The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-06-21

Mr.. President, the war which AIexi.
CO had taken the precaution to assure
our Government would be the conse.
quence of the annexation, followed I'M.
meniately; and an appeal was made
10 the patriotism of the northern De.
mocracy to stand by the flag of the
country: This call was promptly re.
sponded to; but the outraged Democ.
racy OF the North, now fully conscious
Of ulterior designs of the slave power
to extend the blighting Institution
across the Continent TO the shores OF
the Pacific, with almost entire unanimi.
ty determined to plant themselves on
the platform of Jefferson, and in the
hrst appropriation which was made by
the popular branch of the Government,
they appended to it the Wilmot provi-
SO; which required that in all the ter.
rltory to be acquired, as the result OF
that war, slavery should be forever
prohibited, except for the punishment
of crime.
MIR. President-Of the noble stand
taken by the people and the Democra-
cy OF the North in that crisis, desire
to make record. They were true to
the instincts of freedom, and they
spoke out heartily everywhere in IA
vor of the precepts and the examples
OF Jefferson, and against the spread of
human bondage. At that time the
Democratic party was i'm the ascen-
dant in nearly all of the free States,
and the very name produced tails.
manic effect, because it was believed to
he in the sympathy with the laboring
masses. / begin with the State of
! Michigan, at that time one of the
strongest and most reliable Dc mocratic
States in the Union. In lS47 her Leg
islature resolved: 7 teff ess -
That in the acquisition of any new
territory, whether by purchase, con-
quest or otherwise, we deem it the duty
of the General Government to extend
over the same the ordinance of 1881
with all its rights and privileges, condi-
tions and immunities.'
In ls49 the following resolutions, Of
fered Hon. E. H. Thompson, were
adopted: no1
Rssolued, By tie Senate and House af Representa-
| tiUes Of the State Of Michigan, That we consider
the result of the fate war with Mexico in the ac-
QUESTION of the Territories of New Mexico and
California as an enduring monument to the honor
of our gallant army, regulars and volunteers, off,
GERS and soldiers and that we rejoice in the pros
pect of extending over that country the beuecient
laws and institutions of free people,"
T" Res0tged, That we are in favor of the funda-
| mental principles of the ordinance of 1857; and
| although we respect the opinions of many emf
nent statesmen and jurists, that slavery is mere
local institution, which cannot exist without posi-
tive laws authorizing its existence, vet believe
that Congress has the power and that is their du-
ty, to prohibit by legislative enactment the intro
duction or existence of slavery within any of the
Territories of the United States, now or hereafter
| to be acquired.
" Resotoed, That our Senators in Congress be in
| structed, and our Representatives requested to
use all honorable means to accomplish the object
expressed in the foregoing resolutions; and that
the Governor of this State be requested to forward
copies of these resolutions to our Senators and
| Representatives in Congress"
In the same year the Democratic
State Convention, which nominated a
Governor and State officers, passed un-
animously the following: e
{" Resolced That we are opposed to the exten-
sion of slavery into the Territories of new Mexico
anu Sdiilofuld, ucHcNluS tutui W Ut uOW Tree III
in the virtue of the laws of Mexico, and that its
establishment in either of those Territories ought
| to be prevented"
In the year 1S47, the Legislature of
New Hampshire, then largely Demo
cratic, resolved .iU ai liz
"That in all territory which shall hereafter be
added to- or acquired by, the United States, where
slavery does not exist at the time of such addition
or requirement, neither slavery or involuntary
sarvitude. except for the punishment of crime,
whereof the party has been duly convicted, ough.
ever to exist, but the Same should ever remain
frees and we are opposed to the extension of slave
ry over any such territory and that we also ap-
prove the vote of our Senators and Representa-
tves in Congress in favor of the Wilmot provso. "
In 1s4s the Legislature of that State,
which had an overwhelming Democrat
ic majority, resolved as follows:
"That we are in favor of the passage
of law, by Congress forever prohib-
iting slavery in New Mexico, California,
and in all other Territories now ac-
quired or hereafter to be acquired, by
the United States, in which slavery
does not exist at the time of such ac-
quisition." ..t. ~.
And in ls49, the New Hampshire
Legislature, still strongly Democratic,
unanimously adopted the following res
olulions:
/" Resolced By the Senate and House Of Repressn-
tatiges in General Court ConUened, That, opposed
to every form of oppression, the people of New
Hampshire have ever viewed with deep regret the
existence of slavery in this Union that while they
have steadfastly supported all sections in their
constitutional rights they have not only lameDted
its existence as great social evil but regard it as
| fraught with danger to the peace and welfare OF
the nation.
'Resolued That while we respect the rights of
the slaveholding as well as the free portions of the
Union-whe we will not willingly consent that
wrong be done TO any member Of the glorious
Confederacy to which we belong we are firmly and
unalterably opposed TO the extension of slavery
over any portion of Americas soil now free
"Resolced That, in our opinion, Congress has
the constitutional power to abolish the slave trade
and slavery in the District of Columbia; and that
our Senators be instructed, and our Representa-
tves re requested to take all constitutional meas
nres to accomplish these objects"
The Democratic State Committee of
New Hampshire, in October 1s47,
passed the following resolution:
"Resolyed That we declare it our solemn con-
viction, as the Democratic party have heretofore
DONE that neither slavery nor involuntary servi-
tude should hereafter exist in any Territory which
may be acquired by. or annexed to the United
delegation in Congress in favor OF the Wiimot
proyiso."
In the year 1s47 resolutions were