Free Soil League

Marshall, August. 2-ílh 1S48. At an an adj'd mening of the FrceSuil men of.Muriall,ai Mechanica Huil lust nigfat Charlea Burlón ia ie chair. II. K. Clar!;e presenled a conslHulion Cor a Kre oil Associalion. Resoi.vei). Tliat we ilecm it ezpedient lo rni ■ ''ree Soil Associalion. T hcrcfoie the following constitution was aduptc-d ld BÏgRcd aa foMou s ; L3 cü S2f S3 "Ö a =LL T3Ï ES a CSJ S3T OF THE MARSHAÜ.-FIIEE SOIL LEAGUE. I. Tliis association, shall ba callcd the Free Soil jeagae. II. ■ The object of this aspociation sliall bc: lst. To prnmotc by all suitable and proper means ie succes of tho politiual principies adopted and pronulgaied by l!io Buffalo Cnnvcnliou, ta exhibited in ie lijllowing Platform ; Wherens, we have assembled in convention as r nion of freemen for tlie sake of freedom, forgetng all past political diiTereoce in a comnion reolve to niaintain the rights of free labor, against ie aggressions of the slave power, and to secure ree soil for a Cree peoplc. And whereai the political conventions recently ssembled at Bullí mora nnd Pliiladelphia,, the one Uil ing the voice of a great constituency, entitled to je i.eard in its dcliberations, and the other abanoning-its distinctive principies for mero availabiliy, have dissolved the national party organizations ïeretqi'oio existing bj' nominating for the Maistrncv [tho United States under slavt holding dictation, either of whoin can be supported by the oppoents of slaverv extensión, without a sacrafice of onsistenc3r, duly nnd respect. And wliereas, tliese nominations so innde,furuisli ie occasion and demónstrate the necessity of the nion of tho peopie under the banner of free Donocracj', in a solemn and final declaration of indelendence of the slave power, and their fi.xed deternnation to rescue the federal governinent from its ontrol ; Kesolvod therefore, that we the peopie here rsembled, remeniberiiigtlie exainple of their fnihera i tho days of the first declaration of independenco uiting our trust in God for the triumph of our cause, DVokÏDg his guidance on our endeavors lo dvance it, do uow plant ourselves upon the nnlion1 platform of froedoin, in opposition to the section1 pl:itfüim of slaveiy. Resolved, that sluvery in the several Stntes of Í!e Union wliich recognize its existence, dapends pon the stato laws alone, which cannot be reealed or modified by the federal governnent, nnd br which law.-i, that govrnment is not responsible. We therefore, projose no inteiferPDce by Congress vit!i slavery v i 1 1 1 i i the limiis of any state. Resolved, that the proviso of Jeflerson, to proïibit the existanoe of slavery alter 1800; :i nll the errrtoriea of the Uniteu S:itc5, goothera and norhpQ, tlio votos of six States sad sixteen delegutts, i the Congres of 1784, forthe proviso, to thrce tates and seven against it; i)v actual exclusión of lavery fro.n l'ua North-Westein territory, the tures in Congress ; and Ibe estire histovy of the peiiu.:l clearly Ehow, thnt it was the settled lolby of the liiuion not to extern!, natiotialize.or enourage.bnt toliinrt,localize mid discourage sluveiv; nd to this policy which should nevar have" been eparted from, the guvernment ought to return. Resolved,that our fathrrs oidained tlie Cuiisutuiouul the United States, in order nmongotuer.great national objects, to estaljlish jusiice, ])roiiH!o th ;enural welfare, nnd secure the blessings of übeity, ut expressly denied to the federal gove.rnment vliich the}' created, all Consiitutionnl power to du)rive any pirson ol'lifu liberty or proporty without egnl procos3. Resolved, That in the judgement of this conentiou, Congtess has no more power to malee a lave thau to uaake a king; - do moro power to estüblish slavery, tlian to instituto or éstabMh i nonaichy : - no such power can be fonnd among liüsospeciffically derived by the Constitution.or doived by a:iy jnst nterpretatíon froni them, Resolved, That it is theduty of the federal gov■niment to relieve itself from all respousibHity forlio cxislence, or continuaiice of slavery, whfrerer hat government possesses constitutiona! nuthority o legislate on that subject and is thus responible for ita existence. Resolved, That tlie trne, and in the judgemont f this Convention the onlysafe menns of preventng tho extensión of slavery into territory now free, s to prohibit its existence in nll such territory by ni) actofCongress, Resolved, Thut we accept the issue which tlio slave power hns forced upon us, and to their dennnd for more slnve States, nnd sleve territorios, our cuhn bnt final ttnswer is, na more slave states, Lüd no sliive territory. Let tha soil of our 'xtcusivc domoins be tbr ever kept f ree for the ïarciy pionet ts of our land, nnd the o]pressed nnd tanished of other lands, seeking homos of comort nnd fields of enterprise in the pew world. Ki'solved, Tliat the bill lately reported ly the conunitto of eiglit iu the Senate of tlie Uaited SiiiU's; v:is no compromisa, but an absolute surender of the rights of the nonliolding slave states; md while wc