Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-07-05
0rThe following Resolutions are publish
ed by request. They should have appeared
sooner but were omitted by accident.
Anti-Slavery Convention.


sooner but were omitted by accident.
Anti-siavery Convention.
INDIANAPOLIS, june 9th, 1856.
The Convention was called to order and
o. BUTLER, was appointed President and S.
w. RIrcHEY, Secretary.
Messrs. CRAVEN, HARDIN and MILLIKEN,
were appointed committee to report per-
manent officers. They reported the follow
ing names, and the report was confirmed, viz:
President, s. G. STEPHENS; Vice Presidents,
J. KINLEY, A. L. ROBINSON, WM. BEARD and
o. BUTLER; Secretaries, 8. w. RTcHEY and
NC. WHITE.
Onmotion, acommittss composed of G.. w.
JULIEN, j. KISLEr, 8. s. HARDIN, A. L. RoB-
INsoN, J. CRAVEN, WAuoH, j. p. MILLIKzN
and S. W. RIroHHI, were appointed to pre-
pare business. A. majority of the commit
tee, reported a preamble and resolutions,
which, after various amendments and con-
siderable discussion, were adopted as follows:
WHEREAS, "The great issue of the day is
Freedom or Slaveryl-a Government OF
the people or a Government OF Slave-hold-
ers? This is the issue which the abolition
of freedom in Kansas has forced upon the
American people All othor issues must
stand out of the way of this. All minor
differences of opinion must be disregarded
for the sake of agreement and harmony,
on the common platform of mo Slavery
outside of existing Slave States" Upon
the platform, all must be welcome of what
ever birth or whatever creed who are willing
tounite in good faith for the defence of free
dom and free institutions. That uniting
in this spirit, discarding all jealousies, and
merging all differences in a. common re-
solve to rescue our country from the domin-
ion of the Slave power and to place the To-
gitimate influence of the National Govern
ment on the side of liberty, the party of
freedom will I've as invincibls in strength
and numbers, as it is impregnable in the
soundness of its Constitutional principles,
and in the justice of its sacred causs.'
1st. Resolved, That we while demand that
there shall be no more Slave States and no
Slave Territory, the Repeal of the fugativs
slave act, ard that the General Government
be permanently and openly on the side of
freedom.
I'd Resolved, That we reaffirm the prin-
ciples and measures of the Pittsburg platform,
and especially that part of it which directly
relates to the slavery question, that in our
Judgment we should frown upon every at
tempt to divide the people, and conplicate
this question by any distraoting side issue
whatever; and that this is no time for vault
ing half way measures but for radical and
thorough work upon all the specific issues
rendered us by the slave power.
Sd. Resolved, That fidelity TO our cause
should ever be held paramount to any tenn
porary success, and 10 the only sure means of
its triumph, and that the real power of our
movement, Justly considered, lies not so much
in the numbers it can muster, as in the truth
it teaches, and the loyalty with which we
maintain it,
4th. Resolved, That We are willing to unite
with all men in a common eRdeavor to res
cue our government from the control Of the
slave power, and we approve of the calling of
q convention to meet in indianapolis, July
18th, for the purpose of combining the friends
of freedom.
9Th. Resolved, That we approve the pre-
sent prohibitory Liquor Law of our State and
are inflexibly opposed to its repeal or essen
tial modification, until time and experience
shall demonstrate that further legislation is
necessary, to guard against abuse, or to render
it more efficient.
9th. Resolved, That while We protest against
the prescription of foreigners, on account of
birthplace, or religion, we are in favor OF
such an alteration in our State Constitution,
rs will require foreigner to DO naturalized,
according to the laws of the United States,
before he shall be allowed to exercise the
elective franchise.
A minority report was presented by Mr..
MnLIKIN, which was understood to have been
drawn up by Mr.. A. BUTLHR. and a second one
by Mr.. RIToHHr, neither of which is now at
hand.
The meeting adjourned until O'Clock,
when Mr. JULIAN made lengthy and tho
rough anti-slavery speech, aud wound up with
a whitening belaborment of Know Nothing
ism.
Mr.. HARDIN being called for, answered
under considerable excitement in vindicstion
of Know Nothings, but not of Know Nothing
ism, which he conside cred dead lion.'
I Il
that great proportion of those present
frsssoilers and outsidsrs-were either Know
Nothings, or sympathisers with them.
! Mr.. VALE followed in support of HARDIN
He would not defend Know Nothingism, but
labored to prove that the organization had
not operated to the injury of the anti-slavery
cause in the North.
On motion of Mr. MILLER, the thanks Of
the Convention were rendered Judge STE-
PHENs for the able and courteous manner il
which he had presided over their dslibera
: tons.
On motion of Mr.. JULIAN, it was
Resolved, That the papers of this city, and
the National Era, be furnished with copies
of the proceedings of this Convention, witt
a request to publish them.
At very late hour the Convention adj
journed sine de.
s. w. RITCHEY, Sec'y.
} GTThe following preamble, together with