The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-07-23

usurpations of the slave power, and are |
therefore resolved to use all constitutional
and honorable means to effect the extinc-
ton Of slavery within their respective |
States, and its reduction to its constitu.
tioual limits in the United States" The
convention was held in Cincinnati in |
June, 1845, and was attended by 1000 |
persons delegates were present to the
number of 2 900. Mr.. Chase, as chair
man of the committee, prepared the ad-
dress. giving history Of slavery in. the
United States, showing the position Of
the wing and democratic parties, and ar
euing the necessity Of political organi-
cation unequivocally committed to the
Decentralization of slavery and the over
throw of the slave power, and exhibiting
what he regarded as the necessary hostil-
ity of the slsveholding interest to de-
mocracy and all liberal measures. This
address was widely circulated. In 1647,
Mr.. Chase was member Of the second
national liberty convention, and opposed
the making of any national 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 and political parties
| in reference 10 slavery. In 184S, antici-
pating that the conventions OF the wing
and democratic parties would probably
refuse to take the ground against the ex-
tension of slavery, he prepared call for
q free territory State convention at Colum-
-. r;~ra1 hv r,,nra than
900 voters Of all political parties. The
convention thus called was largely attend
ed, and invited National convention 10
meet at Buffalo in August. The inhu-
ence of Mr.. Chase was conspicuous IN
the State convention, and no less SO in the
national convention which assembled up
on its invitation, and nominated Mr.. Van
Buren, for president. An immense mass
meeting was also assembled at Buffalo at
the same time. Dir. Chase was president
of the national conventl0nj and also a
member Of its committee on resolutions.
The platform was substantially his work.
On Feb. g, 1929, Mr.. Chase was chosen
a senator Of the United States from Ohio,
receiving the entire vote Of the democrat
ic members of the Legislature, and Of
those freesoil members who favored dem
ocratic views. The democratic party Of
Ohio, by the resolutions of its State con-
vention, had already declared slavery an
evil; and practically, through its press
and the declaration Of its leading men,
, had committed itself to the denatsohali-
cation of slavery. Mr.. Chase, therefore,
} coinciding with the democrats in their
general views of State policy, supported
) their nominees, distinctly announcing his
: intention, in the event of the party's de-
, sertion of its anti-slavery position, in
, State or national conventions, to end at
once his connection with it. When the
: nomination of Mr.. Pierce by the Balti-
more convention of 1852, with a plat
form approving the compromise acts OF
! 1850, and denouncing the further discus
4 sion of the slavery question, was sanction
Z ed by the democratic party 10 Ohio, Mr..
) Chase, true to his word, withdrew from it,
T and addressed the Hon. b. F. Butler Of
? New York, his associate in the Buffalo
: convention, letter in vindication Of an
: Independent democratic party. He pre-
g pared platform, which was substantial.
J, ly adopted by the convention Of the indie
s pendent democracy at Pittsburgh in 1862
: Having thus gone into minority rather
: than compromise his principles, Mr.
n Chase gave a cordial and energetic sup
6 port to the nominees and measures of the
h independent democracy, until the Nebras
4 ka bill gave rise to new and powerful
e party, based substantially upon the ideas
d he had so long maintained. As a sena-
9 tor of the United States, Mr.. Chase de-
: livered, on March 26 and q, 1850, q
d speech against Mr.. Claws compromise bill,
;. reviewing thoroughly all the questions
It presented in it. He moved an amendment
G providing against the introduction oil
6 slavery in the Territories to which the
IS bill applied, but it failed by vote Of q
# to go He proposed also, though with
" out success, an amendment TO the fugi'
tive slave bill, securing trial by jury tC
/ alleged slaves, and another conforming 1T
e provisions to the terms Of the constitu
: ton, by excluding from its operation per
}, sons escaping from States to Territories
e and vice uersa. In 1854. when the bill
r for the repeal of the Missouri ccmpro
: mise, commonly called the Nebraska
J. Kansas bill, was introduced, he drafted al
e appeal to the people against the measure
: which was signed by the senators ant
e representatives in Congress corcurrins
# in his political opinions and in speech
y on Feb. 8, attempted the first elaborat,
e exposure of the features of that bill, al
IS viewed by its opponents. In the gen
o erai opposition to the Nebraska bill h'
J. took leading part, and the rejection o
: three Of his proposed amendments was
), thought to be of such significance as beal
e ing ON the slavery question, that it may bt
II well to state them. The FIRST proposed tt
n add after the words Subject ouly TO the
: constitution of the United States, in sec
g ton IA, the following clause: "Unde
It which the people of the Territory through
i their appropriate representatives may, j
n they see fit, prohibit the existence o
: slavery therein" This was rejected, yea
g 10, nays SO. The second proposed u
a give practical effect to the principle o
# popular sovereignty by providing for the
It election BY the people of the Territory, o.
= their own governor, judges, and secretary
Y instead Of leaving, as in the bill, their ap
II pointment to the federal executive. Thi,
G was defeated, yeas 10, nays 30. He ther
: proposed an amendment Of the boundary
d so as to have but one Territory, named
d Nebraska, instead of two entitled respec
$ lively Nebraska and Kansas. This wa
: rejected, yeas 8, nays 81. His opposition
n to the bill was ended by final and earn.
: est protest against it on the night Of it
e passage. While thus vigilant in main.
J, tanning bis principle on the slavery ques
+ ton, Mr.. Chase was constant in the dis
utcharge of the general duties of his posi-
e ton. To divorce the federal government
g from all connection with slavery to con
Il fine its action strictly within constitution,
o al limits; to uphold the rights of individ
a uals and Of the States to foster with
r equal care all the great interests of the
. country, and to secure an economical ad.
J ministration of the national finances, were