USA > New York > Erie County > Elma > History of the town of Elma, Erie County, N.Y. : 1620 to 1901 > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29
The " American" National Convention, for nominating candi- dates for President and Vice-president, was held in Philadelphia, February 22d, 1856. All the states were represented except Maine, Vermont, South Carolina and Georgia. The platform condemns the Democratic party and the Administration for re-opening sec- tional agitation by the repeal of the Missouri Compromise Act.
Millard Fillmore received the nomination for President and An- drew J. Donelson for Vice-president.
The Democratic National Convention for 1856, met at Cincinnati Ohio, on June 2d. The platform held "the principles contained in the organic laws, establishing the Territories of Kansas and Ne- braska, as embodying the only sound and safe solution of the slav- ery question." James Buchanan received the nomination for President, and John C. Breckenridge for Vice-president.
The slavery question had completely destroyed the Whig party. The First National Convention of the Republican party was held at Pittsburg, Penn., February 22d, 1856, but there were no nom- inations made, The nominating convention was held at Phila- delphia on June 17th. The platform said, "We deny the author- ity of Congress, of a Territorial Legislature, or of any individual, or association of individuals, to give legal existance to slavery in any Territory of the United States while the present Constitution shall be maintained." John C. Freemont of California, was nom- inated for President and William L. Dayton of Ohio, for Vice- president.
182
The Presidential Campaign was open and the cry of "Free Soil, Free Speech, and Freemont" rang through the Free States in a way that made the Pro-slavery party fear and tremble.
Governor Shannon resigned August 18th, 1856, and left the Ter- ritory, in the night through fear of assassination by members of his own party, and left the work for Secretary Woodson, who at once declared the Territory in a state of insurrection and called out the militia. Woodson acted as Governor until September 18th, when John W. Geary of Pennsylvania, became Governor, and he served until March 12th, 1857.
Geary was sent to quiet matters in Kansas, if possible, as the speeches of members of the Republican party and their press in the Free States charging the trouble in Kansas to the Democratic party was convincing the leaders of that party that something must be done or they would fail at the election.
The Presidential Campaign all through was one of great interest and excitement.
Buchanan's popular vote was 1,838,169
Freemont's
1,341,264
Fillmore's 66 66 66
874,534
Total vote. 4,053,947
Freemont carried the State of New York by 80,000 majority and with the New England States, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin, he had 114 electoral votes. James Buchanan had 174 electoral votes and was elected. Buchanan lacked 377,629 votes of a ma- jority over both his competitors.
The Act of Congress organizing the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska, passed May 24th, 1854, repealed the Missouri comprom- ise Act of 1820, which excluded slavery north of 36° 30', and de- clared that act to be unconstitutional and void. It contained as a part of Section 21 of the act as follows:
"And be it further enacted, that in order to avoid all miscon- struction, it is hereby declared to be the true intent and meaning of this act, so far as slavery is concerned, to carry into practical operation the following propositions and principles established by the Compromise measure of 1850.
FIRST. That all questions, pertaining to slavery in the ter- ritories and in the States to be formed therefrom are to be left to the people residing therein through their appropriate representa- tives.
183
This was the so-called Squatter Sovereignty plan and in the debate on this proposition in Congress, Mr. Douglass stated that the "object was neither to legislate slavery into or out of the Territories; neither to introduce it, or exclude it; but to remove whatever obstacle Congress had put there, and apply the doctrine of Congressional non-intervention and allow the people to do as they pleased upon this as on all other matters affecting their interests."
The repeal of the Missouri Compromise Act, and allowing slaves to be held in the Territories was made to satisfy the demands of the slave holders, and to give them the right to take their slaves into the Territories, expecting in that way to increase the number of Slave States.
Under and through Buchanan's administration the Slave Power did its best to make Kansas a Slave State. After Geary left Kan- sas in the night, through fear of assassination by members of his own party, other Governors were sent, and they followed each. other in quick succession, Frederick P. Stanton, Robert J. Walker, James W. Denver, Hugh C. Walsh, Samuel Medary and George M. Beebe, each had a turn; and Congress sent committee after com- mittee to investigate and report.
