Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-06-18
ILLINOIS POLITICS.

! The Chicago correspondent OF tic \ eW I ork
| Tribune, writing under date of June 4, says
| s.We are in the midst of revolution; but
! YOU seem to be totally oblvious of the fact
| The ordinary events of years have been COM
| pressed into the last fortnight, but the light
nings have not informed you Of their magn-
tudc. First, then, on the 29th ut., the Great
Anti-Slavery Extension Convention of Illinois
met at the City of Bloomington, and nomina-
ted a full State ticket, with the gallant Col.
W. III. Bissell at its head for Governor. More
than one thousand delegates were in attend
| ance. All were imbued with the pure spirit
| of Freedom. One half of the delegates were
of Democratic antecedents, embracing the best
and most influential men of the party.
1t was most emphatically Convention of
the people, where all classes, opinions, and
shades Of belief were represented-but all in
spired with one common resolve to resist the
further aggressions of the Slave Power, to the
bitter end, and to maintain Freedom in the
Territories at every cost and fiazard-letting
consequences fall on the heads of the wrong
doers. Not n jar nor heaTt-burning was felt
not a quarrelsome or provocative word was
uttered by delegate during the two days the
Convention was in session. Speeches were
made by the -able$t men in the State. Old
Wing, Democrat, and Free-Soil leaders, men
of Southern, Northern, and European birth,
addressed the Convention and the mass meet
ings. On Thursday evening Gov. Reeder
spoke for four hours to 5000 listeners. His
speech was strong, clear, pertinent, and salts
factory.
The ticket nominated will be, undoubtedly,
elected by very large majority. There are
whole counties where the majorities for Free
dom will be almost equal to the entire legal
vote cast. In the Northern portion of the
State fully one half of the Democrats of 1852
are now on the side of Free Kansas The
platform adopted is good one. 1t sets forth
three important propositions: 1st. Congress
has the power to exclude slavery from the
Territories, and should exercise it. I'd. Kan
sas should be admitted into the domain imme-
diately, on the basis of her Topeka Constitu-
tion. Cd. That there should be No proscrip-
tion of men on account of religion or birth
place. On this platform all lovers of Liberty
can stand-both native and naturalized
The Convention proved the sincerity of its
professions by nominating German Demo-
crat, F. III. HOFFMAN, of Chicago, for Lieut..
Governor, aud the patriot Hecker for Senate
rial Elector. Three of the State candidates
are Kentncky-born Wings; two of them Dem
ocrats, and one was Free-Soiler. The Elec
tors for the different Districts, as we'll as the
Delegates to the 18th juno National Conven-
tion, were chosen from men of all the old par
Tha
whelming at the polls. 1t was the general be-
lief of the members of the Convention that we
should carry eight of the nine Congressional
Districts this Fall, and elect our whole State
ticket by 10000 majority
On Saturday night, the 3Ist ultimo, Gen.
Lane of Kansas addressed ten thousand men in
Chicago, for three hours. At the conclusion
of his speech, which was preceded by short
address from Col. Hoffman, our candidate for
Lieutenant Governor, and another from ]. G. |
Vaughan of The Tribune, transcription for the |
succor and relief of the Free State men in Kan. |
sas was opened, and in the course of two bours
sixteen thousand dollars in money and one thou. |
sand dollars in articles suitable for settlers
were subscribed by men of all classes, condi-
tions and professions in life, in sums from a
dime up to 5 200. Each subscription, when
was cheered by the vast assem-.
blage.
1t was mighty gathering OF the people,
such az had never been witnessed before in
Chicago. A general determination animated
'he mighty mass of freemen that Kansas must
'e sarsd, whatever the consequences might be.
1t was felt that the time for fighting had come,
q nothing else would arrest the bloody hand of