Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1864-03-03
Freedom Convention.

A Convention Of Delegates from the
Border slave States was held at Lou
isville last week.
Pending the report of the Commit
tee on Resolutions, the Convention
was addressed by Hon. Casper Batz,
of Chicago, who made a very radical
speech, as a representative of the Ger
man Convention which met at Cleve-
land last fall. He said some Of the
Germans had gone over to the Copper
heads, but they had AO0,0O0 votes
left, and should attain universal free
dom throughout the entire United
States, and asked, "where can we
find better testimony for furnishing
freedom to the slaves than that we
are conquering?"
Mr.. Anderson, of Missouri, said the
spirit of j. j. Crittenden hangs like
nightmare over Kentucky and pre-
vents her expressing her true princi-
pies.
The Convention was also addressed
by Messrs. Durham, Baird, Preston
and Needham. of Kentucky, General
Mcneil and Messrs. kirtle and Pres
ton of Missouri.
At the afternoon session the follow
ing resolutions were presented by the
Committee on Resolutions, explaining
the 7th, which was offered by MIR, kir'
tic. They were acted upon singiy
and afterwards made unanimous
ResoIrd, First, that the unity OF
this country with the present Republl-
can form of Government, State and
National, must be preserved, and re-
bellion suppressed.
81. That slavery was the only
cause, and man constitutes the strength
of the rebellion, and that we see no
hope of permanent peace until tue
principles Of freedom announced in the
Declaration of Independence and the
Federal Constitution arc carried into
practice. The question whether slav-
cry is to be perpctuated or not, is no
longer exclusively State but Nation
al one. 1t is therefore proper that
the Constitution of the United States
should be so amended so as to secure
the freedom of every human being
within its Jurisdiction. Such guar
antee of individual freedom is as nee.
essary in the Constitution of the Uni.
ted States as that Of Republican
form of Government to each State.
The Government has the constitution
al right to the common services OF
eyery man. no matter what his color
or condition is-whethcr bond or free.
The master cannot interfere his right
between the man and the Government,
and we are in favor Of enlisting and
enrolling all alike.
4th. That during rebellion the
President, in the exercise OF the war
mower. has full and ample authority
to free all slaves in rebelious districts,
and they are thereby invested irrevo-
cably with all rights of freedom, and
in the present rebellion he ought to
exercise this power to its full extent.
5th, That with the effect of an am
nesty proclamation before us, we de-
clare that in our opinion the same has
been injurious to the Union cause,
and operations within the district to
be which it especially applies, humili-
ating aud unjust to loyal men by plac-
ing them upon the same footing with
the rebels, aud we would wish its re-
call or suspension until the rebellion
is crushed.
9th, That the Slave State Freedom
Convention be permanent Organiza'
ton by the formation Of an Executive
Committee of one member and one al
ternate from each Of the Slave States,
for the purpose of carrying out its
principles and that the delegation
of each State represented in this Con-
vention appoint members to the Con-
vention.
7th. That we declare ourselves in
favor of such an amendment Of the
Constitution of the United States as
shall make the Presidents election fol
one term only.
A resolution was offered and lost
after considerable discussion, provid
ing for National Radical Convention
at St. Louis, May 1913 in favor and
GA against, the majority preferring to
act with the Republican National
Convention.
The proceedings of the Convention
were generally harmonious, but to.
wards the close of the afternoon SEES
sion, considerable confusion prevailed
principally upon minor interests.
The Kentucky delegation to the
Freedom Convention have called a
State Convention to meet at Louis.
vile, May 9th, to appoint delegates to
the Baltimore Convention. They ap,
pointed the following State Commit.
tee: James Speed, John Thompkins,
l.. A. Dembitz, of Louisville q. A.
Preston, of Covingtou G. +. Beig-
land and Ham. Cummings, of New