Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-23

DoucLAs, bogus Democratic Convention, held
Fat TINS place on Tuesday evening of the FIRST
week of Court that while The resolutions were
very blindly and artfully drawn, still one of
them. as we understood it while being read,
asserted the broad and ultra Southern ground.
The proceedings have since appeared In print
and our understanding seems-to have been cor
rect. We copy the resolution as it is publish
| ed - r nTam mf vfggr}F' =
Resolred That the Territories should be left open
the common enjoyment of all the people of the United
States that they should be protected in their PERSONS
ty Is superseded by State Constitution. and then the
character OF the domestic institutions Of the State
tice-ths y Constitutional equality. aspngsT /. 81.
Here we have asserted--not the doctrine of
Popular Sovereignty the pretence set up
by the shareholders that the Constitution car
ries slavery inte the Territories and protects it
while there---that however much nine-tenths Of
the people may desire its exclusion, yet the
other one-tenth may set up their claim to en-
JOY their property under the Constitution, aud
defy the will of the majority. This is the doe.
trine assumed by the ultra proslavery nulifers
of the South, who scout the idea of Squatter
Sovereignty.
And this is the doctrine now attempted to
be forced upon the Freemen of Bradford 4un.
der the pretence that it is Democratic We
should like to know when Slavery-extension
began to be Democratic? The Democracy we
have been taught from the writings of JErrEB-
SON and MADrsoN---{old fogies perhaps. but
generally considered good democratic authori
ty) is that Congress has the right to 1egislate
for the territories--and that the propagation
and extension of slavery was opposed to the
welfare and perpetuity of our institutions. !5'
Men who promulgate such sentiments as are
contained in this resolution should at least re-
licve their dough-faeed servility by some show
of consistency, and declare what they really
mean. Let them say boldly, what they con-
vey by inuendo, viz THAT we believe that
slavery is blessing that under the Consti-
tuition, the owners of slaves have right to
carry their property into any of the Terrific
"ries Of this Republic, and hold them there
and that we are perfectly willing that slave
cry shall be extended"-let them say this
plainly, and they will at least deserve credit
for their courage and frankness, however much
We may reprobate their doctrines. Such is the
practical meaning of the resolution just adop-
ted by so-called Democratic Convention, the
parallel to which, we presume to say, no Con-
vention in any free State has had the presump-
ton to put forth. 70 -. .. .st
If we consider who were the managers of
the Convention and the ulterior purposes they
have in view, there is no longer any wonder at
whatever they might resolve. There has al
ways been in this County, q few men, who have
pinned their fortunes to the skirts of BUcHAN-
AN. These men, see now, prospect for the
realization of their long deferred hopes. They
have already parcelled out among the faithful
in Bradford, in imagination, the foreign mis-
sions, the pay-masterships, the fat contracts,
and all the honors and emoluments to he enjoy
ed when the good timc," so long coming, ar
rives. 1t was to give themselves prominence
that this Convention was holden--it was to
advance their mercenary schemes that the De-
mocracy of Bradford now stands apparently
pledged to the doctrines of pro-slavery exten-
sonsts and nulli6ers
What say, you, Democrats of Bradford =
Are you sold to those who make the extension
of slavery their sole aim-ther one-idea p
Have you retrograded from your former posi-
tions SO often proclaimed, and so gallantly de-
tended? Will you join the ranks of those who
are now seeking to force slavery upon the set
tiers of Kansas, and are ready to murder in
cold blood your friends and relatives in that
Territory. at the bidding of the minions Of
slavery, or will you not rather join the noble
band who seek to preserve our territories free
from the pollution of Slavery?
The issue has come it must be met It is
not of our seeking it has been forced upon us
by the South, but it is none the less our duty
manfully to meet it. Let not the example
which the South has given us of ignoring all
other issues, of disregarding party names or
attachments be lost upon US. With them it
is a question Of pecuniary Importance with us,
question of country and of incalculable ad-
vantage to posterity. With such weighty in
centives shall we quibble about past party
struggles, or cling to obsolete questions or un.
meaning names, while the South shows such
facility in arFaying herself upon the only ques-
tion now of vital Importance The North
should be unit in this struggle and we trust
there is not Freeman in Bradford who is will
ling to have his Democracy made for him by
the NuHifers of the South---especially when
tho article ic ca coupfa arfaif nd hos