The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-15


front of The capitol and sundry bonres which the boys
had hard work 10 keep burning several thousands Of
persons were gathered together The meeting was or
gained a. halfpast o'clock by the appointment Of
Mayor PAEnEEE President and the follow Jug Vice Pre-
sidents and secretaries:-
PRESIDENTS
Morris E. yiele, Mich Clarke
James Taylor, Deimott Dewitt,
George W. Luther, G. DeForrest
=. swii ett;;, J lo8 s shssp
Q. W. Chaplin,
James II. Carroll, W.. Rice.
Mayor PARnE1 EE briefly stated the objects Of the meet
ing
Mr.. DropATrs WRIGHT moved the appointment of com
itee Of five to draft resolutions expressive Of the
of the meeting and such committee having been appoint
ed by the Chair subsequently presented the suboned
resolutions which adopted by the meeting mem CON-
Resolved, That cordially approving the joint action Of
the wing and republican conventions at Syracuse and dis
regarding past political and associations we unite
turning the government from policy so destructive to
its interests, to the policy adopted by its fathers in their
declaration OF rights in their constitution, and Ia their
congressional acts and ordinances for extending freedom
instead ofslayery.
Resolved That to this end we invite all who believe
that freedom Is more national than slavery to join with
in establishing tina principle Of refusing admission to
any new state unless from free territory by restoring
peace and freedom to Kansas and Nebraska by resisting
the Entertainments OF the federal Judiciary and
tanning the equal rights Of all men, whatever their
or birth, in State and in the national domain
Hon. W. H. sEwARp was then introduced to the meet
ing and enthusiastically checred His speech how
ever, did not elicit much applause. Perhaps it was be-
cause Of the weather; but somehow other there was
less than tho usual enthusiasm ut such nssembages
Mr., Seward spoke as follows
Hail to the capitol of New York Venerable for its
gress liberty and Union. This capitol is dear to me- Il
has more than once sent me abroad with honorable
functions and even in those adverse which have
happened TO me- as they must happen to all representa-
tive 1t has failed to receive home again
with sympathy and kindness. Donby honored be the
banner of the stars and stripes which here takes on its
highest significance it waves over the halls where
equal representatives make the laws which regulate the
lveso equal freemen Hopored be the statute Of Justice
that surmounts the dome above us Blind that she
may not through either passion prejudice discrmi
nate between the rich and the poor the Protestant and
and him whose liberties have been coven down and
weighing with exact balance the rights of all classes and
beneath these embowercd roofs Tie voices of the
SIencers Of Kent nd Van Rensselaer, and Van yechten
elder Clinton Of King and Hamilton Of ay The pure and
benevolent aud Schuyler the gallant and inAexbe The
very air that fingers around these arches brings nspra
tons Of moral social and physical enterprise and Of un
copquerable freedom.
You, old, tried, familiar friends, ask my counsel
whether TO cling yet longer traditional controversies
and to dissolvng parties to rise at nobler
aims with new and more energetic associations do
or even timidy Tickleness in political associations i
weakness and precipancy in public action is crime
Considered by itself 1t is unfortunate be obliged to Sc
parate from old party and to institute a new one
The rev may exhibit enthusiasm for a time
but it must also for time lack cohesion and discipline
The names OF parties generally arbitrary and
all indicative Of their characters purposes gene.
rous man will nevertheless, cling, as If 1t family
altar 10 0 that has long been a rayinp cry for
himself and his compatriots.
The grea; question before Us, however is to be decided
nG' ~ ee v .u qndea the OF and pa
OF the Revolutionary Congresses 10 the American
people never to forget that the of America had al
ways been and that II must ever continue to be the
Of human nature. The question then Is, what is the
course dictated to us by love Of country and Of
mauityl
This nation founded the simple and practically
new principle ct The equal and nalienable rights of all
Other governments, founded on the ancient principle .
the inequality q mer by force Of equal necessity
monarchies or arstocracies Whenever government OF
either OF these kinds loses by lapse of time and change of
circumstances its elementary principle, whether OF
equality inequality thenceorward takes rapid and
site kind. No here elsewhere is dsoyal to his
country TO mankind to be willing repub
lcan system fail. All agree that in every and
throughout all hazards arsocracy must be a6horred aud
avoided and republican institutions must be defended and
preserved
Think IT not strange exravagant when say that an
artocracy has already arisen here and that ii Is already
undermining the republic. An aristocracy could not
arise in any country where there was no privileged
class and special foundation which such class
could permanently stand On the contrary every
is sure to become an aristocracy SOONER or later If Il
has privileged class standing firmly enduring
special foundation and IL that class Is continually grow
ing stronger aud stronger and the unprycged classes
continually growing weaker and wcsker. II Il not all
essential to privileged class that it on feuda
authority that its rights be hereditary that
IL be distinguished by titles Of honor. II may be
the nsdious and the dangerous for lacking
all these things because 1t win be less obnoxious popu
privileged class has existed in thi, country from an
carly period of its settlement Shareholders constitute
that class They have a special foundation ON which TO
stand, namely, personal dominion over slaves. Con-
science and sound policy forbid all alike from hold
ing slaves but some citizens disregard the Injunction
Some Of the States enforce the nhibton other States
there are three hundred and fifty thousand citizens who
avail themselves of this peculiar indulgence and these
protected by the laws q those States constitute prv
legged class They confess themselves 10 be such class
when they designate the system Of slavery peculiar
institution.
privileged class America and Europe zeaously
sssed then in prosecuting what was expected to be
~ Nearly all the privileged classes admitted that slave
ry permanent system, indeiensibe and favored
its removal They asked only what seemed by means
unreasonable securities against sudden rash and
violent removal Of the evil Under these circumstances
even the most decided opponents Of slavery consented to
provisions of the Federal constitution which
inconsistent with the stern logic fequay that peFvadeJ
all ts other parts and pervaded the whole Of the Dccla
ration Of American Independence, which the consttu.
ton itself was based We are not TO censure the fathers
for these CONCESSIONS they had union OF the States 10
create and 70 their ardent generous minds the volun
tary removal Of slavery by the action Of the
states Themselves without Federal interference seemed
not only tain but close at hand.
These provisions Of the cons tuition we're
Tint the foreign slave trade should not be abolished
before 1908.
2. That any law regulation which any state might
establish in favor u freedom, should not impair the legal
remedy then supposed to exist by law for the
recapture by legal process in such Statc OF fgtves
from labor service, escaping from other States.
3. That threedhs Of all slaves should be counted In
settling the basis OF representation 10 the several States
These three concessions, which in themselves
very limited and almost harmless, all that the Ia
Tiers consciously made to the privileged class.
But privileged classes always know wen how 20 improve
even any indirect advantages which the constitution
laws Of country afford. Such indirect advantages they
acquired from two other provisions OF the constitution
First, That provision which makes the state authority
Independent ard sovereign In municipal affairs slavery
being understood 10 be purely nicipal in s nature
second That pro ision which, out % tenderness III
small States gives them representation In the Senat
equal that OF the largest State Freedom bulbs rrca
states slavery multplfcs small States and even dwarf
great ones.