The Free State men of Kansas had adopted a Constitution ex- cluding Slavery, which had been accepted by the House, but the Senate, by one excuse or another, refused to grant admission until after the Presidential election of 1860 when, at near the close of Buchanan's administration, on January 21st, 1861, the Senate, by a vote of thirty-six to sixteen, passed the act of admission; and a few days later the House passed the same act by 119 to forty-two, and thus Kansas became the thirty-fourth state of the Union.
So much space has been given to the trouble in Kansas because the whole force and power of the slave holders and of the Democra- tic party were used to compel her admission as a Slave State, and the great battle for or against the further extension of slavery was being fought on Kansas soil.
Governor Robinson, the first Governor of Kansas as a State, said: "Kansas was not saved by this man or by that man; by this town or that town; but it took all the Free State men and all the Free State towns in Kansas, aided by all the Free State men of all the States as well, to succeed in establishing freedom, where the Slavery men and Slave States backed by the Federal Govern- ment had determined to establish Slavery."
The South, with the help of the Government, for six years had failed on the Squatter Sovereignty platform to compel Kansas to adopt a Slave Constitution and this plan for additional Slave States to enable the South to control. the Government having failed, the leaders resolved to force the question, "that neither Congress nor
184
-
a Territorial Legislature possess the power to prevent any citizen from taking his slave property into the Territory and there hold them as slaves."
The feeling of the people north and south on the slavery question is told in the proceedings in Congress and the debates in the Con- ventions of the political parties in 1860 and in their platforms and nominations.
The 36th Congress assembled December 5th, 1859. The Senate was strongly Democratic, the House being more equally divided.
On February 2d, 1860, Jefferson Davis submitted a series of resolutions in the Senate, all on the slavery question and the rights of the slave holders in the territories.
Section 4 of the series is as follows:
" Resolved. That neither Congress nor a Territorial Legisla- ture, whether by direct legislation, or legislation of an indirect and unfriendly character, possess the power to annul or impair the Constitutional right of any citizen of the United States, to take his slave property into the common territories, and there hold and enjoy the same while the territorial condition remains."
This, the deathblow to Popular Sovereignty, was passed in the Senate by a vote of thirty-five to twenty-one, every Democratie Senator present but Mr. Pugh of Ohio voting for it, and this senti- ment answered as a good excuse for the refusal by the Senate to allow Kansas to become a state under their Free State Constitution.
The Alabama Democratie State Convention, to eleet delegates to the Democratic National Convention, which had been called to meet at Charleston, S. C., on April 23d, 1860, adopted the follow- ing, to wit:
"Resolved: That on the subject of slavery, we claim the un- qualified right of the people of the slave holding States, to protec- tion of their property in the States, in the Territories, and in the wilderness in which territorial governments are, as yet, unorganized.
" Resolved. That it is the duty of the General Government, by all proper legislation, to secure an entry into those Territories, to all the citizens of the United States, together with their property of every description; and that the same should be protected by the United States while the Territories are under its authority.
"Resolved. That the Territories of the United States, are common property, in which all States have equal rights, and to which the citizens of every State may rightfully emigrate with their slaves or other property, recognized as such, in any of the States of the Union or by the Constitution of the United States.
" Resolved. That the Congress of the United States has no power to abolish slavery in the Territories or to prohibit its introduction into any of them.
185
" Resolved. That the Territorial Legislatures have no power to abolish slavery, or to prohibit the introduction of the same, or to impair by unfriendly legislation the security and full enjoyment of the same within the territories.
Resolved. That the principles enunciated by Chief Justice Taney in his opinion in the Dred Scott case, deny to the Territorial Legislatures the power to destroy or impair by any legislation whatever, the right of property in slaves, and maintains it to be the duty of the Federal Government in all its departments to protect the rights of the owner of such property in the territories; and the principles, so declared, are hereby asserted to be the rights of the South, and the South should maintain them.
