The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-07-28


And the whole history of slavery and of
the slave trade proves the statement to
be truthful.
We affirm that the general structure
of the Federal Constitution, as well as
its particular provision, preclude the le-
gal existence OF slavery, forbid the Sia.es
to maintain it, provide for the liberation
of the enslayed, and authorize and require
at the hands of the Federal Government
its suppression. The powers ofthe Fed
eral Government by the Constitution are
amply adequate to this object. And we
deny that the exercise Of those powers
for the suppression of slavery would be
any infringement of Constitutional State
rights, or OF any OF the reserved rights
of the States or of the people.
With these views Of the Constitution
of our country.we feel ourselves prepared
for an anaggressive-not merely adefensiye
contest with the slave power. We take
our position accordingly, and ask our
fellow-citizeus TO do the same. Ne sue
for no needless amendments of the Con
stitution, requiring a concurrence oftwo-
thirds of the States. Properly construed
italready gives US all we need. We at
tempt no dissolution of the Union. The
Constitution makes no provision for il,
and nothing short OF a revolution could
effectuate it. We consent 20 no dissolu
ton that would leave the slave in his
chains. We demand the Constitutional
deIiverance of tie slave, and ofthe whole
country, North and South, deliyerance
by the peaceful ballot-box, aud within
the power of the Shareholders OF the
United States. We seek not to amuse,
to console, or TO delude ourselves or 9TH
ers, with mere idle efforts to prevent the
further extension Of slavery, while ad-
hitting its ConstitutionsAright to contin-
ue where it already exists. We will
consent to no compromise with the de-
ceiver that keeps no faith with Its dupes:
no compromise with pollution and crime.
We yield not one inch for one moment,
nor on any conditions, 10 the control OF
the demon over any. portion OF our coun-
try, or over single being over whom
floats our national flag. We are Ameri-
cans, knowing no north and no south, no
slaves and no Slave States. We arc not
only Americans, but men, and demand
that irrespective of race or complexion.
all men shall be free.
Believing, as we firmly do, that the
time to maintain. to fortify, ,,aud torender
effective this high and commanding
ground has fully come, and that the oc-
cupaucy of any lower ground would in
vite further atgressions, and insure final
defeat, We reSoiutely take our stand OF
the platform already defined. Our polit-
ical activities must meet the demands of
our convictions. We can consent TO
nothing less.
With our ideas of the nature of civil
government, of our Constitutional pow
ers, of our corresponding responsibilities
as republican citizens-with our view of
the common brotherhood of the race,
and of the equal rights of our fellow
countrymen in bonds, the position we
have here taken rises high above any
mere calculations of expedients, of avail
abilities, or ofexigencies, however press
ing and porten;ous. The ground we
occupy is to us holy ground, the ground
of the true and of the right-the ground
marked out by the instincts of our moral
natures, by our relations to our fellow
men, by our allegiance to the Common
Father of all, by the divine law ofloving
our neighbors as ourselves. We feel
that our prayers to Heaven for the secu-
rity of our Liberties, for the liberties of
the non-slaveholding States, or of any
portion of our free territories, would be
impious and offensive to a just God, the
impartial parent of all men; if, in the
act of offering such prayers, and putting
forth our own efforts to that end, we
should consent to leave out any portion
of our fellow-countrymen in bondage,
entitled as they are, BY the organic and
supreme law of the land" TO the same
freedom and protection with ourselves.
The moral government of God over
the nations, as revealed in the holy scrip
lures, and as illustrated i'll the page of
universal history, forbids us to cherish
any expectation of securing permanently
our own liberties or the liberties of any
portion of the nation to which we belong
By any process short of securing the lib
critics OF each and of all.
The foundation principles of civil law
confirm us in the same belief. The past
and passing history of our own country,
and of the pending struggle between
despotism and freedom, testi6es to the
same truth, and assures us tia. there is
no rational ground to expect the deliver
ance of our country but BIZ strict ad-
herence to the great principles upon
which our measures are founded. To
these principles and measures we cling,
as the sheet-anchor of American liberty;
and We call on all the friends of humaIti-
ty, of the slave, Of free institutions, of
pure religion. and of our common coun-
try, TO come up to the rescue, and cast in
their lot with US in this great struggle
"Sink or swim, survive or PERISH, We
are resolved to go forward. Our panoply
is the truth. Our confidence is in Him
who is the refuge of the oppressed. and
in whose hands are the destinies of all.
The following are the resolutions adop-
ted by the Convention:
1. Resolved, That experience has now
fully proved that there is no way of get
ing rid of the evils OF slavery but by
getting rid of the existence of slavery
no successful method of resisting the en-
croaehments of slavery but by the over
throw of slavery and no appropriate
plan or measure for securing the aboli-
ton of slavery but by abolishing it.
2. Resolved, That We therefore reject
as useless, all schemes for limiting, local
izing, confning or anelioriatihg slavery
ali plans for protecting the no1-slave-
holding States from the aggressions of
slavery, and from the liability Of becom-
ing ovegspread and oyerborne by it.
which do not look directly to the inne-