The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1856-08-26
NO. 5l4.


to Mr. Nicholson Of Tennessee. We could
never find anything in that letter which wo'd
induce us to believe we were wrong. Even
since the Nicholson letter made its appear.
ance, President Polk signed the Oregon PHI
containing the Wilmot Proyiso clause which
should be regarded as high authority coming
as it did from Democratic President OF tho
United States and citizen Of slave-holdIng
State. t ,I.
We cannot be made to beliesc that Presi'
dent Polk was a "Federalist"
This was good Democratic doctrine sevetf
years ago; it is equally sound Democracy
now. We stood by it then, we will stand by
it still; and we cal; upon you, fellow Demo,
Gratis of Ingham, with us to meet the present
crisis like men who love country better than
patty, AMI principles letter than victory
The cords Of party are inieed strong but those
that bind us to Democratic principles are
thousand fold stronger.
If any hope RENAMED Of a return to our
original principles by the leaders Of our prty.
that hope has been completely extingui'hed
by the action Of the Democratic Conventiohj
which assembled at Mason, in this countyi
on the 2eth day of July ultimo. After con-
sultaton with many Of the leading Demo-
Gratis of the county, it was considered advisa-
bleto attempt to bring the party back to its an
cient doctrine, to the principles Of the fathers
Of our country and founders of our faith, and
to declare our opposition to the further ex.
tension of slavery oter our free territory, ana
thereby place ourselves upon the platform On
which the Democratic party had stood from
the days of Jefferson down to the time when
Pierce and Douglas, for their own selfish pur-
poses, and without our consent, transferred
the party to the slave power. In that Con-
vention series Of resolutions was offered Tor
adoption by the committee, re-affirming tho
old and long cherished principles Of the patty
among which were the following:-
Resolved, That tho preservation Of tho
union of these States is sacred obligation
) resting upon every inhabitant thereof and
should be cherished by every friend Of liberty
throughout the world, as one Of the most sa-
cred political gifts committed to the keeping
of man; and equal to, and underlying all
this. is the preservation Of the liberties Of the
people, which can only be preserved by eleva;
/, ting the condition of the laboring classesi and
maintaining the dignity ofhe talsr of the
J, soil. Any institution which tends to degrade
: these classes, or occupations, is contrary to
: the principles upon which this free govern.
: ment was founded.
:, Resolved, That it has always been one OF
> the cardinal principles Of the Democrats par
:, ty, that domestic slavery is local and not
national institution, as falsely claimed by
some. !,
y Resolved, That Congress has the right, and
;. it is its solemn duty, to pass such laws as Will
effectualy prohibit the introduction of slavery
i into the territories of the United States.
: Resolved, That the existence Of slavery at
the seat Of our National Government, is an
J. evil of serious magnitude which greatly i'm.
l. pairs the prosperity and happiness OF the Dis
l. trict, and casts the reproach Of Inconsistency
upon the free institutions established among
o | us.
y Resolved, That it is the duty Of Congress,
? without delay, to provide for ascertaining the
a views of the people of said District upon the
10 question of the entire abolition Of slavery
q, therein.
These resolutions had been presented %
the leaders of the party generally before the
re organization of the Convention, and the prln-
I'd cples therein promulgated approved OF BY
nearly all a few of whom thought it danger
Mt ous to the prospects of certain candidates ex
~ pectinr nomination, who had advocated and
LII approyed the acts of the administration o
DIR Pierce and Douglas. The resolutions were
submitted to the Convention, and the Leaders
of that Convention tolloCing the pattern Sc
u then, By the Cincinnati Convention in tn
III adoption of the slavery extension platform
Of promulgated for the government OF the ma
tional democracy, moved Meprecious question
by thereby preventing the discussion OF the onl.
principles which now divide the two politica
m, parties seeking the ascendancy in this nation
Sc and under this gag the vote was taken. And
ra- fellow Democrats, these resolutions express
w inc the principles which have always desg
op, mated the Democratic party, and which hav
RIG, ever been cherished as the cardinal doctrine
en-, of the Democracy, were voted down; and tn
it, party in this county handed over to the ertsr
ry, sion of SLAVERY. In this act, q few leader
len and placemen have attempted to commit tn
freenen of the Democratic party In favor {
the extension of an institution we had bee
OF taught to consider as antagonistic to the fre
principles which we cherish as our birthrigh
ors Notwithstanding their admission that the rc
on olutions express the feeling of the rank an
file of the Democracy, yet with hankern
up- for victory which outweigs their love OF fre'
81. dom and their country's veal, they surrsnd
,ny themselves to the dictation of their souther
' "a masters and hum5ly receive the chains vhit
,xist are to bind them and their posterity to n
,cc. pover of slavery. for all time to come.
,er. Fellow Democrats-the acts of the preset
i've Administration in repeating the Nilsson
of Compromise; in admitting and sustainlr
the Slavery in the Territory of Kansas; in forcir
ed. laws upon the people thereof, which are Il
ress human and barbarous, which laws were era
re- ted by the Slave Power of Missouri TO for
ac. Slavery into the Territory and drive freem'
ore therefrom; in arming and sustaining there
force of Southern bullies whose occupati'
Gin is the burning of cities, robbing and plunde
lin. ing the citizens and crushing out freedo
Val from the Territory; in arming mob OF bo
der ruffians, who infest the national highwa
lnol;nrr 10 the Territory To rob and despt