Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-02-29

| the industrial interests OF the whole country,
| by fostering sectional excitements and antag-
| onms, by conniving at schemes of land pira-
cies, and by the rankest corruption diffused
| throughout oil the Departments, has forfeited
| the confidence and respect of the people, has
disgraced Republican institutions in the eyes
of all observers, whether at home or abroad,
and deserves signal rebuke from the friends
of constitutional order and of political justice.
Resolred, That corruption in the Admins
tration of the General Government, combined
with federal usurpation, both of the delegated
rights of the States, and the reserved right OF
| the people, have become SO hagrant and auda-
| cious as justly 10 excite the most serious ap-
| prehensions in the breasts of the intellectual
! and thoughtful of our citizens for the stability
| of free institutions, and especially for the
maintenance OF personal liberty and State SOW
| ereignty.
| Resolred, That believing slavery to be an ell
/ ement of political weakness, and of social in
felicity, we are unutterably opposed to its ex-
tension into free Territories.
Resolved, That the dogma that the Constitu-
| tion, of its own force, carries slavery into all
or any of the Territories of the United States,
| is new and dangerous political heresy, at va
rance with the explicit provisions of the in
| strument Itself, with contemporaneous eXpoSi-
tion, and with legislative and judicial prece-
| dent, that it is revolutionary in its tendency,
and subversive of the peace and harmony OF
| the people.
| Resoired, That the African slave trade is
relic of barbarism, condemned alike by the
civilization, the humanity, the laws, and the
religion of the age, and that the attempt to re-
open it is an effort of the powers of darkness
| to bring again the reign of 'schaos and old
| right" which patriots, phlanthropists and
| Christians are under the most weighty and
| solemn obligations to oppose.
| Resoired, That view with just apprehen-
| sion and alarm, the reckless extravaganza in
expenditure which pervades every department
| of the Federal Government, and the steady
and persistent departure from the principles
and policy of the founders of our institutions;
that the restoration of system of rigid econ
omy and accountability is indispensable to re-
strain the plunderers who feast upon the Treas
ury, and to prevent our politics from degener-
| ating into a wild and shameful scramble for
| the spoils, in which personal decency and pub
lie morality shall be overthrown.
| Resolred, That to maintain involate the
rights OF the States, and especially the right cf
each State to order and control its own do
mestic institutions according to its own judg-
ment exclusively, is essential to that balance
ofpower on which the perfection and endurance
OF our political fabric depends, and we de-
nounce, now as heretofore, the lawless inva-
sion by armed force of the soil of any State or
Territory, no matter under what pretexts, as
amongst the gravest of crimes.
ResoLred, That it does not enter into the
scheme OF the Opposition party to seek the
abolition of slavery in the States where it now
exists, but to leave the amelioration and ulti-
mate abandonment of the system to the moral
religious and economic forces which pertain
to the slave-holding communities, assured of
the hnal prevalence of justice throughout all
the land, among all the inhabitants thereof.
Resotred, That to the union of the States this
nation owes its unprecedented increase in pop
ulation, its surprising developement of mate
rt1 1lraSf
its happiness at home and its honor abroad,
and that consequently, we hold in adherence
all Vaccinations for diSsention, come from
whatever source they may.
Resotred, That the threat of disunion in case
the Republicans and their affiliants shall elect
the next President, repeatedly made in both
Houses of Congress, by Democratic members,
not simply without rebuke, but with uniform
applause from their political associates, is q
denial OF that vital principle of popular gov
ernment, free election, and a bold avowal and
countcnance of contemplated treason, which
1t is the imperative duty OF the people to
sternly confront and forever silence.
ResOfUed. That while we are now opposed as
We ever have been, to the extension of sla-
very. we hail the people of the South as bretl-
ren, In whose prosperity we rejoice, and whose
constitutional rights and privileges We are
prepared to sustain and defend. That in the
spirit of good neighborhood. whenever the
country come in conflict, We stand on the
ground of mutual forbearauce, believing that
fraternity Of feeling is chief element of our
national strength.
Rssolred, That in the enactment of revenue
laws by the general government, fair and ade-
Quate protection should be systematically af-
fOrded 20 the industry of all classes of our cit
iZens. That We maintain devoted attach
ment 10 the policy Of National exchanges,
which secures TO the workingmen liberal wa
ges, to farmers and planters remunerating pri-
ces for their products, to mechanics and man
ufsctCrers for their skill, labor and enterprise
and TO the nation commercial prosperity and
! independence.
Resolrei, That we approve the policy of a
donation by the General Government of a
homestead to every actual settler upon the
public domain, and we hereby request our
Representatives to urge the passage of such
law without delay.
Resolred, That the purity and safety of the
baiiot-box must be preserved, and that frauds
upon the naturalization laws, continually re-
sorted to by our opponents, ought to be coun-
| teracted by proper and wholesome legislation.
RESOLVED, That the influx upon us of foreign
| criminals is evil of serious magnitude.
which demands the interpostion of proper
and efficient remedy.
Resolred, That this Convention most cheer
fully recommend to the people of PennSylva-
MIA, Colonel ANDREW G.. CURTIN, the nominee
OF this Convention as candidate for Cover
nor, and mutually pledge themselves to mis-
support; that on account of his long and pro-
we'd devotion to the protection of American
industry. involving the dearest and most ma
terial welfare of the people of this Common
wealth, and his earnest fidelity to the interests
of the white man, and opposition to the exten-
sion of slavery over our territories, and as
| representative of the principle of reform, re-
| trenchment, and integrity in the administra-