been recognized by one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, who in a recent case expressly holds that 'any contract that rests upon such a basis is void"; and 66 Whereas, The third clause of the second section of the fourth article of the Constitution of the United States, when construed as providing for the surrender of a fugitive slave, does "rest upon such a basis," in that it is a contract to rob a man of a natural right—namely, his natural right to his own liberties, and is, therefore, absolutely void; therefore, 19. Resolved, That we hereby give it to be distinctly understood by this nation and the world, that, as Abolitionists, considering that the strength of our cause lies in its righteousness, and our hope for it in our conformity to the laws of God and our respect for the rights of man, we owe it to the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe as a proof of our allegiance to Him, in all our civil relations and offices, whether as private citizens or public functionaries sworn to support the Constitution of the United States, to regard and treat the third clause of the fourth article of that instrument, whenever applied to the case of a fugitive slave, as utterly null and void, and consequently as forming no part of the Constitution of the United States, whenever we are called upon or sworn to support it. 20. Resolved, That the power given to Congress by the Constitution to provide for calling out the militia to suppress insurrection does not make it the duty of the government to maintain slavery by military force, much less does it make it the duty of the citizens to form a part of such military force. When freemen unsheathe the sword it should be to strike for liberty, not for despotism. 21. Resolved, That to preserve the peace of the citizens and secure the blessings of freedom, the legislature of each of the free states ought to keep in force suitable statutes rendering it penal for any of its inhabitants to transport, or aid in transporting, from such state, any person sought to be thus transported merely because subject to the slave laws of any other state; this remnant of independence being accorded to the free states by the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Prigg v. the State of Pennsylvania. The election occurred on November 5, 1844. TWENTY-SIX STATES VOTED. STATES. ELECTORAL VOTE. Counted on February 12, 1845. PRESIDENT. VICE-PRESIDENT. 13 6 23 12 12 : : : : : : : 50:: 15::: wa:: 17 26 5: : : : : : anaa:: oa: Bob: : wo 13 13 6 17 17 12 James K. Polk, of Tennessee. : : : : : : : : 150:: :: Swa:: GAB6D8818¬Bow No. entitled to vote. 3 Alabama.. Delaware. Louisiana Massachusetts Michigan... New Hampshire New Jersey Pennsylvania Tennessee Vermont.. Virginia Total.. James K. Polk was elected President and George M. Dallas as Vice-President. During this period Congress was divided politically as follows: Twenty-ninth Congress. Senate 30 Democrats, 25 Whigs, 1 vacancy House-141 Democrats, 78 Whigs, 6 Americans Total, 56 225 Thirtieth Congress. Senate 37 Democrats, 21 Whigs ... Total, 58 House-108 Democrats, 115 Whigs, 4 Independents. 227 Election of 1848 DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. Baltimore, Md., May 22-26, 1848. Chairman pro tem., J. S. BRYCE, of Louisiana. Chairman, ANDREW STEVENSON, of Virginia. NOMINATED For President, Lewis Cass, of Michigan. For Vice-President, William O. Butler, of Kentucky. All the states were represented at this convention. Three days were spent in perfecting the organization. This convention directed the appointment of the first national committee ever organized. The following is the result of the balloting for a candidate: For Vice-President, William O. Butler, of Kentucky, was nominated on the second ballot, receiving 169 votes. John A. Quitman, of Mississippi; John Y. Mason, of Virginia; William R. King, of Alabama; James J. McKay, of North Carolina; and Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, were also voted for. The convention adopted the following platform: DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. 1. Resolved, That the American Democracy place their trust in the intelligence, the patriotism, and the discriminating justice of the American people. 2. Resolved, That we regard this as a distinctive feature of our political creed, which we are proud to maintain before the world as the great moral element in a form of government springing from and upheld by the popular will, and contrasted with the creed and practice of federalism, under whatever name or form, which seeks to palsy the will of the constituent and which conceives no imposture too monstrous for the popular credulity. 3. Resolved, Therefore, that entertaining these views, the Democratic party of this Union, through the delegates assembled in general convention of the states, coming together in a spirit of concord, of devotion to the doctrines and faith of a free representative government, and appealing to their fellow citizens for the rectitude of their intentions, renew and reassert before the American people the declaration of principles avowed by them on a former occasion, when, in general convention, they presented their candidates for the popular suffrage. Resolutions 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the platform of 1840 (see page 41) were reaffirmed, with the following: 8. Resolved, That it is the duty of every branch of the government to enforce and practice the most rigid economy in conducting our public affairs, and that no more revenue ought to be raised than is required to defray the necessary expenses of the government, and for the gradual but certain extinction of the debt created by the prosecution of a just and necessary war. Resolution 5 of the platform of 1840 (see page 41) was enlarged by the addition of the following: And that the results of Democratic legislation in this and |