Year: 1859




The National Wing Committee held
meeting New York on Tuesday last, and
passed the following resolutions unani-
mously:


"ReSohed, That, in the judgment Of
the committee, it is not expedieht at this
time further to discuss or agitate the
question of the slavery of the African
race in this country. That it be respect
fully recommended to every citizen to vote
and act according to his convictions of
right and duty; but those who, with us,
believe that sufficient has been said and
written for the purpose of explanation
and eluoidation, will iorbear further dis
cussion OF the subject Of slavery, and turn
their attention to other topics Of general
importance such as our foreign relations,
including the question of the extension
Of territory, the building of railroads for
national purposes, the Improvement of our
harbors, and the navigation of our rivers,
to facilitate internal commerce the sub
jects of currency, and a tariff Of duties
and other means for developing our own
internal resources aud home wealth, and
binding together. by the ties of interest
and fraternal feelings, the various parts
and sections Of our widely extended re-
public.


Whereas the above resolution was in
troduced for the consideration of the com
mittee in the early part of the present
year, and had relation to the discussions
relative to slavery which agitated the
country at that time, and which had
brought into existence parties of sec
tional character; but since the introduc-
ton of the resolution question has most
unexpectedly arisen in some parts of the
country Of a novel character question
whether the African slave trade ought to
be revived. This question the committee
does not regard as one of sectional
character, for there is no geographical
section of the United States in favor of
the revival of trade which long since
became the abhorrence of most Of the
civilized countries of the world The
committee does not believe that there is
one State in this Union which would ap-
prove of such revival, and they entertain
not doubt that very large majority of
the slaveholding States themselves would,
if called upon, be found utterly and in
dignantly opposed to the repeal of the law
of the United States abolishing the Afri
can slave trade: therefore, be it


Resolved, That in passing the above re-
SO ution the National Whig General Com,
mittee of New York would not be under
stood as recommending or SUI costing that
any citizen Of the United States, or any
human being residing in this republic,
who may not be citizen, should be re-
strained by any consideration whatever
from expressing openly, decidedly, and if
it please him, Indignantly, on all proper
occasions, his opposition to and his alb
horrenco of the African slave trade.


ResolUed, Also, that this committee re-
gret to say that they think it not inap-
propriate or uncalled for, at this time, to
declare their firm adherence to the great
fundamental principle of republican liberty
obedience to laws constitutionally en-
acted. Submission TO the will of MAORI
ty of the people, lawfully expressed, un-
deries the foundations of every republic
We have as little respect for the citizens
Of Syracuse, in New York, or Oberlin, in
Ohio, as for those of Charleston, in South
Carolina, or Savannah, in Georgia, who
openly violate this principle. They are
alike, in our judgment, traitors who CON
spire against the welfare and very eX-
istcnce Of the State, and should be held
up to the scorn Of mankind