Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-07-11
Nucleus of Northern Peace Move
rnant

Nucleus of Northern Peace Move
ment.
Pursuant to an informal call, a number
of Democratic editors OF the State of New
York met at the Astor House, in New York
city ON Thursday, to consult in regard to
the present condition of public affairs.
The Convention, it is stated, was a sponta-
neous gathering, produced more by the ex-
traordinary condition of public affairs than
by any attempt or desire to create any Or
ganization The unanimity of feeling ex-
hibited the due appreciation Of the impor-
tance Of public action, and good citizens,
irrespective Of party, we're invited to coop
crate for the re-establishment of peace
After an organization and some preliminary
business, a committee on resolutions repor-
ted the following, which were unanimously
adopted, with a single exception-the cdi-
tor of the Hudson Gazette voting "No."
Resolved, That we earnestly desire the
perpetuation of the Union of these States ;
but, in the language of the lameuted Ste.
phen A. Douglas, We believe that "war is
disunion," and that, if the Union be con-
tinued, it must be upon the principle on
which it was formed, viz {: the volutary con-
sent of its members that any other mode
is subversive of the principles of self.gov-
ernment; and hence, in order to restore
this Union, the first requisite is peace-to
the end that all questions may be settled,
not despotically, by the sword, but voun-
tariIy, by free consent of the American
people.
Resolned, That the present alarming and
deplorable condition Of our country has
arisen mainly from the exercise of uncon-
stitutional powers by the present Chief
Magistrate, who has not hesitated to inau-
gurate war, to enlist a large standing
army, to Increase the navy, to seize private
papers, to deny citizens the right to bear
arms, and to suspend the writ of hadeas
corpus, all of which acts are in direct vio-
lation of article l, sections and 8, of the
Constitution of the United States, and of
the amendments thereto, article 2 and arti-
Gle 4.
Resolved, That the enormous expenses
of the present war will seriously burden our
people; that a standing army is dangerous
to the safety of the citizen; that its ex-
pense is drawn from the toll of the agricul-
tural and working classes, that the Morrill,
tariff is simply part of the machinery of
monarchy to enrich the few at the expense
of the many and that we enter our firm
and earnest protest against all of these mea-
sures as opposed to the principles of true
democracy, and destructive to the liberties
and material interests of the people of the
Northern States.
Rcsoloed, That the Republican party has
proved that all the pretentions Of devotion
to "freedom, free speech and free discus
sion," were simply cloaks to conceal their
real enmity to liberty and the constitution
al guarantees of citizens, and that the at
tempt to muzzle the Democratic press by
mobs and terrorism, to prevent citizens
from expressing their honest opinions, calls
for and deserves the sternest condemnation
of every true friend of law, order, liberty
and the inalienable rights of man.
Resolued, That in view of the many man
ifest violations of the fundamental princi-
Piles of the Constitution, it becomes the
duty of the Democratic press, and of all
friends and advocates of free institutions,
to unite in resisting these alarming strides
toward despotic, consolidated system of
government, and that it be especially sug-
gested to all friends of peace and constitu-
tional liberty, irrespective of party, to a.
gree upon joint and mutual basis for ac-
tion at the present crisis.
After the passage Of the resolutions, the
editors adjourned to meet on the call of the
Chairman of the Association of the Demo.
cratic editors of the State, some time du'
r;np tha snmnar