Mass Convention

Pursuant to the cali for a Free Soil Mass Convention, the people assembled at the Court House in the village of Marshall, on the 2d instant in numbers that gave evidence that the citizons of Calhoun county ave awake on the 'rcat iiibjer.ts of interest that are now before lu: American people. Those in favor reform f all partiea, were participators in the genent. Those who heretofore have ■ ical opponents imw laying aside all party preferences unite in one common cause with a determination to carry nto effect the only mcasure that can savo our nation, and perpetúate the free institutions of our country. - The meeting was called to order by choosing J. CHEDSEY, Esq., President, who, in a short bui very appropriate speech, set forth the objects and intentions of the meeting. - Erastus Hussey & James McGregor, were then elected Vice Presidents. On motion of H. K. Clark, a Committcc of h've was appointed to report resolulions. The following gentlemen were appointed : H. K. Clark, Jabez Fox, Elias C. Manchester, Henry Willis and A. G. Meachem. During the interim, the meeting was addressed by Messrs. Hussey and Gibson. The committee reported the following resolutions, which wero unanimously adoptad - 1. Resolved, Tlmt the people are tlie primary, power of all political power ; that it is their right to exercise tliis power, so it is their duty, the obligRtion of which they cannot avoid, to exercise it in the manner best calculated to promoto the hnpiness and welfare of mankind 2. That thore is no principie of human rights better settled than that which declares "life Liberty and the pursuit of hapiness," is the inalienable right of every individual man; and he who withholds that right, or aids and abets another in withhotding it, not on!y commits a heinous crime against his fellow man, but pours reproach upon the most admirable sentiment of tho most admirable document of uninspired men; that "all men are creatod equal." 3. That the system of human Slavery as existing in the Southern States, however we may condemn it as an outrage upon the great doctrine of equal rights, is nevertheless one, which under the compromiso oí the Constiiution is beyond our reach, and in no way involveg our responsibility as constituent portions of this Republic. But if by our apathy or by our influence this outrage shall be extended beyond the limits which noiv bound it, we are derilect of our duty to the first principie of human freedom, and guilty of a wicked usurpation of the rights of our fellow man, 4. That we regard the Territory of Oregon, together with the newly acquired provincesof New Mexico and California as de3lined to become of immense importance in the future history of our country, to be our fc'Oiy 'f we perpetúate in them the free instutions of the North, or our shameif we permit them to be Btained by the blood aud sufferings of human bondage. 5. That the power given by the Constitution to Congress in the first subdivisión of the section which provides for tho increase of the States of the Union, "to make all needful rules a7í4 regulations respecting the terrilory and other propeity of tlin United States," includes the right of Legifllatiofl if legislation be "noedful," that the cotemporaneous construction of the Constitution by the illustrious men who frained it, and the long settled practico of our National administration has practically ostablished the right of Congress to legisliuc for the ile of the territories ; that the preservation of a in."' ''!'■}' rcceutly obtained, and novv partially ecu fojiquered people ; yet resentful to conquêto-9 i,...--- au absolute necossity upon th i Govertiient tó enset its Unvs ; that n i tment of those IaW we have a right to majority of the peojiie of the Uniie uith 118, wo have a right W rule ; and llint unawed by threals of disunion, flung in our faces to terrify us into submission, or by factious violence f rom any quartor, we are determined to use all the priviledges with which our institutions have ondowed us to mnintain what wo belicve to bo ïiie RiGiir. . That tlio' we are not insensible to the vnlue of politica! parlies in a Republican govormnont as a means of benlthful scrutiny and control over public men and noeasures, we novcrtheless regard them but as means to a highly important end uamely,tlie maintenance of sound pulitical piinciplos and the support of honest and capable ineu for places of official responsibility ; and that when these ends are ondaugered, it is the duty of ench individual oledor notwithstanding the power of long chcrishod associations to abandon the accustomed means if necessary to secure the end. 7. That the present position of tho two groat po ■ liticaï parties rcasonably excites the npprehension of every lovor of his country for its iuture destiny ; thitt both the candidates of these parties - tho 0110 by his pledgos, and the other by associations of position and interest strongor thau any public declaration - are committed against tho lights of freedoin in tho Territorios, and we are thu3 drives to tho contemplntion of our duty in this alai'ining attitudi of a question deeply nffocti'ig the public weal ; anc thereloro, that we regard with approbatioD tho cal for a National Convention to assembtu in üulïalo on tho 9th of the present month, to take into considoration tho nomination of candidates to upholi the great interests of Free Soil, Free Labor, Kree Speech, nnd Free Men. 8. Tlint tlio actual occupatioti by ai) industnous and indepeiulent pooplo of the public lands of the United Suites, is a subject of grrat public import unce, and thiit, in our judgemont, this object can ii no vvay bo so well subservcd or so soon ac.omplish cd, ns by free grnnts of tho soil by tlio Guvenuu.ii upi)ii no otheï condilion thnn of actual settlemon and cultivation. 9. Tlint. in tlio 'Mimo of this meeting, Joh.n P Hamí, íVom his fiim and uncomproinising course ii tlio Sonate of the UniteJ States, agninst the iiggros sions of Southern monopoly, infll'ked with prudoii (agacity uu', i signnl nbility, havo elovnted hiu) to itntion among the most conspicuous of our stiltes men, and ontitlo him to tho gniteful vesponscs of freo poople. Moved that a cominhtcc of fivc bc nppoiut ed to report hamel of dolegates. Said com iniuec roported tlio following Jolcgatcs to al tend tho BufTulo Con vontion, on tlio 9th o August : William Brooks, Joscph Barton, E Hussey, Jonas Cha's. T. Oorhatn, F Quiim, Hovt'y K. ClarU, Jabez Fox. LScnj. F Graves, Henry Cook, Abner Baker, C. Hewitt.O. Moflutt, S. S. Nichols, Josepli Chaman, John Vandenberg, E. G. Eggleston, George Ingersoll. James McGregor, Josepli Chedsey and Henry Willis. Moved tliat the delégales be autliorizcd to fill vacancies, ihould any oceur, wliich was adopted. The meeting was addressed by Messrs. H. K. Clark, Jabea Fox and Henry Willis. The following gentlemen were appointed a County CorrespondingCornmittee: Hovey K. Clark, Cyrus Hewitt, A. G. Meacham, Jabez Fox and Orlando Moflatt. Moved that the papers in the county, and the Ann Arbor Truc Demofirat, be requested to publish the proceedings of this conveution. JOSEPII CHEDSEY, President. Cvjius Hf.witt, Secretary. No comments are necessary on the resolutions, they speak for themselves in language that must strike home to the feelings of every lover of his country. The utmost unanimity prevailed, and the meeting passed off with a great deal of good feeling.