The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-10-10
FRANCIS b. WHEELER.
TRIsrRAN GILMAN.
Fremont Principles.

AT numerous times, We have laid before
our readers the principles advocated by the
Fremont party, in its national convention at
Philadelphia, us well as by the express opin-
ions of its leader the gallant "Conqucrcr Of
California" to confer on our candidate, tho
title, so aptly proposed by Mr.. Buchanan.
Yet we believe people "still liye," who de-
nominate these explicit facts, dugabOo or
"mere mOOnshine," and contend that the
anti.slavory principles of the Fremont party
are made out of the whole cloth, adapted to
the occasion, and will be stripped as soon as
the gallant hero is seated in the presidential
chair. To refresh their memories we quote
tho following resolutions from the Phila-
delphia platform
"Resolved, That with our Republican
fathers, We hold it to DO self evident truth
that all men are endowed with the inaliena-
bio rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness, and that the primary object and
Interior design Of our Federal Government
is to grant these rights to all persons under
its exclusive jurisdiction. That, rs our Re-
publican fathers, when they had abolished
slavery in oil our national territory, or
dained that no person shall be deprived of
life, liberty, or property, without due pro-
cess Of law, it becomes our duty to maintain
this provision OF the Constitution against
all attempts to violate II for the purpose Of
establishing slavery in the territories Of the
United States) By positive legislation prohibi-
ting its existence or extension therein. That
we deny the authority of Congress, Of q Ter
ritorial Legislature, Of any individual or as
ISOLATION Of individuals, to give legal cxis-
tence to slavery in any territory of the Uni
tod States, while the present Constitution
shall be maintained.
Resolved, That the Constitution confes
uron Congress sovereign power over the
territories Of the United States for their gov
eminent, and that in the exercise of this
power, is in both the right and the in,pera-
lire duty Of Congress to prohibit in the Terri
tories those tpin relics Of barbarism, poiyga-
my and slavery"
II will DO seen from the resolutions that
the principle is laid down beyond doubt that
slavery cannot 50 into any territory, by law
at all, and that the free people of this Tn.
ion will not DO compelled to submit to any
low made for such a purpose. As it is sus-
ceptible Of proof, that our fathers who ia
vored our fundamental laws did not contcm-
plate the upholding or the extension of sla-
very and it is Furthermore certain, that the
common sense Of the majority, the vast ma
jOrity Of the American people is insultcd by
the proposal to convert an inch of free land
to slave purposes, the resolution conveys not
only the sense Of northern. freeman rs to
what is intended shall not be done, but also
we hold shows the tcmerity Of those who
propose to try this experiment on the Sun
ion as it is" What, let us ask, is tho
South and its Hectors and its Hotspurs, to
the collected majority Of the FREQ people;
the twenty millions Of frcemen as is the sun
contrasted with farthing tallow candle in
our view Of the case.
We also give from the first letter Fremont
wrote since he camo before the public, in
politics, the following sentence;
81 am opposed to slavery in the abstract,
and by principal. sustained and made habit.
ual by long settled conviction. While feel
inHexible In the belief that II ought not to
be interfered with where II exists under the
shield Of State sovereignty, 1 am as ilfexi-
BIZ opposed 10 its extension on this continent
beyond its present hmiis."
Here are some Of John @. Frcmont's in.
flexible opinions, and no one doubts that he
will maintain them,-hs who ha, crossed
the Rocky Mountains in the winter and ex-
plored paths that no other ADVENTURE ofan-
Gent and modern times would have dared to
trace, is not person to swcrve from his
sentiments publicly avowed. Besides, he
does but represent in these opinions the CON-
mon idea Of the mas of his countrymen, SO
that he is amply sustained in them. As the
same subject in his letter accepting his nom-
nation he also nys: