Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-06-01
The Convention in Cleveland.

LC hAoN "
The Convention in Cleveland.
Tuesday, the e4:h ult., was a day long
to be remembered by the friends of Free
dom on The Reserve. We have not space
tc give the proceedings in full. indeed,
SO many Of our readers were there. il is
mo- necessary to do so. The Leader of
the 25 b says:
"The number of persons present upon
the square TO listen to the speakers was
at the lowest estimate, from 10000 to
I2. 600. From the speakers stand an
almost unbroken sea of heads, covered
the space all over that section of the Park
from the fountain to the fences. The
trees. fences, windows, and steps of the
Custom House were crowded with inter-
ested spectators, the whole forming a
congregation equal 10 several Fourth of
July celebrations, with this exception,
thathere the feeling thatcalled the vsstas-
semblage together was q deep and strong
love of liberty, and moi a fire-cracker and
fire. work effervescence. 1t was an ca
rnest and working day-aday ODE marked
as al epoch-a day to inspire the attend
ants with zeal and stern enthusiasm for
God and the right. The calm and un.
iinching eye, tone and word of Gov.
CHASE. the earnest fire of Judge SPAuLD
ING, the sarcasm and fearless denuncia-
ton of CARTER, the humorous and open
thursts of TILDEN, the clarion rallying
potes, the earnest ex~postulation and thun-
dering anathemas of G%rDDINGs, and the
bold, manly. energetic counsels of HITCH
COCK, RooT. DELANo. MAnAN, VAEcE,
and WADE. all these will not soon be
forgotten by the participants in the events
of the Mass Convention Of May 24h,
1859. We have had a good meeting,
one that we may be proud of as the gath
ering of the clans of independent free
men, aud as such, let US sound its praise
abroad"
The following letter from CAssIUs NJ.
CLAY to the Committee of Invitation, is
characteristic of the man, and contains
too many good things 10 be passed un.
noticed -
GExrLkMEx:-Your favor of the 16 h
is re ceived too late to accept on my part.
L deeply sympathise with you in your
movement against the advances of "sla-
very and despotism." The scenes which
are now being enacted in Cleveland,
where men are fined and imprisoned for
the exercise of the highest instincts Of
Heather Philanthropy and Christian
Morality in violation of the sacred prin-
ciples of our government and the utter
overthrow of our much Wanted CoRsti-
tuition, are well calculated to arouse a
sluggish people to action, and awake the
sleepiest from their fatal slumbersl l
always hated and denounced the Fugitive
Slave Law-not only because it violated
the U. S. Constitution-the return Of fu-
gilives from labor being a duty imposed
upon the States only according to the
~unbought dicta of the "~'Expounder of the
Constitution" Daniel Webster. and de-
MED to Congress-but because it viola
ted all the safeguards of freedom-jeop-
arded the life. liberty and happiness, not
only of the humble and hated African.
but of every proud Saxon in the land,
and made justice a mockery in all its
forms, but because it humlioted and de-
graded our manhood, and fitted us to be
ourselves slaves. which our masters long
since desigued.
Gentlemen, allow me TO be a little ego
%ristical. In a letter to the members Of
the New York Legislature dated Jan. 8.
1916, more than thirteen years ago, |
used these words: This is no longer a
question about Africans-whether they
be beasts or men-a debate about maud
lin philanthropy hut UAeher we, the
eighteen millions of white men OF these
States, shall be free men or slavesl"
These sentiments and utterances were
denounced as the most atrocious and fan
stical all over the North and what little
reputation / had for common sense was
for long years lost! What say you now,
men Of Ohio? What think you of the
expulsion of the Representatives of Mas
sachusetts seeking legal redress of wrongs
in the courts of the United States from
Charleston and New Orleans? What
think you of the army and navy present
in Boston to enforce an unconstitutional
law? What think you of tse trials of
American citizens for their lives for "con
structure beason?" What think you of
the selling Northern citizens into South
eru slavery? What think you of the
Governmental murders in h ansass-
What think You of The military dictator
ship there? What think you OF THE armed
overthrow of the ballot by the national
bayonets? What think you of the pol;t-
ical attempts 10 vote a minority constitu-
ZION over the heads of The ireemen oil
Kansas, aud 4 driVe ndovu tlrif thfoats y