Year: 1862




passed


Resolred That the Constitution. and laws
made in pursuance thereof, are and must re-
main the supreme lalr Of the land and, as
such, must be preserved and maintained 10
their proper and rightful supremacy that the
rebellion now in arms against them mus; be
suppressed, and it is the duty of all good eiti-
zens 10 aid the General Government in all le-
gal and constitutional measures necessary and
proper to the accomplishment of this end.


Reolred, That the doctrine Of Southern and
Northern extremists are alike inconsistent with
the Federal Constitution. and irrecoucilable
with the union and harmony of the country.
The first have already involved Us in civil
war. and the latter, if permitted 10 retain as
cendancy, viii leave TO the nation but little
/ hope of the restoration of the Union in peace.


Resolred, That we protest in the name of
ourselves and of our children, and IN the name
of all We hold dear in the future of our beloved
country. against the resolution of Congress
pledsing the nation TO pay for all negroes
which may be emancipated by authority of any
of the Southern States and that we regard
such measure. involving as it does thousands
Of millions of dollars, as a measure of transcen-
dant enormity and fruitful only of national beg
gary that We are unalterably and uncondi-
tonally opposed TO all schemes having for their
objects, immediate or remote, the taxation of
the white man for the purchase of the negroes
anywhere.


ReSotred, That the recent arrests Of citizens
of this State, charged with violations of civil
law, and their tranSportations to military pris-
ons beyond this State, calls for the most un-
qualified condemnation, and are direct and open
violations of the Constitution of the United
States that the people of this State have a
right to demand that all of her children so ar
rested shall be Immediately restored to their
homes and allowed fair and impartial trial,
according to the provisions of the Constitution.
so that if guilty they may be convicted and
punished, and if not guilty they may have their
regulations honorably vindicated


Resolrea, That while we deprecate and con-
3
the public press, ard still more strongly con-
denim all secret political organizations as unne-
cessary, We will even protest against all unjust
interference with the freedom of speech and of
the press, by arbitrary and Illegal arrests and
imprsonments, or by extra judicial suppression
of newspapers in the loyal States, where the
ordinary Courts Of justice are unobstructed, as
/ tyranioal, oppressive to individuals, and dan
gerOus to the public liberty


Resolred, That the people justly view with
alarm the reckless extravaganza which per-
vades every department of the Federal Gov
ernment; that return to rigid economy and
accountability is Indispensable to arrest the
systematic plunder of the public treasury by
favored partizans


ReSolred, That We consider the new excise
law unjust in many of its features, aud particu.
larly oppressive on the agricultural States, and
we urge such amendments as shall make it
equal and just, and also a general reduction of
the amount levied, so as to be within the pres
ent ability of the people to pay.


Resolred, That the strctest economy in the
administration Of the affairs of our State gov
ernment is imperatively required and the ex.
ecutive, legislative and judicial officers should
receive for their compensation only the salaries
allowed by the Constitution of the State, and
that all additional fees should be paid into the
State and county treasures.


Resolred, That, in order to sustain tie finan-
cial credit of the United States Government
and to relieve the people of this State from
paying exorbiant premiums to brokers for
gold, we recommend that all taxes be collected
and paid in United States Treasury notes.


Resolred That we hail with satisfaction the
recent declaration Of the President of the Uni
ted States, that his object is to save the
Union the shortest way under the Constitu-
ton that it is the duty of all good citizens
to sustain the President against the pressure
of the radical Republicans to induce him to
depart from this principle and pervert the et-
fort to suppress a wicked rebellion into
war for the emancipation of slaves, and for the
overthrow of the Constitution.


R1solued, That the people Of Illinois having
inhibited by the State Constitution and law
the entrance of free negroes into this State,
and as the present disturbances on our border
are likely to bring an influx Of that population
from other States, we respectfully ask the pub
lie authorities Of Illinois to see that the Con
stitution ard laws are properly enforced on
that subject. When the people of Illinois
adopted that negro exclusion clause. they
meant that the honest laboring man should
have no competitor in the black race-that
the soil of Illinois should belong to the white
man, and that he alone was suited to her free
institutions.


Resolved, That our thanks are due and are
hereby rendered to the officers and volunteers