Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-03-17

who denounced the doctrine of mental res
ervation apparently sanctioned by it, Mr.
Chase replied: 81 have only 10 say never
proposed the resolutiUn; never would pro-
pose or vote FOR such resolution. / hold
no doctrine Of mental reservation. Every
man. in my Judgment, should speak just as
he thinks, keeping nothing back, here or
elsewhere" In l843 it became Mr.. Chase's
duty to prepare an address on behalf of the
friends of liberty, Ireland, and repeal in
Cincinnati, to the lryal national repeal as
sociation in Ireland, in reply to letter
from Daniel O'Connell. In this address
Mr.. Chase reviewed the relations of the
Federal Governu ent to slavery at the period
of its organization, set forth its original
anti-slavery policy, and tine subsequent
growth Of the political power of slavery,
vindicated the action of the liberty party,
and repealed the aspersions cast by repeal
association i'll Cincinnati upon anti slavery
-BeE. In lS45 Mr.. Chase projected a.
Southern and Western liberty convention,
designed to embrace call who, believing
that whatever is worth preserving in repub-
licanism can lie maintained only by uncom-
promising war against the sur2atiuns OF
the slave power, and are therefore resolved
to use all constitutional and honorable means
to effect the extinction of slavery in their
respective States, and its reduction to its
constitutional limits in the United States"
The convention was held in Cincinnati in
June, lS45, end was attended by four thou
saLd persons; delegates were present 10 the
number OF two thousand. Mr.. Chase, as
chairman of the committee, prepared the
address, giving history of slavery in the
United States, showing the position of the
Wing and Democratic parties, aud arguing
the necessity of political organization un-
equivocullV committed to the denationaliza-
tion of slavery and the overthrow OF the
slave power, and exhibiting what he re-
garded as the necessary hostility of the
slsveholding interest to democracy and all
liberal measures This address was widely
circulated. In ls47, MIR. Chase was a men,
ber IF the second national liberty conven-
tion, and opposed the making of any na-
tional nomination at that time. urging that
more general movement against slavery
extension and domination was likely to
grow out Of the agitation of the Wilmot
Proviso, and the action Of Congress end
political parties in re eference to slavery. In
ls4s, anticipating that the conventions Of
Ihe Whig and Democratic parties would
probably refuse to take ground against the
extension of slavery, he prepared call for
free territory State convention at Colum
bus, hich was signed by more than three
thousand voters of all political parties. The
convention thus called was largely attend
ed, and invited national convention to
meet at Buffalo in August. The influence
of Mr.. Chase was conspicuous in the State
! convention, and no less SO in the national
convention which assemb led upon lis invi-
tation, and nominated Mr.. Van Buren for
President. An Immense mass meeting was
also assembled at Buffalo at the same time.
Mr.. Chase was president os the national
convention and also member of its CON-
mitiee on resolutions. Tile platform Gas
substantially his work. On February %.
| lS49, Mr.. Chase was chosen Senator OF
| the United States from Ohio. receiving the
entire vote of the Democratic members of
the Legislature, and of those Free Soil
members who favored Democratic views
| The Democratic party of Ohio, by the res
olutions of its State convention, had al
ready declared slavery an evil; and practi-
cally through its press and declarations of
| its leading men, bad committed itself totEe
dcnaticnai ,tion of slavery. Mr.. Chase.
| therefore. coinciding with the Democrats in
their general views Of State policy, sup
! ported their State Nominees. distinctly an
bouncing us Intention, in the event of the
! party's desertiOn of its anti-sluvery position,
| IL State or nat onal conventions, to end 81
once his connection with it. When the
domination OF Mr. Pierce by the Baltimore
convention of 1852, wi h platform nPpro-
wing the Compromise Acts of 1880, and de-
nouncing the further discussion of the
slavery question, was sanctioned by the
Democratic party in Ohio, Mr.. Chase, true
to his word, withdrew from it, and address
ed to the Hon B. +. Butler Of New York
!! his associate in the Buffalo convention, q
! letter in yindication of an indepenient
/ Democratic party. He prepared platform
which was substantially. adopted iy the
convention OF the Independent Democracy
at Pittsburgh in 1852. Having thus gone
into a minority rather than compromise
his principles, Mr. Chase gave cordia
and energetic support to the nominees aud
measures of the Independent Demo cracy
I until the Nebraska bill gave rise to new
and powerful party, based substantially
upon the ideas he hal so long maintained
As Senator of the United States, Mr.
J Chase delivered on March 20 and 81, 1850
a speech against Mr. Clays compromise bill
reviewing thoroughly all the questions pre-
scented in il. He moved an amendment pro
viiing against the intr, duction of slavery
in the territories to which the bill applied
! but it failed by vote OF % TO 80. He pio
posed also. though without success, al
amendment 10 the fugitive slave bill, secur
ing trial BY jury To alleged slaves, and an
other conforming its provisions TO the ierm
of the Cons,itu ion, by excluding from il
operation persons escaping fom States Il
territories, and rice uersa. In 1884, whel
The bill for the repeal of the Missouri Com
> promise, commonly called the Nebraska
Kansas bill, was introduced, be drafted al
/, appeal TO the people against the measure
which was signed by the Senators and re
f, presentatives in Congress concurring in hi
political opinions; and in speech on Feb
5, attempted the FIRST elaborate exposure q
the features of that bill, as viewed BY il