The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-10-03
Black Republicans IN the Constitu-
tional Union Donse sention--A Missis-
sippi Bell Hector Endorsing an
Abolitionist.

assembled at Ralhnofe on the 9th of May
1860, and nominate4 John Bell and Edwar'
Everett. The proceedings of that Convention
exhibit facts which demand the attention ant
condemnation of Sa1thern men, It was wei
they resolved that was their "duty to re
cognize no politics. principles other thai
meaningless generasSfes upon which the vies
Black Republican, asMell as the most violen
Fire-eater, can stand for there were men il
that strange medleH dubbed the Constitu
tional Union Consntion, ,"--men who were
prominent candidate. ior its nominations-wht
have -Lincolned Lincoln, and who stand
to-day as diaaetsssssy opposed to the Soutf
and her constitutional rights as Seward OIL
Sumner, Hale or Hamlin, Wade or Giddings
In that Convention John NJ. Bolts received
9l@ votes for the nomination for President
and John Mclean, of Ohio, received 81 votes
more than double the number which Missis.
sippi's candidate the Hon. VIM. L. Sharkey
received at any ballot. 1t is startling that
such men as Bolts and Mclean should be
voted for in Constitutional convention; but il
is more astonishing still that they should be
endorsed, not silently, but with hot words o
praise, by Southern delegates in that conven-
| tion.
But first, let US glance at the political status
of Bolts and Mclean
John NJ. Bolts halls from Southern State,
| (Virginia,) but his past record has been so
uniformly upon the side ofthe North that many
of the blackest aboltionists urged his nomina-
ton by the Chicago Convention, which nomi-
mated Lincoln. The New York Tribune said
it would heartily and zealously support J ohm
NJ. Bolts" for, it said, Eve regard as coming
within the scope Of the organization, Repub-
lican, unless we misunderstood their position,
such men as' Bolts, etc. His nomination
was urged by other leading Black Republi-
can journals, for be was looked upon in both
sections of the Union, as Southern man with
Northern principles.
But the evidence against John Mclean, of
Ohio, is more damning still, for he is a Black
Republican, in full fellowship. He was one of
the Judges of the Supreme Court who gave
dissenting opinion in the Dred Scott case. Mr.
justice Curtis, another Black Republican, was
the other.
Let the South read the dissenting opinion
of Mr.. Justice Mclean in that case He holds
that the Missouri Compromise was constitu-
tional, that negroes are citizens of the United
States, and that when slave has once visited
free State, with the consent of his master,
he thereby becomes free, although he may
subsequently have been removed to slave
State For the benefit of our readers, who
cannot lay their hands upon the opinion, we
will give some extracts.
At page 531 of the published Report, by
Appleton, speaking of Dred Scott, an African
slave, he said:
Being born under our Constitution and laws,
no naturalization is required as one of foreign
era eT and definition Of T the fe1 terg gsi Is
"a freeman" Being freeman, and having
has don,iez in State different from that oft
defendant, he is citizen toitiin the act of Con-
gress, and the courts Of the Union are open to
hlnl.
On page 538 he says, "aN slavery has its
origin in poaoer, and is against right" and on
page $40 he argues that Congress has absolute
power over slavery in all places under its ju-
risdiction. On page 543 he says that Con-
gress can prohibit slavery in the Territories.
We copy an extract:
If Congress should deem slaves or free col
ored persons injurious to the population of
free Territory, as conducting to lessen the value
of the public lands, or on any other ground
connected with the public interest, they hare
the potUer to prohibit them from becoming set
tiers IN 1T.
: On page 548 he denies that slaves are prop
erty under the Constitution. But we have
extracted enough for our purpose.
Is it wonder that a man holding such
views was prominent candidate before the
Black Republican Chicago Convention, and
received a considerable number Of votes for
nomination for the Presidency?
: But then it strikes Us as humiliating in the
extreme to the whole South to see Southern
men standing upon the floor Of what they call
a Constitutional Convention, and endorsing
such men as Bolts, and bespattering with full
some praise such men as McLane-willing to
give up our constitutional rights, willing to
sacrifice the institution of slavery, which is
the very ,cayp and roof of our social and po-.
litical existence" upon the altar of Union
which would then cease to carry out the ends
for which our fathers formed it. Neill s.
Brown, of Tennessee, who figured in that
Convention, says: "I would not give this
Union for all the land and all tho negroes of
the. South And Gustavus A. Henry, an
other delegate from Tennessee, says: "lcivil
war should ensue on this slavery question
between the North and the South, would
not fight the North. would be hung first. !"
But it was left for delegate from the proud
State of Mississippi (who is now canvassing
this State as elector for John BelD to endorse
and laud to the skies such men as John M.
Bolts and John Mclean, of Ohio. John A
w. C. Watson, Bell elector for the first dis
trict in Mississippi, rose in his place, in the
| Convention which nominated Bell and Ever
ett, and which had supported Bolts and Nc
Lean and the proceedings show that Mr. Wat.
son said:
aLet me tell you, too, that we have
had to select our candidates from long list o
names. either Of whom, if selected, would have
| reflected honor upon the station. Virgini:
was nv native State, and / know somethin;
of yirginians, and | know John Minor Bolts
one of the names presented to US as candi
date. [Applause.l [ knew that John NJ
Bolts loved Henry Clay, and knew that an.
man who loved Henry Clay loved his coun
try" [Applause,l
He then spoke ofother gentlemen and fnall.
said:
/ sAnother name suggests itself to my mind
that Of John Mclean, of Ohio. Applause.
lar an, familiar at least scih his Judicial caree
,,ro,, tse bench, and admire his frnsness, ha
ss,ouey. his patriotism, and ! have seen him d
6is duty IN melting out justice, especially to u
So,td Under circumstances that toere soeN cal
cngated to try has .J,mness and his patriotism
and 0o,o / ask you all to unite NTH me .
opaydino to him the plaudt Of ".ceu don
oood and faithful servant" Loud cheers
: We ask Southern men to turn the ey
, hack and read again what Mr.. Watson, VIII
is now telling the people of Mississippi thi
: they must take his word for John Bell
} soundness upon the slavery question, said
i m. Justice John Mclean, of Ohio, who's
: infamous opinions we have given you in tn
l article.
, We have given the reader facts-facts whic
. should make Southern men pause ere the
t at n time like this, endorse by their votes
, Convention, composed Of awhite spirits an
\ black blue spirits and gray" which refus
/. to recognise your rights and equality in the
3 nlatform, endorsed such men as Bolts II
/ Mclean, and finally nominated candidates
whose records we search in vain for sing