" Resolved. That we hold all the foregoing propositions to con- tain cardinal principles, just and proper, and necessary for the safety of all that is dear to us, and that our Delegates to the Charles- ton Convention are hereby expressly instructed to insist, that said Convention shall adopt a platform of principles recognizing distinctly the rights of the South, as asserted in the foregoing resolutions; and that if said National Convention shall refuse to adopt in substance, the propositions embraced in the foregoing resolutions, prior to the nominating of Candidates, our delegates to said Con- vention, are hereby positively instructed to withdraw there- from."
These resolutions are in the same spirit as the resolutions pre- sented to the Senate on February 2d, by Jefferson Davis and which were adopted by the Senate on May 24th, 1860.
The Democratic National Convention met at Charleston, S. C., on April 23d, 1860. The majority report of the Committee on Platform was presented by Mr. Avery of North Carolina on the slavery question.
"Resolved. That the National Democracy of the United States hold these cardinal principles on the subject of slavery in the territories.
FIRST. That Congress has no power to abolish slavery in the territories.
SECOND. That the Territorial Legislatures have no power to abolish slavery in the Territories, nor to prohibit the introduction of slaves therein, nor any power to destroy or impair the right of property in slaves by any legislation whatever." (This was con- + curred in by the delegates of the Platform Committee of the fifteen Slave States, with Oregon and California.)
The above resolutions were modified by the committee so as to read as follows:
FIRST. "That the government of a Territory organized by an Act of Congress is provisional and temporary; and during its
186
existence all citizens of the United States have an equal right to settle with their property in the Territory, without their rights either of person or property being destroyed or impaired by Con- gressional or Territorial Legislation.
SECOND. "That it is the duty of the Federal Government in all its departments to protect, when necessary the rights of persons and property in the Territories and wherever else its Constitutional authority extends.
THIRD. "That when the settlers in a territory having an adequate population form a State Constitution, the right of sov- ereignty commences, and, being consummated by admission into the Union, they stand on an equal footing with the people of other States; and that the State thus organized ought to be admitted into the Federal Union whether its Constitution prohibits or recog- nizes the institution of slavery."
Mr. Avery on presenting the resolutions stated the ground of difference with the minority as follows:
"We demand at the hands of our northern brethern upon this floor, that the great principles which we cherish should be recog- nized, and I speak the common sentiments of our constituents at home; and I intend no reflection upon those who entertain a different opinion when I say that the result and ultimate conse- quences to the Southern States of this Confederacy, if the Popular Sovereignty Doctrine be adopted as the doctrine of the Democratic party, would be as dangerous and subversive of their rights as the adoption of the principles of Congressional intervention or prohibition.
We say that in a contest for the occupation of the territories of the United States, the southern man, encumbered with slaves, cannot compete with the Emigrant Aid Society of the North. That Society can send a voter to one of the Territories of the United States to determine a question relating to slavery for the sum of $200, while it would cost the southern man the sum of $1500.
We say that whenever there is competition between the South and the North, that the North can and will at less expense and difficulty, secure power, control and dominion over the Territories of the Federal Government; and if then you establish the doctrine, that a Territorial Legislature which may be established by Con- gress in any Territory, has the right directly or indirectly to affect the institution of Slavery then you can see that the Legislature by its action, either directly or indirectly, may finally exclude every man from the slave holding States as effectually as if you had adopted the Wilmot Proviso out and out."
187
Mr. Henry B. Payne of Ohio presented a minority platform which after some changes was presented by Mr. Samuels of Iowa. On the Slavery question it said:
"Resolved-That the Democratic party will abide by the de- cisions of the Supreme Court of the United States on the questions of Constitutional law."
Mr. Butler of Massachusetts disagreed with both reports and wanted simply the Cincinnatti Platform of 1856 and there to stop.
After a long debate the minority report was adopted April 30th.
