The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-06-03
Proceedings and Resolutions
Aclopted By tie Erecnen Of the
ReSerre at the Great Mass
Meeting, held IN Clerelond,
on tile Pm of Mdy, 1859.


whose titles have beon least questioned
That every violation of tho constitution
should be watched with jealousy and ro-
sontcd with spirit;
That tho history of every FREQ people hns
shown tho imposibitv of u cordial compli.
ance with laws which neither ombody nor
execute the public will;
That the enforcement of such laws
| against an unwilling people. is productive
only OF OWLS threatnng publc order and
tho stability of governmental institutions {:
And holding furthermore,
That tho history of the government of
tho UntOd States, as recently admins.
tered, is a history of repeated injuries and
usurpations. all having, in direct object. the
Africanizaton OF this continent by the diff
| fusion and establishment of slavery and tho
res friction and Limitation Of freedom thus
reversing tbs ancient policy of the founders
of tho Republic, which looked to tho OK.
tnctiou OF slyery, and the extension Of lib
crly and
That the Drcd Scott decision, reversing
all the well established rules which fer ages
havn been the buIwark of personal liDcr y,
yields its Legitimate fruits in the recent
atrocities committed in tho heart of the
Western Reserve. anl calls upon us. for
Q
tlonnl liberty, do, therefore, publish and
DECLARE,
lst. That the several states composing the
| United States of America are not united on
tho principle OF unlimited submission to
their general government. but that by com.
pact, under tho style and title of u constitu.
Iion for tho United States, and Of amend
ments thereto, thUy constituted a general
government iOT special purposes. and dole
gated to that government certain definite
powers, ruscrving eaCiI State for itself the
residuary mass of right to their own self
government; and that whatsoever the
general government assumes uudelrgatod
powers. its acts arc unnthuritiyc. vodand of
40 force, and being void. can derive no val.
lnIty IRON mere Judicial Interpretation
that to this compact each State accrded as
a State, and is anintcgral party that this
government, created by this compact. was
not made the exclusive or final Judge of tho
extent OF the powers delegated to itself.
since that would have mado its discretion
anl not the constitution the measure Of its
powers; but that, as in all other cases of
compact between parties having no common
Judge, each party has an equal right to
Judge Tor itself, as vol of lntractions as of the
modo and measure of redress
2nd. That tho law commonly known as
the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. was, in the
opinion of this assembly, passed. by Cor.
gress in tho exercise Of powers improporIy
assumed and had it been presented as m,
original question to wiso and IMPARTIAL
court, must have bcen held in conflict with
the constitution, aud, therefore, vOti.
Sd. That ono OF tho most alarming
symptoms OF degcnoracy in tho general gov.
ernmont is the plant subsorvieucy of the
Suprome Court of the United States to the
Objects OF party politics. thus greatly dmin-
! ishlhg that public confidence III the judiciary
SO essential 10 good order; that tho extent
to which tho Supreme Court has thus com
promised IFS character, rundors il incutn
bent upon the people to c0nsdev what
measures are necessary to restore that trI
bunal to its ancient estate.
4th. That. III tho opinion of this assem-.
Oily, an amendment OF tho federal judiciary
system is indlepensably necessary, so tbn,
the soTorignty of tho States NAV he re-
spected, and individuals guarded from
oppression. As means to this end. it is
strongly recommended that tho / f, tenure Of
Judges DO abolished AMI that tho judicial
oliice be Limited to u ,erm Of wears; that
congress SO remodel tho judicial circuits
mat majority OF the ctizons OF the Uuited
states shall have II majority Of tho Justices
OF the Supreme Court.
o'h' That tho recent proceedings of the
todcral Court for this ID strict. in bro
duc'hg tho conviction of persons indicted
under tho provisions Of tho Fngitiye Slave
Law, by the employment Of tho most dis
gracolul partizln muaus, is without Darnl- !
lel even IN tho modern history of despofism
that tho victims of that Court, now incarcs
rated in yonder prison, convicted or accused
OF humanity to man, are entitled to. and |
we heroty tender to them, our cordial sym.
patny' aud to make that sympathy ctfcctual.
We hereby recommend
That fund DO raised to be called III.
Fund Of Liberty. and to tho end that overy
Republican On tho Reserve NAV share in
accumnating that fund, that tho contribu. |
tlons be limited to one doHar each. tho same
to be collected under tho direction of tho
several Repuhl can County Central Com
m'ttees OF the Il, serve and threo commiss
toner's he appointed bv TIN, assembly to he
called Commissioners Cf The Ljb,rtv Fund
who shall receive said fund, disburso il for
tho o'Jects named and account therefor by
the period cal publication until thero duties
are performed ;-applying any surp!us TO
the advancement OF RfPuJiicaE,sm and
Liberty
9th. That our fellow citizens of Lorain
Co., who are now in Jail waiting tho pleasure
oil the U. ). District Judge, for their trial, |
are entitled to their liberty, and must hnvn
1t, ,peaceably and in conformity with rho
rules OF law;
In persuit of this end it is.
htsoived, That Joshua L. Giddinps orI
Ashtabnla county, Herman Garfield. of Me.
dina county, and Robort +. Paine. of Cuya.
hogh county, bo constituted IA committne n
sue out writ of ilaboas Corpus in behalf Of
SAID prisoners without unuecossarv do,om
aud that they address the appIicston ~
.nelr discretion, to any judicial officer of tho
writ. s'""' '"e
I'm That tho chief reliance of Freedom
~ tho American Republic rests in tho prrnt
hepuOIlcan party, TO which the people and
,ho ago look Tor a restoration of every
branch of tho federal government IN Iho
pristine parity of J,Gersonian RrpubIicon.
ISM that, stimulated as we'll by the wrongs
and outrages which were the immsdi,SI,
occasion OF this vast assemLlago. as nv IN"
Iu'o trinmphs OF tho people over federal
powor and corruption, it is the maniroa,
duty OF Republicans everywhere 10 ronos
their united efforts with au energy not to ha
renlttod until that great result bo accon.
plished. "'So"''