rejoice to know that a mensure which while opening the door for the introiluction of slavery into tenitories now free, would nlso havo ojened the door for litigatiou nnd strifo among tho 'uturo inhubitants thereof, to the ruin of their jeaco and proeperity, was defented in the House )t Representativas, its passage in hot liaste, by a iinijonty of tho Sonate, embracing severa) Senators who voted in open violation of the known will of their con8tUuents, should warn the people to see to itthatthetr representativesbe not sufferod to belrny them. Thertmnst be no mm-e comproinises with slavery; il made tney must I ropealed, Resolved that we demand fivodom and establishoil nstituliitiuDs for BOT brellieren i Oregon, now expoaed to hardships, peril, and niassacrec, hy Ike tecklesa hosttltty ot' the shive power to the establishment of f ree governtnefit for free territorios in New .Mexico and California. And, whoreaa it i.s not only duo to tliis ocensioo but to tliti wliulo ppoplo of tho United States, that w ahould bIbo declare onrsolvcs on certain otlier qu estioDi of national pottcy. thereforo Resolved, That wo demnnl clienp postago for the people ; o rcUonchiiiont ot' tho penses and patronage of i'uo lVler;il govprnment ; tho abolition of all onnecessary office and mlarics, and llio election ly the peoplo of all civil ollicers o tho suivice (if tho govei'ninent, so far as tho samo m:iy b practicable. Resolved, That the Rirer and Ilarbor improvoments, whéneveV demandcd by the tafety nad couvoaience of cowiaierco with foreicn nattonB, or a; l!n seveial gtatM( nre objects of ïntional concern, aad ÜM it i;; tho duty of Cougrnss, in tho Í3o of ita cünstitutional powers, to provide 'Jinvüir. Kiv-mlved, ThaJ ■ __i.'.!iti aciunl totttT in considei-Htion of tlie expenses incurred in tmikingscttleiriniits in the wildornrss, whieli ure usually full cquu! to tlieir cost, und the public Hts rosulting therefroin cf reasonable portions f tho public Imids, ander suitable liinitfttioNB, is a wise and just mensuro of public policy, wblefa will proïiiotr in vartous wnys, the InterMti oi all the States of this Union and we therefore reccoinmend ir. to tun favorable consideiation of the American people. Resolved, Thnt tho obligations of honor nnd patriotism require the earliest payinent of the natiouui debt : and We ore tlu-nfor in fevor ot'such R taiill' iis will nÜM rewenue adequate to defray the uecessary expenses of the federal goveenment, nd ])ny nnniiiil iiibtalment. on debt and interest thereon. Resolved, Thnt ve inscribe on onr bnnner, "FREE SOTL, FREE SPEECH, FREE LABOR AND FREE MEN," aud i.udeiit will flght on, mul fight ever, until a tiiuinplmrit victory shull rewurd our cxertions. 2. To prouiote by all suilable meana, the electiou of Martin Van Baren and Charlea F . A.dm, to the office9 for wliioh tboy wefe nominnted by the BulValo Convontiou. III. Anv purson muy become a membev of lilis :issoCnition by cubsciibing this Constitution ; which subcription sh:dl imply a pledge to promote the objecU of this associalion as e.tpresaed in the second ar'icle. IV. The dfficers ot this assneiation shallbe a Presideut, two Vice Presidenta, Sscretary, Treasurer, and uu executive Coinmittee of tlireo members. These üfficers símil be elected to serve during tho campaign, und hall peiform the duties indicated by tlieir tilles. V. No Taxes. or assessments oluill be levied by this associalion; but Coiitrilmtioiis may be received by the Treasurer to defray its expenses. VI. The fint subdivisión f the íecoudari tele of the Coiiititution ahall not be itltered except l.y a unaoiïaous vote of all the members present, and Ihftl at least npou oue 'veek's notiee given at a regular meeting.- The other artieles may be altered at Uiy regular meetïug, by a vote of two thirds of the members present. Win.S. Barton. 1-W. Petingil!. Hovey K. Clarke. I Pendletöu. Morgan Hungerlbrd. Geo. G. Lee, A. J. Vandus'en. J. Cliedsey. J. C. Libbey. Cyrus Hewilt. J. B. Buek. Daniel Ivea Win. Paxlon. Mitcliell Heaih. E. F. Eglostou. C B. Turner. Isaac Briibee. !!■ Gray. George Ingersoll. Jolin Aüliley. Cliauncey Knox. P. S. Ile.vilt. Josiah Gray. William ü. Rector, E.Oalman Meacliam. Amos Hewilt. Abner Baker. Tlios. Welli-r. Silas Hult Frink. James Tuiijor. Clias. A Slewart. Simun D. Haiuiis. James Hovcy. John t'. Gifl'urd. il. B. Tibbits. William l'a go. J. H. Y.-klcy. Wm. Kelloy. Lyman Bliks. Wm. R. McCall E. Knox. G. W. Knox Ira Hays. Je'111 Aiigün. Gco. Frain. S. Earley. S. S. Hicks. , Horace Luid. Gaorga N. Smith. Charles A Barton. Jabez Fox. Ilorman Caniu. Wiliatn Kcnyon. FrBCw Quinu. C. B. Webtter. A C om. cousiatiug of Fox, Quinn, Camp, Webster, j Hawo y, Kenyon, aud Rector, a Committe.e was raised to procure signntures to the articles of associalion, anil to report offioers. Aller lisfcning to short and racy s[cecho.s frnm Cliedey, Camp. Sweet, Clarke, Kox Qainn and otben and a first rate Free Soi! S;ng, by E. Baker, tho meetiugadjournedto Friday eveuing Sept. lst. CHAS. BARTON Cliaim.m. Wm. D Rector S'c'v