The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-03-22
A;cIvSs:ONs AND OCCUPATIONS OF TIE
SLAVE POWER.
Declaration Of the Principles and Purposes
AcS fHE-
REPUBLICAN, PARTY.
AAAeess AfiAe Rep oh TIC n q { onventisn, ~
PitssAargh, Feb. 80, 1859.
~ lie PeoS'e Of Me (niTd .Sn,e. /:

AAAsess the Repshlican Ccnven,isn, ~
Pits;>argh, Feb. -, 1859.
~ tie People Of me tni7d States:
Having met in Convention at the City Of
Pittsburgh. in the State of Pennsylvania, this
32d day Of February. 1856, as the represent
tasives Of the people in various sections OF
the Union TO consul: upon the political evils
BY which the countrv.is mensced, and the
political action by which those evils may be
sver,ed. we address 10 YOU this Declaration
Of our rripciples and Of the Purposes which
We GEEK topromote.
We declare. in the first place. our fixed
and unalterable' devotion ~ .ne Constitution
ofthe Cnired S,atrs->to the end. for which it
was established. and to the means which it
provided for their attainment We accent
the solemn protpststion OF the People Of the
United States, that they obtain /: lin order
to form more perfect Union, establish JUS
tice. ensure domestic tranquility provide tor
the common defense, promote the general
welfare, a,Ni.secure the blessings Of liberty
tn themselves and their po>terity." We be.
hevr that The power whi"h it cohters upon
the Governmental tire United States are an'-
pie for the sce6mpli>hue'nt Of these objects:
and that II these powers ar..rxerc'sed in the
spirit Of the Constitution itself. they cannot
esd 20 aifo,l}er result. We respect those
great riehjs,xbich the Constitution declares
TO BE- invi6latle-Frecdon Of Speech and of
'he Press. the free: exercise Of Religious BE-
lief. a, 4 the RICH, Of the People peaceah!y to
assemble as,Aj 70 petition the Government for
. Redress. Of Crsiys nces. We would pre-
serve those grea, safeguards Of civil freedom.
the k.jeas Corpus The right Of tria! BY jury.
and til. Sxh, Of personal Liberty. unless de-
pr;yed shAsef for crime by due process Of
law. WxSh<lsre our purpose to obey, in all
things. the requirements Of the Constitution
ard o. al; Laws enacted il pursuance 'thereo'.
W. cherish profound reverence for the
~:se and .ra:r,ot;c- men by whom /. was fran
81. and lively sense Of the blessings it has
conferred f;on cur country and UPON mar
kind throughout the world. In every cl:-is
OF difficulty: arl oe'danger we shall invoke
its spirit ala proclaim :ae .urr. macy Of It's
authority ~-''' '''-'--'- ~,
In tine n,x: p';.c' W. declare orr ardent
ard mistaken alta, hnent to this Union Of
American States, which the Constitution
created aoG hss thus far preserved. We re-
we're it as the purchase Of the blood of our
forefatheTs. as the condition OF our national
renown. and as the guardian: and guaranty
Q! that liberty which the Constitution was de-
signed to.isecdre.. We will defend and pro-
sect it against all lis enemies. We will rec
osni1e no geographical divisions. no loca! in
teres:s. 10 narrow CT sectional prejudices in
our endeAtOrs TO preserve the union OF these
States against foreign agyr.' ssiOn aud lomrst-
ic strife. What We clam for ourselves. We
claim for sh The rights, rriviI.g 3 and Ito
critics which we den and as our Inheritance. we
concede al their inheritance to all the citizens
Ofthis Republic.
Holding these opinions. and animated by
these sentiments, we declare our conviction
that the Government Of the United States is
not administered in accordance with the
Constitution. or for the preservation and
prosperity Of the American Union; but that
ito powers are Systematically welded FOR
1hK PROMOTION AND EXTENSION OF THE
INTEREST OF SLAVERY, in direct hostility
to the letter. nd sp:::: Ct the Constitution, in
fragrant disregard Of other great interests Of
the country: and in open con.emp. ofthe pub
lie sentirrrnt Of the American people and OF
The Christan world. We proclaim. Cur be-
lief tina: the policy which has for years pas;
been adopted in the Administration of the
General Government, tends to the utter sub
version CT ear.h Of the great ends for which
the Constitution was established, and thar,
unless It shall be arrested ~ the prompt in
terpositioh Of the People, the hold Of the Tn
ion upon their loyalty ard affection will be
relaxed. and the domestic tranquility will BE-
disturbed and all Constitutiona! securities
for the blessings of liberty t. ourselves and
our posterIty will be- destroyed rbe slave
holding interest cannot he wade permanent,
paramount IN the General Gov. snnrrt with
nut involving consequences fatal 70 tn. Free
institutions. We acknowledge tina, it is large
and powerful; that in the States " here i. tx
ists it is entitled under the CONSERVATION, like
al other local Interests. 70 immunity from the
inserfrrences of the Genera! Government.
and that:it must necessarily exercise through
its representatives considerable share Of
political power. But there is nothing in its
position. a there is certainly nothing in its
character, to sustain the supremacy which it
a~eks TO establish. There Is not State in
the Union in which the shareholders rumber
one tenth part OF the free white population =
nor in the aggregate do they number one
Gf'eth part Of the white population Of The
United States. The annual productions of
the other classes 10 the Union far exceed
the total value OF all the slaves. To say
nothing, therefore. Of rhe questions Of natnr-
81 justice, and Of political economy which
Slavery involves. neither i.s magnitude nor
the Numbers Of those bv whom it il represen-
ted entit!e it to one-tensh part Of the political
powers conferred upon the Federal Govern
ment by the Constitution, Yet we see i
seeking. and at this moment welding all the
functions the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES leg
islaiive and julirial--and using them for the
augmentation OF its powers and the establish
m.nt Of its ascendcncy.
nlsTORICAL OUTLINES OF THE PROGRESS
OF SLAVERY TOWARD AsCENDENCY IN
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
II is necessary for US to rehear>e in detail
the successive steps by which the. slavehold-
ing interers has sera4ed the influence it now
rxerts in .tha: General Governments Close
students OF political events will readily trace
the path of ITS ambition through the past
twenty five years Of our national history.
It was upder the Administration of Presi.
dent Tyler, and during the negotiation which
preceded Instrumentation Of Texas, that the
Federal Administration for the first time de-
clared, in its diplomatic correspondence with
foreign nations. that Slavery in the United
States was "PoLIrICAL INSTITUTION, Es-
RENTAL TO THE PEACE, SAFETY AND
PROSPERITY OF rsIosk STATES OF THE
USrOS IN 'wnlcn 1T. SOW EXISTS" and