Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-09-11

sociation of individuals, to give legal exis,
J Eence, to slavery IN any Territory of tn
United States. while the present Constitu
tion shall be maintained.
/ RESOLVED, That the Constitution confer
upon Congress sovereign power over tn,
i Territories of the United States for thei
government, and that in the exercise of thi
power it is both the right and the impera
tive duty OF Congress to prohibit in the Ter
rltories those twin relics of barbarism,-
polygamy and slavery.
Such are the aims, the objects and prin-
ciples Of the great Republican party; and
John c. Fremont is pledged, if elected, to
carry them out, as will be seen by his letter
of acceptance:
sa New YORK, July 8, 1856.
GENTLEMEN: You call nae to high res
ponsiHaity by piacingi me in the van OF a
great movement of the People of the United
States, who, without regard to past differ
enees, CO uniting in ,common effort to
bring back the action of the Federal Gov
Eernmest to the, principles of Washington
and Jefferson. Comprehending the magni-
tpde of the trust which they have declared
themselves willing to place in my hands,
and deeply sensible of the honor which
their unreserved confidence, in this threat
ening position of the public affairs, implies,
feel tha: cannot better respond, than by
sincere declaration that, in the event of
my election to the Presidency, Il should en-
ter upon the execution Of its duties with a
single-learted determination to promote the
good of the whole country, and to direct
solely 70 this end all the power of the Gov
-ernmen. irrespective o. party issues andre
garCles; of sectional strifes. The declara-
tion of principles embodied in the resolves
OF you Convention, expresses the senti-
ments in which have been educated, and
which nave been ripened into convictions by
persona observation and experience. With
this declaration and avowal, think it ne
cessaE to revert to only two of the. subjects
embraced in those resolutions, and to these
only hcause events have surrounded them
with gave and critical circumstances, and
given o them especial importance.
concur in the views of the Convention
deprecating the Foreign Policy to which it
adve'ts. The assumption that we have the
right TO take from another nation it's domains
because we want them, is an abandonment
of tie honest character which our country
has acquired. To provoke hostilities by un-
just assumptions, would be to sacrifice the
peate and character Of the country, when
all is interests ght be more certainly Sc
cured and its objects attained by just and
healing eounseis, involving no loss of repu-
tation. International embarrassments are
manly the results Of a secret diplomacy.
which aims 10 keep from the knowledge of
the People TIE operations of the Govern
ment. This system is inconsistent with the
OK our institutions g. is itself f,yield-
ing gradually to more enlightened pub
lie opinion, and to the power of free press,
which, by its broad dissemination of politi-
cal intelligence. secures in advance to the
side Of justice the judgment of the civilized
world. An honest, firm and open policy in
,ur foreign relations, would command the
United support of the nation, whose delber-
lte opinions it would necessarily reflect
Nothing is clearer in the history of our
Institutions :han the design of the nation. in
asserting its own independence and freedom,
o avoid giving countenance to the Exten-
ion of Slavery. The influence of the small
,ut compact and powerful class of men i0-
crested in Slavery, who command one sec
ion of the country and WELD a vast politi-
al control as consequence in the other,
now directed to turn back this impulse of
he Resolution and reverse its principles
The Extension of Slavery across the Conti-
tent is the object of the power which now
ules the Government; and from this spirit
las sprung those kindred wrongs in Kansas
o truly portrayed in one of your resolutions,
which prove that the elements of the most
rbitrary governments have not been van
uished by the just theory of our own.
1t would be out of place here to pledge
myself to any particular policy that has been
uggested to terminate the sectional con-
roversy engendered by politica animos:ties,
persting on powerful class banded to-
,ether by common interest. A practical
emedy is the. .adn.ission of Kansas into the
Union as Free State. The South should,
n my judgmeHt, earnestly desire such con
umm alton. 1t would vindicate its good
aith. 1t would correct the mistrke Of the
epeal; and the North, having practically the
ene6t of The agreement between the two
ections, would be satisfied, aud good feel
ng be restored. The measure is perfectly
consistent with the honor of the South, a I'D
tal to its interests. That fatal act which
ave birth To-. this purely sectional strife,
in the scheme to take from Free
labor the country secured 10 it by solemn
covenant cannot be too soon disarmed of its
,ernicious force. The only genial region
# the middle latitudes left 10 the emgrants
If the Northern States for homes, cannotbe
conquered from the Free Laborers who haverd
ong considered it as set apart for them in
,ur inheritance, without provoking des-
,erate struggle. Whatever may be the per-
,istence of the particular class which seems
.eady to hazard everything for the success
IF the unjust scheme i. has partially effected,
0rmly pelleSt tuoL tHC SiSnl uSuit vi AHC
nation, which throbs with the patriotism of
he Freemen of both sections, will have
power 10 overcome it. They will look to
he rights secured to them b. the Constitu-
ion of the Union as the best safeguard from
he oppression of the class which, by mo-
nopoly of the Soil and OF Slave Labor to
ill it, might in time reduce them to the ex-
.remity of laboring upon the same terms
With the Slaves. The great body of Non
Freemen, including those Of
he South, upon whose welfare Slavery is an
oppression, will discover that the power OF
The General Government over the Public /.
Lands may be beneicially exerted to advance
heir interests and secure their independ-
,nce: knowing this, their suffrages will not Il
be wanting to maintain that authority in the
Union, which is absolutely essential to the
maintenance of their own liberties, and
which has more than once indicated the
purpose of disposing Of the Public Lands in
such way as would make every settler