Brookville American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1858-1861, 1858-10-22
MASS MEETING


At meeting Of thecitizens of the
Counties of Booie and Kenton, held on
the 2Sth day OF August, 1888, in the
town of Florence in Boone county, Ky;
Capt. Jacob Shots, Of Boone, was call
ed to the Chair, and Mltop w. Graves,
of Kenton was appointed Secretary.
Whereupon the object Of the meeting
having been explained. DR.. S. S. Scott,
of Boone offered the following resolu-
tions which were unanimously adopted,
to-wit:
/. Resotced, That the recent action OF
Congress in relation to the admission OF
Kansas under the Lecompton Constitu-
tion, and the course pursued by large
majority of the members from the Nor
opinion eTjn 9',sa clearly y ndisa, ls Union . ion
is in iminent danger of hrly disso-
luton, aud the States posing it OF
cird rdr -
2. ReSoIred, That in ourAumble opin-
ion the best means Of preserving the
Union of the States" is a strict and
faithful adherence to the letter and spir-
it of the Constitution; and the surest
mode of preserving eace and harmony
among the different sections, without
which the "Union itself is comparative
lv valueless," is a ready acknowledge
ment of the rights of others, and firm
assertion and defence of our own
3. Resolrcd, That in our belief those
who framed tho Constitution of the
United States, were the best expounders
of its provisions; and the surest guide to
a correct Interpretation thereof. is to be
found in the habits and practices of the
people during the earlier administra.
lions of the Government. When the
citizen of Massachusetts could 80 with
his printing press to Virginia or South
Carolina. and there advocate the aboli.
ton of Slavery or the continuance OF
the African Slave trade; without fear of
molesIation from State authority, or OF
personal insult, or injury from mob vio-
ience; and the Southern planter could,
with his slaves, traverse the entire coun-
trv in any direction he thought proper
without the fear of abolition. State Leg
islation. or abductiou of his slaves by
intermedling fanatics. All then believ-
ed that our common Constitution secur-
ed to the American citize1a everywhere
the largest liberty Of sl-scch and the
press. and protected him, in the unres.
trained enjoyment of whatever was re-
cognized as property under il, whether
an African Slave or an abolition print.
ing press, or whether it was held in
Massachusetts or Georgia.
4. Resolred, That it is the obvious
construction, as it is the letter and spir
it of the Federal Constitution, that the
States composing the Union do hold and
shonId exercise all the powers of gov,
ernmcnt. or reserved to the individual
citizen; and that while we admit that
the government, State or Federal, ha.
the power to appropriate to its use, the
private property of the citizen, when
that use is necessary, for the public
good, yet we maintain that no govern.
ment has the power TO annihilate prop
ty and say that it shall no longer exist
in any particular subject, or to say that
the slave of a citizen shall GO free, thai
is one of the rights reserved TO the in
dividual citizen.
3. Resolred, That it is the duty O
the Federal government, to maintain
inviolate the persons and property o
the citizens OF tie several States from
the aggressions of other States. or tn,
citizens thereof, as it is alike its duty t
protect them against the aggression
and spoiations of foreign powers. ant
the citizens and subjects thereof; e
maintain the latter doctrine we hav,
fought successfully through two foreign
wars; and to establish and maintain tn,
former earnestly and sincerely invok,
all peaceful means; get Il must bc don
come phat may, for without it the Fede
raj Constitution which every good citi