Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-08-20
State Radical Abolitionist Con-
vention.

The Convention, pursuant to notice. met at
the Court House in Montpelier, August 70
1857, A. NJ.
Mr.. Sampson called the Convention to order.
Prayer by Rev. Mr.. Prindle.
President, LYMAN PRNDLE, of Waitsfield
Wee President, SEYMOUR ALLEN, of Tun-
bridge
Secretary G. Q. SAMPSON, Of Mortified.
Committee on Resolutions, Messrs Samson
Allen of llinesburgh, Tucker. of Tunbridre
Bucklin of Waitsfeld, land Babbitt of Brook
field.
Nomination OF State Officers referred to Con
vention in Committee of the Whole in the aE
ternoon.
Adjourned one hour.
Met pursuant to adjournment, when the
Committee reported the following Platform and
resolutions, which were discussed by Messrs.
Spalding, Ballou, Burke, Prindle and Sampson,
and adopted:
PLATFORM OF THE RADICAL ABoLITIoNIsTs OF YER
MONT. ADOPTED IN STATE CONVENTION, AT
MONTPELIER, AUGUST, II, 1857.
Whereas, The Republican Party. as well as
the other political parties of the State and Ma
ton, maintains that Slavery is lawful, and SO
the Pro-Slavery character of the U. s. Consti-
tution-but proposes no amendment or altera
ton OF that instrument to make it better
while 1t processes to be an Anti Slavery pariy--
thus presenting the absurd and important effort
of acting against the very Constitution it SO
much revorcs and lauds and also dscams all
sympathy and fellowship with the views and
aims of Abolitionists, constantly and emphati
cally repudiatng and denouncing our sent-
ments, by saying, 6 we are infexihly opposed
to all interference with Slavery where it is" l.
e." in the States and whereas, we believe
that Slavery has no righis-and can have none
-neither by the Constitution nor laws Of God
nature, State or Nation-any more than steal
ing and robbery-and whereas, the most that
can he said OF the Republican party, as to
Slavery, is that it occupies defensive position
against the overshadowing evil and whereas
this Republican party cherishes no sympathy
for, nor extends any arm of deiverance to, the
black man who is down, but simply proposes to
keep the white man ON his feet In the name
and as the representatives of the Radical Abo-
ltionists of Vermont, we feel constrained to
dissent from that party, as we'll as the othe,
parties of the State and County and therefore
proceed to organize party in Vermont upor
the principles embodied in the following Plat
form and Resolutions, viz Believing that nei
Their the Declaration Of Independence--th
fundamental law of the land-n0r the laws o
nature, nor those of God nor man. either au
thorze or tolerate American Slavery, and tina
our political torelathers were neither knayes no
iools-so that when they said, in the name 0
the People Of the United States, " We do or
dain and establish this Conslitut ion--to secur
the blessings of Liberty, to ourselves and GU
posteray, they had sincerity and honest
enough to mean what they said, and were mel
Of sufficient knowledge and skill to frame
Constitution that would accomplish the objec
they framed it for: We do therefore beIicy
and maintain that the Constitution of tn
United States is not only not Pro-Slavery b,
the Magma Chard of Freedom to all the inhat
race, color, or occupation therefore,
ReSolued That the Interpretation. undo
which the Constitution of the United States
generally received and applied, is in hash cor
hict with the Laws of God and Humanity, ii
principles Of the Declaration of independence
and those principles of legal ilterpretati o
which obtain in the constitution of legal il
strunents generally.
2. ResoiUed, That Slavery can take nothr
by mere constructions but must be exclude
whenever or wherever the plainest and most III
. equlyocal words are not used ia its favor tn;
all doubtful ana ambiguous words and phras,
are therefore to be construed in favor OF Libe
ty, hence, the United States Constitution, col
- tanning no explicit, unequlvocal words
phrases in favor of Slavery, but an abundan
of both against it, whatever there may be
that instrument of doubtful import, cannot
construed to establish or sustain the Odious
stitution
8. Resolued, That the protection of hum;
beings, in the essential rights of our Commc
Humanity, is the first duty of Society, tn
Government is an institution OF Society and {
ordinance of God for this very end, that all
glance is conditioned upon protection, hence
the nature of things, there can be no legi
mate civil Government, however constructed
limited, which is not authorized and bound
secure to all human beings within its geograE
cal limits, their natural, inalienabe rights
Life, Liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness
4. Resolved, That American Slavery is
most atrocious violation Of essential hum
rights, that, from the commencement Of our
tional history, the Nation and its Governmt
have been responsible for It's existence, that
tolerance is our great national sin, and its 10
continuance and growth render national al
ltion Of Slavery national necessity wthC
which our national Freedom and existence CT
not long be maintained.
S, Resolued, That we repudiate all comp
misses and mere expediencies in our efforts to
sist and abolish American Slavery.
6. RESOLVED, That the enactment of
Missouri Compromise was wicked, as it
sumed to grant right to Slavery south of So
"Squatter Sovereignty is wicked, as it assn
es the right Of the people TO establish Slav
where they choose, and, as We are opposed
the enactment of the latter, so are we to
re-enactments of the former.
7. Resolved, That there can no more be
- for Slavery in the States, than in the Ierrtor
nor any more in one State than another,
Slavery is an outlaw everywhere.
8. Resoiued, That the United States Supre
Court in their decision in the bred Scott C;
in denying the citizenship of the colored pee
and their right to protection by the Fed
Government, has ignored the humanity of
millions of people, or one sixth part Of the
ulation of the Republic, and adopted pri
Piles, which, if carried out, would introduce
perpetuate Slavery in every free State in
Union, and that by denying the personalt
the slaves, and their right to maintain sui
The Federal Courts, il correct, has absolved
State from all obligations to regard them as
longing to that class Of persons who ar
be delivered up as owing service of labor.
g. ResoiD3d, That the enactment Of The
Of 1856 with the addition of lS54-5 AM
known as f" An Act to prevent the 1ratf
Intoxicating Liquors for the purpose of dr.
ing and its subsequent enforcement has
of vast pecuniary, social, and moral benef
the peopleof Vermont, and the continuance