Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1863-04-09

q convention calleQ 10 elect delegates 10 the
State Convention.
The Democratic Convention of Tioga county,
which met at Tioga Village, 25th of August,
1854, announced the sentiments of the party
in that county in the following language:
Where as. We believe that that part of tn. Act of
Congress lately enacted repeating the Missouri Compro
antDemocratic and opposed to the true principles oil
our National Government and highly dangerous to its
prosperity.
Resolved That we will not support any man for of.
hce who has not been openly and unequv ocay opposed
to the repeal of said Compromise and the extension o
Slavery into free territory and who will not pledge him
self TO Us his whole influence for The of SAID
Compromise and against the further extension of Sla
very and encroachments of the Slave power"
Similar declarations were made in the Con
ventions of the Democratic party of Brad
ford.
These views of the Democratic party in the
District were in perfect harmony with the sen.
timents of the Democratic party of the state
as expressed previous TO the repeal of the Mis-
souri, Compromise.
The Democratic party, in State Convention
at Pittsburg, 4th of July, lS49, adopted the
following resolution as part of their plat
form -
I" Resolued That the Democratic party adheres now.
as it ever has done to the Consultation OF the county
Its letter and spirit they will neither weaken destroy
and they redecare that Slavery is domestic local in
stuon of the South, subject State legislation alone,
and with which the general government has nothing to
do wherever the State law extends its jurisdiction. Es.
teeming violation of State rights to carry beyond
State limits deny the power OF any citizen to extend
the era Of bondage beyond its present domain do
we consider it part of the compromiie of the Constu
ton that Slavery should forever travel with the adyanc-
ing columns of our territorial progress
Ia l847, the Legislature, by an almost un
bo coII
which was approved by Francis r. Shunk,
then Governor, and recognized leader of the
Democracy of the State
Resolred, That our Senators and Representatives
in Congress be requested to vote against any
which territory viii accrue to the Union unless,
part Of the fundamental law upon which any contract
treaty for this purpose is based. Slavery inyolun
eg g ssFTl'ods except 0' crime shall be prohibit
This was but adhering to the policy an,
nounced by the state in her joint resolutions
of 1919 which passed both houses by OIL un-
anim0us vote, and were approved by William
Finley, Governor of whom the Democracy
were especially proud. The concluding portion
of the preamble aud resolutions were in these
words
syvana therefore, cannot but depreciate any depart
from the humane and enlightened policy pursued
not only by the uStTOuS Congress OF S but by the T
SUCCESSORS without any exception they persuaded
that to open the fertile regions of the West to serve
would tend to increase their numbers beyond all
past examples would open a new and steady market
for awless vcnders of human flesh and would render all
schemes for obliterang this most foul blot upon the
American character useless and unavailing.
Under these convictions, and in uII persuasion that
upo this topic there is but opinion in Pennsylvania
be it
" Resolred By the Senate and Honse of Represent
atves Of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania That the
Senators and Representatives of this State in the Con
gress of the United States be, and is hereby requested
to vote against the admission Of any Territory,
State into the Union unless the further introduction OF
slavery, involuntary servude except for the pun
shment of crime whereof the party shall have been
victed shall be prohibited
Such was the early sentiments and lo2g es
tabished policy of the country, every Presi
dent from Washington TO Polk, inclusive
having signed bills prohibiting, restricting
or regulating the existence of slavery in terri
tories.
The overturning of this policy Of the found
ers of the government in the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise dsmembered old party
organizations, aud necesSitated the formation
of new ones.
Ga the passage of the bill, every Wha
from the free states in both branches of Con
eress voted against it, and every Wing from
slave states save six, voted for it, OF the
eghtyseven Democrats from; the free state!
in the House of Representatives, forty-three
were in favor Of the BILL forty-four against it
Thomas II. Benton on that question stooC
alone in the party from bis section, battling
for the early policy Of the Government anC
in vindiCatiou of the wisdom of the Fathers
Thus division was run through the ole
Wing party, dividing it on the line that sepa
rates Freedom from Slavery and the same
line of separation was ruu through The Demo
cratic party of the free states which buried
forever the Whig party, and dismembered
the old Democracy
That portion of the old Democratic party
who still adhered to the policy of Jefferson
and the Fathers and believed that the Terri
tories should be preserved for free men instead
of slaves, and that portion of the old Wing
party holding the same sentiments, cooperat
ed, and have Since acted together il what is
Known as the Republican party. While that
portion of the old Democracy who were will
ing to abandon the early policy of the Govern
ment, and that portion of the old Whig party
holding the same sentiments, represented by
men like Choate in New England, Brooks and
Randall in the Middle States, and Toombs
auu DeDJamlu in the OOuln, co operated, ana
are acting together in what is called the Dem
ocratic party.
Wings and Democrats, north and south,
who were in favor of the extension and per-
petuity of slavery, co-operated, and formed
the new Democratic party, with such leaders
as Tocmbs Benjamine, Clingman, and Alex
ander Il. Stephens, all of whom, when | first
took seat in Congress, were recognized lead.
ers of the Wing party. Wings and Demo.
Gratis, everywhere, who were in favor of pre-
serving the Territories of the Union as homes
for free men, free from the curse of the insti
tutions of human bondage, co,operated and
formed the Republican party, with such recog-
Dised leaders of the old jackson Democracy
as Francis P. Blair, Benjamin F. Butler,
John M Niles, aud hosts of other lifelong