The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-10-02
The Union (So.calIed) Mass Convention
OF SATURDAY. Last.

pursuant to call signed by some
dozen gentlemen, democrats" and
Republicans intermingled in about
equal proportions: good proportion
of whom are candidates for nomina-
iions upon the proposed "Union"
ticket. The call was for Convention
"to appoint nine delegates to represent
this county" in the Union State Con-
vention proposed to be held at Jackson
to day and invited call citizens of the
county who are willing to support the
President in his declared purpose to
crush the Rebellion, maintain the Con-
stitu,ion, enforce all the laws, and re.
store the Union as it was i'm lis original
purity" Because of this comprehen-
siveness of the invitation, and because
democrats active in engineering the
"Union" movement, including some
of the signers of the invitation, are
known to he bitterly opposed to the
Presidents Proclamation Of condition
al emancipation (which we publish in
another column,) and because of the
silence of the call upon the great meas,
ures to which the proclamation pledges
the Government, a number of Repnb-
licans attended tho Convention for the
purpose of inducing if possible an ex-
plicit expression in respect to the
Proclamation of ascertaining whether
the proposed Union organization of the
county was to be committed to the
support of that great measure and
with the purpose of Withdrawing from
the convention and opposing that or
ganizatiOn, if it was not to he thus COM
mittcd.
Democrats constituted a very large
majority, probably five-sixths of the
Convention, and its action in respect
to the Proclamation, will be found to
have been clearly demonstrative of a
purpose to continue the long existing
alliance of democracy" and Slavery /;
and therefore TO oppose the policy of
the Proclamation ''to the bitter end"
The convention having been organ
lied by the appointment of Messrs.
Gilman G. Jones as Chairman, and l..
Ii. Glover as Secretary, committee
consisting of Messrs. Daniel Black,
man, DR.. g. w. Fosdck, A. J. Smith
and others, was appointed to report
resolutions.
After an absence of a few minutes,
the committee by Mr.. Blackman, re.
ported series of resolutions among
which is the following:
Reso1ced, That we have implicit confidence in the
patriotism and integrity of Abraham Lincoln Pres
ldent of the United States and citizens of Cas-
County, irrespective of former party preferences
we hereby pledge to him undivided support il
his efforts to maintain the Constitution, enrce al
the laws, and crush out this infamous rebellion by
all the appropriate means in his power whether
they are measures of our choice not. That with
or without choice of measures, we are for TIL
| G0UeRment.
This was the only resolution profes.
sing to pledge support to any measure
of the administration.
Mr.. Lewis d. Smith, editor of the
Democrat,) moved the adoption of the
committees resolutions, and the motion
having been seconded Mr.. J. b. Clarke
of this village rose and remarked il
substance that the committee had in
protesting to sustain the measures Of
the administration, utterly ignored tina,
greatest of all its measures now en-
gaging the public mind of the country
and soon to engage the public mind o
the whole civilized world, the enamel
patton of the slaves and confiscatior
of the property of the rebels provided
for in the Presidents proclamation O
Sept. 22d; that he in common will
many other Republicans desired before
deter mining whether to act with OF
against the proposed Union party, tt
know unequivocally whether it was t.
endorse or repuJiate that Proclama
ton; to support or oppose the enamel
patton and confiscatiou for which i
provided; and that for the purpose o
having the position of the convention
on the subject distinctly defined, ht
moved that there lie aided TO the res
olutions reported by the committee, til,
following:
Resolced, That the proclamation of the Presi
dent Of the United STATES OF the I'D of September
meets unQulitied appreciation, a war measure
right and proper in itself, and necessary and et1ec
tive for destroying this wicked rebeon; and sine
the Administration is the only legal and constitu
tional agent of the people for maintaining the ex
istence of the Government, good citizeus will
sustain it in the nse of all appropriate mean
for preserving the constitution whether tiiev ar,
measures of our choice or not-with or with, u
our choice of measures, we are for the Govern
ment.
Mr.. Clarke's motion having beer
seconded, he advocated its adoption il
Il speech of some length, remarking il
the course of it, that the resolution o
the Committee in respect to supporting
the administration, was well enough il
its general promise of support; tina
; it was deficient in wholly emitting am,
I,,l tn L,1 L.