Mr. L. P. Walker of Alabama presented a written protest of twen- ty of the twenty-eight delegates from Alabama showing that they were instructed by the State Convention which elected them not to submit to any Squatter Sovereignty platform, but to withdraw from the Convention in case such a one was adopted. The Ala- bama Delegation concluded with the following statement :-
"The points of difference between the northern and southern Democracy are :
1st-As regards the status of Slavery as a political institution in the Territories, whilst they remain Territories, and the power of the people of a Territory to exclude it by unfriendly legislation and
2nd-As regards the duty of the Federal Government to protect the owner of slaves in the enjoyment of his property in the Terri- tories so long as they remain such.
This Convention has refused by the platform adopted to settle either of these propositions in favor of the South. We deny to the people of a territory any power to legislate against the institu- tion of Slavery; and we assert that it is the duty of the Federal Government, in all its departments, to protect the owner of slaves in the enjoyment of his property in the Territories. These princi- ples, as we state them, are embodied in the Alabama Platform. Here then, is a plain, explicit, and direct issue between this Con- vention and the constituencies which we have the honor to repre- sent in this body.
Instructed, as we are, not to waive this issue, the contingency, therefore, has arisen which, in our opinion, it becomes our duty to withdraw from this Convention. We beg to communicate this fact and to assure this Convention that we do so in no spirit of anger but under a sense of imperative obligation, properly appreciating its responsibilities and cheerfully submitting to its consequences."
Mr. Yancey of the southern delegation said: "The last Presi- dential election was won by ambiguity, double-dealing, and de- ception; by devising a platform that meant one thing at the North and another at the South.
We are resolved to have no more of this. We shall now succeed on a clear exhibition of our principles or not at all."
188
Mr. George E. Pugh of Ohio, a Douglass Democrat, said : "Thank God that a bold and honest man has at last spoken and told the whole truth with regard to the demands of the South. It is now plainly before the Convention and the country that the South does demand an advanced step from the Democratic party." He pro- ceeded then to show that the northern Democrats had sacrificed themselves in battling for the rights of the South; and instanced one after another of the Delegates there present who had been de- feated and thrown out of public life thereby. "And now, the very weakness thus produced is urged why the North should have no voice in forming the platform."
The Democracy is willing to stand by the old landmarks; to reaffirm the old faith. We deeply regret to part with our southern brethren. But if they can only abide with us on the terms they have now proposed, they must go. The Northwest must, and will be heard and felt. The northern Democrats are not children to be told to stand here, to stand there, to be moved by the beck and bid- ding of the South. Because we are in a minority on account of our fidelity to our Constitutional obligations, we are told in effect, that we must put our hands on our mouths and our mouths in the dust. Gentlemen, you mistake us; we will not do it."
The Southern leaders said: "Gentlemen from the North, look well to your doing! If you insist on your Squatter Sovereignty plat- form, in full view of its condemnation by the Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case, you break up the Democratic party-nay more; you break up the Union! The unity of the Democratic party is the last bond that holds the Union together; that snapped, there is no other that can be trusted for a year."
The Alabama Delegation then withdrew, being followed by the Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Florida, and a part of the Georgia Delegates.
Mr. W. B. Gaulden of Georgia said: " He would ask his friends of the South to come up in a proper spirit and ask our Northern friends to give us all our rights and take away the ruthless restric- tions which cut off the supply of slaves from foreign lands. As a matter of right and justice to the South, I would ask the Democ- racy of the North to grant us this thing; and I believe they have the patriotism and honesty to do it, because it is right in itself. I tell you, fellow Democrats, that the African Slave-trader is the true Union man. The Slave-trader of Virginia is more immoral, more unchristian in every point of view, than the African Slave-trader who goes to Africa and brings a heathen and worthless man here, makes him a useful man, Christianizes him, and sends him and his posterity down the stream of time to enjoy the blessings of civiliza-
189
tion. Virginia, the great Slave-trading state of Virginia, is op- posed to the African Slave trade."
Dr. Reed of Indiana said-" I am from Indiana and I am in favor of it."
Mr. Gaulden, continued, "Now, Virginia which authorizes the buying of Christian men, separating them from their wives and children from all the relations and associations amid whom they have lived for years, roll up her eyes in holy horror when I would go to Africa, buy a savage, and introduce him to the blessings of civilization and Christianity."
