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nominated.
The more material resolves of this Convention are as follows:
Resolved, That with our republican fathers, we hold it to be a self-evident truth, that all men are endowed with the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and that the primary object and ulterior design of our Federal Government were, to secure these rights to all persons within its exclusive jurisdiction; that, as our republican fathers, when they had abolished Slavery in all our National territory, ordained that no person should be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, it becomes our duty to maintain this provision of the Constitution against all attempts to violate it, for the purpose of establishing Slavery in any territory of the United States, by positive legislation, prohibiting its existence and extension therein.
That we deny the authority of Congress, of a Territorial Legislature, of any individual or association of individuals, to give legal existence to Slavery in any Territory of the United States, while the present Constitution shall be maintained.
Resolved, That the Constitution confers upon Congress sovereign power over the Territories of the United States for their government; and that, in the exercise of this power, it is both the right and the duty of Congress to prohibit in the Territories those twin relics of barbarism — Polygamy and Slavery.
An “American” National Convention was held at
Philadelphia on the 22d of February; all the States represented but
Maine,
Vermont,
Georgia, and
South Carolina.
An “American” National Council (secret) had met three days before in the same place, and adopted a platform.
The following plank is the most essential:
The recognition of the right of native-born and naturalized citizens of the United States, permanently residing in any Territory thereof, to frame their Constitution and laws, and to regulate their domestic and social affairs in their own mode, subject only to the provisions of the Federal Constitution, with the privilege of admission into the Union whenever they have the requisite population for one Representative in Congress: Provided, always, that none but those who are citizens of the United States, under the Constitution and laws thereof, and who have a fixed residence in any such Territory, ought to participate in the formation of the Constitution, or in the enactment of laws, for said Territory or State.
This Council proceeded to condemn the
National Administration among other things, for “reopening sectional agitation by the repeal of the
Missouri compromise.”
This was not satisfactory to the “anti-
Nebraska” members of the nominating Convention; on whose behalf,
Mr. Killinger, of
Pennsylvania, proposed the following:
Resolved, That the National Council has no authority to prescribe a Platform of principles for this Nominating Convention; and that we will nominate for President and Vice-President no men who are not in favor of interdicting the introduction of Slavery into territory north of 36° 30′ by Congressional action.
This resolve was laid on the table, by 141 votes to 59.
The “anti-
Nebraska” delegates, to the number of about fifty, thereupon withdrew from the
Convention.
On the first ballot for
President,
Millard Fillmore, of New York, received 71 votes; George Law, of
N. Y., 27; and there were 45 scattering.
On the next ballot,
Mr. Fillmore received 179 to 64 for all others, and was nominated.
On the first ballot for
Vice-President,
Andrew Jackson Donelson, of
Tennessee, received 181 votes to 24 scattering, and was unanimously nominated.
The nomination of
Mr. Fillmore was ratified by a Whig Convention, which met at
Baltimore on the 17th of September--
Edward Bates, of
Missouri, presiding.
Mr. Fillmore was absent in
Europe when the
American nomination was made; but, returning early in July,