unconditional repeal.
! Resotred, That the people of the free States
are called upon by every motive Of humanity,
Justice, and patriotism to give such aid and
| direction to the grea, tide of western emipra.
ton as shall secure our new and unoccupied
Territories to the dominion Of free labor and
free institutions, and thus thwart the efforts OF
the present national administration 10 bring
them under the dominion Of slavery.
! Resolred, That in the recent legislation which
has aroused the Indignation Of the freemen of
/ the north, we recognise anew the settled policy
Of the democratic party, who have ever shown
themselves subseryiept TO the interests of
( slavery, and regardless of the welfare Of the
/ free States, and we arragn the President of the
/ United States as having wantonly violated the
| pledge of his inaugural address, as having
stopped from his high position, and prostituted
the influence OF bis Office, for the purpose Of
uuwarranted interference with the action of
an Independent coordinate branch of the 90.
vernment We arraign the present administra-
ton for appointing to Office both at home and
abroad foreigners Of questionable character
and doubtful fidelity, to the exclusion of ma.
tive citizens Of high reputation and lofty pa
! triotism for its cowardly attack upon weak
and deienecless community upon the most tri.
/ a l. Il. = 4