Capt. Rynders of New York said-"You can get one or two re- cruits from New York to join with you."
Mr. Gaulden-"It has been my fortune to go into Virginia to buy a few darkies; and I have had to pay $1,000 to $2,000 a head, when I could go to Africa and buy better negroes for fifty dollars apiece. If any of you northern Democrats will go home with me to my plantation in Georgia, I will show you some darkies that I bought in Maryland, some I bought in Delaware, some I bought in Virginia, some in Florida, some in North Carolina, and I will also show you the pure African, the noblest Roman of them all.
I come from the First Congressional District of the State of Georgia. I represent the African Slave-trade interest of that sec- tion. I say to the northern Democracy, are you prepared to go back to first principles, and take off your Constitutional restrictions and leave this question to be settled by each state? Now, do this, and you will have peace in the country. But so long as your Federal Legislature takes jurisdiction of this quesion, so long will there be war, so long there will be ill blood and strife until this glorious Union of ours shall be disrupted and go out in blood and night forever. I advocate the repeal of the laws prohibiting the African Slave-trade because I believe it to be the true Union move- ment. I do not believe that sections whose interests are so differ- ent as the southern and northern states, can ever stand the shocks of fanaticism unless they be equally balanced. I believe that, re- opening this trade and giving us negroes to populate the terri- tories, the equilibrium of the two sections will be maintained."
The Convention then proceeded to ballot for President. After the fifty-seventh ballot, and no candidate chosen, the Convention after being in session ten days, on May 3d adjourned, to re-assemble at Baltimore on Monday, June 18th, and recommended the Demo- cratic party of the several States whose delegates had withdrawn to fill their places prior to that date.
The seceding Delegates held a meeting with Senator Bayard of Delaware in the chair, and adopted the Avery Platform. After
190
four days deliberation, this Convention adjourned to meet at Rich- mond, Va., on the second Monday of June (11th).
The regular Convention met at Baltimore, pursuant to adjourn- ment, on June 18th. Several days were spent on contested seats from the Southern States; and when this was concluded, the whole or part of the Delegates from Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and Califorina, withdrew from the Convention.
General Cushing resigned the chair which was immediately taken by Governor Todd of Ohio, a Vice-president at the Charleston Con- vention.
General B. F. Butler of Massachusetts, said "that a majority of the Delegates from Massachusetts would not participate farther in the deliberation of the Convention." - General Butler said, "there has been a withdrawal, in part, of a majority of the states; and further, upon the ground that I will not sit in a Convention when the African slave trade, which is piracy by the laws of my country, is approvingly advocated." This caused a great sensa- tion.
The Convention then proceeded to ballot for President. On the second ballot, Stephen A. Douglas received two-thirds of the votes and was declared to be the regular nominee of the Democratic party of the United States for the office of President.
Hon. Benjamin Fitzpatrick of Alabama was elected as Vice- president. Two days later he declined the nomination, and the National Committee substituted Hershel V. Johnson of Georgia.
The Secession Convention met at Richmond, Va. June 11th, and adjourned to Baltimore and finally met at St. Mary's Institute, June 28th. Twenty-one States were fully or partly represented.
Mr. Avery again submitted his Charleston Platform, which was adopted without alteration.
The Convention by unanimous vote elected John C. Brecken- ridge of Kentucky as their candidate for President and General Joseph Lane of Oregon, candidate for Vice-president.
The "Constitutional Union," (late American party) held a con- vention at Baltimore, on May 19th, and nominated John Bell of Tennessee as candidate for President and Edward Everett of Mass- achusetts as candidate for Vice-president. Their platform re- solved, that it is both the part of patriotism and of duty to recog- nize no political principle other than the Constitution of the Coun- . try, the Union of the States, and the enforcement of the laws. Nothing said on the slavery question.
The Republican National Convention met in Chicago, Ill., on Wednesday, May 16th, 1860. All the Free States were well repre- sented and delegates were there from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, and the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.