Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1856-07-16
From the Detroit Free Press.

.s
From the Detroit Free Press.
"a Declaration that Slavery erists By tie
constitution in aHMe Territories ofthe Unit-
ed States, Was only lost IN the committee of
the Cincinnati Convention by single vote."
The foregoing paragraph, in emphatic ital-
les has been going the rounds Of the black
republican press. Lest from frequent repeti-
ton, the asseveration may gain credence in
credulous quarters, it is proper we should pro-
nounce it absolutely false. The writer here
of having chanced to be member of the
committee on resolutions of the Cincinnati
convention, and having been present at all
their sessions, speaks of his own knowledge
upon this point .a.
A proposition, in substance, that the feder-
al constitution authorizes slavery in the Terri
tories of the United States, was brought be-
fore the committee at two separate times
first by the member from Florida, and after
wards by the member from Mississippi. In
the first instance, it was rejected, without de-
bate, by more than a three-quarters vote. In
the second instance, the subject was briefly
debated, chiefly by southern members. The
members from Virginia, South Carolina, AL
ALBANIA, Florida and Mississippi sustained the
proposition, while those from Georgia, Louis
lana, Missouri and two or three other south
ern States discouragedit it. The member from
Georgia spoke earnestly against it, He said
the battle upon that question had been once
fought in the South, and the party holding
to the affirmative of it disastrously defeated.
Georgia had declared against it emphatically,
and other of the southern States as emphati-
cally. He alluded to the argument contained
in the late Senatorial speech of Gen. Cass on
the subject characterzing it as surprisingly
able, sound, and unanswerable. Mr. Soule,
of Louisiana, dissented from the proposition,
and Mr.. Hudson, of Missouri, remarked that
he did not wish to consume time in speaking
against it-he wanted to vote against it. The
opponents Of the proposition, North and
South, assumed that it was merely judicial,
and in no manner a political question, but
that. even though it were of political conse-
quence, case involving the doctrine being
before the Supreme Court, it would be high
ly improper for the convention to undertake
to determine it in advance. The committee
having come to a vote, instead of but one
majority against it, the proposition had not
more than six or eight votes in its favor. The
action of the convention itself is notorious.
The report of the committee was receiv-
ed and adopted without a dissenting
voice.
What the judgment of the Supreme Court
will be in the case before it, involving the
question of the constitutional existence of
slavery in the Territories, may be inferred
from its Judgment hitherto in a case involv-
ing the same question. In the case of Prigg
as. Pennsylvania, the unanimous opinion of
the court was that slavery can exist nowhere
except by force of the local law of the place.
Should this doctrine be re-affirmed- and who
doubts that it will be9-the resolve of no
convention can affect or change it. 1t will
'h&,the fundamental law of the land.
In his letter of acceptance of the Presi-
dental nomination of Mr. Buchanan, in terms
perfectly distinct and definite, defines his po-
stion regarding slavery in the Territories.---
Referring to the endorsement by the national
convention of the popular sovereignty princi-
pie of the Kansas law, his Interpretation Of
oh&o '"" 10, 'h"o OobSiVoo Hao oiinpiy Qo-
clared".-we use his own language" that
the people of a Territory, like those of a
State, shall decide for themselves whether
slavery shall or shall not exist within their
limits" Could language be employed that
would more emphatically express dissent from
the doctrine of the existence of slavery by
constitutional warrant in the Territories, than
is here employed by Mr.. Buchanan or that
would more emphatically express adhesion to
the doctrine of popular or squatter rsovereign-
ty9 ri T5
Thus falls one of the legion of audacious
falsehoods and calumnies which the black re-
publican press has let loose upon the country
since the Cincinnati convention, and in the
propagation of which the black republican
pulpit has been most active After this ex-
posure, we surely need not call attention to
the righteousness of that other pretence:
that the Cincinnati platform, as it stands, rec
ognises the doctrine of the universality of
slavery! nN ahis
T. II