New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-20
ADDRESS
OF THE
RRpVBLICAN CONVENTION on NETWORK
TO THE
,ecvoRS OF THE STATE.

nm, nolitca organiz alton hitherto unknown
sr1ong them deem IL proper TO proclaim the motives
wL;rh have impelled 10 this cOrfse.
The question most prominent before the Amer
can Ieople is that growing out of the existence of
savoy and il is one which, in its magnitude and in
terest, swallows up all others.
II is not owing TO us that IL IL presented 10 the
people 1t has been thrust upon rs, against most
ealiest descs by The ProSavery interest and those
who are enlisted in its cause OF desrous of poftng
by its aid wv
hom il but submIsson-no refuge from its supreme
domination but resistance We are therefore banded
toee,E, 10 meet the question as frankly and a. boldly
as is prCsentod 10 u.s. and are resolved TO encounter
lis EXTREMIST hostility until have secured the per-
msucn establishment Of the principles OF Freedom n-
vow cd IL II.
IN slavery interest from the foundation of Gov
ernmcut has been aggressive. And So long as IL
surrounded by freedom large and widespread rs
that which pervades land, it must be aggressive
Acere sson Il necessity of ITS existence. II must adj
vance or de II IT retreats pauses in It's onward
course its fate is sealed and il must perish.
Tie past history Of our Government is therefore I'M
happily of the triumphant and successful progress OIL
Slavery among us.
Planted in our soil by the people whose tyran-
mic SWAY our fathers off in the revolution It was
at an carly day source or anxiety To those VINO
unclaimed TO the world, the immortal truth that all
mon are endowed by nature with the inalenable right
10 life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness and who
pledged for its maintenance life, fortune and sacred
honor.
anxious 10 get rid of an evil which in such glazing
COZ lct wih the basis which our independence had
been achieved, but embarrassed by the difficulties
which then surrounded the question, they yielded
TO Il compromise, the very basis of which was the
pIom,e then led out all the people that Slavery
Should net extend beyond the limits which then con-
tanned it,
Seventy years have since rolled on, and behold how
wretchedy that promise has been ialsifedl Behold
how sadly the expectation which then dwet IN every
heat which beat for Freedom has been disappointed!
p,,h. If In I'M baIpO no m ID
age by the free people of America has sweed up from
about seven hundred thousand TO nearly three millions
and half. The pecuni9ry interest involved III me
mactice has augmented by mAlions of dollars the
soil in which Slavery hives has been trpicd even IN
Amelica, and tie endorsements and difficulties at
tending the Grad cation OF the evl have been increased
tLOUsanG-.OG.
Seven of the original States proceeded, in due pro-
cess Of time to wipe the stain of bondage from their
garments and wheeled into the column Of Freedom, ur
tainted with any further contact with the pollution of
Slavery. But six of those States continued TO waow
in tie nre of their adnhertance that at the end of
three core years and the number whom they eIave
is larger by 600 than was in the beginning.
And of them who once sen; forth the children OF
her soil to lead armies and TO guide our councils IN
our Struggle for Freedom, now sends them forth by
hundreds slaves to be bought and sold like cattle In
the market thus converting the nursery of Freedoms
heIoos and sages into the breeding sy of slaves and
making the land whence arose the inspiring cry
OF "GIve me liberty or give me death, now rcsound
with The unceasing wall of bondage.
Instead of six States having about 6O0 0OO slaves we
have fifteen, with about 3,OUO,OOO
Instead of seven States who have abolished Slavery
we lave added to the Union nine States with l3I9,9b3
slaves.
And instead of six small States with a territory of
22 tS5 square miles, to which, by the promise of 1857,
Slavery ought now TO be confined, we have added
thereto by negotiation with Spain by conquest from
Mexico by spoil and treaty with Texas, by accession
from other States and by purchase from the Indians,
nine Statcs with territory of b49 1913 square mics
Such have been the aggressons of Slavery among
us point of territory But its hopes or s purposes
end not here. Aleady is Central America, whose
constitutions prohibit Slavery, shrinking beneath the
POISONOUS breath of ProSlavery immigration already
has CuUa been regarded with longing eyes by the Sa-
very prOpHg andlsts; and even now the Territory OF
Kansas reBounGnS TO the mailed ucdd OF her FRO
SaN cry invaders.
Vice and when is this advancing tide to ceascY
And what power there on earth, except that will of
tLe wLo.e people which We now invoke, that can bid
its swelling waters to be still
But not in point Of territory alone that it's agrees
sons apparent.
In its grasp at political power, il has been equally
Artirinc and tenacious, and equally successful.
Out of sixtyeght years OF Presidential terms since
III, organization of Government forty have been filled
from the savehoding States, twenty have been filled
by avowed supporters of the saveholdinS interest, and
eight only have been accorded TO exception from Its
contamination.
Thus for sixty out of sixyeght years, have the con-
tyol of the army and navy, the question of peace and
war the direction of treaties the appointment OF every
judicial and executive officer, and the whole power and
influence of the Government been suoservent TO the
slay L0diDg interest.
And TO make that subservency complete and
more elective il has engrated iuto the administration
OF the Cove nmeut the abomlnable doctrine that offices
of honor aud trust, created only tor the general well
fare may be regarded spOis belonging TO the VIC
tor 10 be bestowe not rewards of merit accord
ing TO fitness but a remuneration for party services
as the incumbent could be less tainted by the emOu
1nents otoce than by direct pecuniary brbe IA If
the power of sef-gOyernnent could be welded only
nroul the ins umentalty of cOrrupOn and as If It
war determined 10 proclaim 10 every aspirant for |
honor and distinction that the only pathway to success
was through the favor Of the savehOding interest.
In legislation also It's aggressiOas have been mani
fstcC.
Tho United States Constitution provides that fugitves
from Justice ana from service shall be delivered up by the
State into which they may have hcd-the former on the
demand of the Executive authority of the State from
which they may have fled, and the latter the claim
OF The party to whom the service Is due. Though it
could hardly be imagined that any difference could be
made ia the exercise of powers so similar 10 each other,
yet from the earliest acton OF Congress difference was
demanded by and acccdcd 10 the slINeh. in5 interest,
ard while The surrender OF the fugitive from justice
ict ctnely TN the state authorize, that O uSltvcs
from services was conferred the OdiccIs of the
General Government. Some OF the states desired 10
regulate the exercise of the power within their
bolCcIs, aud their ctLeus, passed law, for
that Iupcse; yet the Supreme Court OF The United
Sutts, whose members owe their appointments To
the Executive, aud whose presiding Judge has for
moe than hiy-i.yc years been taken nom Slave
holding State, declared such laws anu all STATE inter-
ference unconstitutional. And The second Fugitive
SAy, Law cara, the principle by prOEibitm. all
Stale interference IL went further ami conceded still
moe 10 the ITc-SlaveTy iucr,s: 70 Ii virtually
MED 10 our citizens any appeal to GA. own cou IS in
a,tl ~ Of their freedom AMI compete. them 10 resort
tribunals of the State to which transported thus
.f.,r.fus a practical illustration OF The evil com
,l..u,d Of in l776-ihat Of transporting US beyond
seas 10 be tried for pretended olcnses and 1t
rroy, It's concessions 20 that interest BY allowing to
tt. r.1 Gfo.fc Of lp