Cortland County Express, Thursday, October 10, 1850.
ANTI-SLAVERY COUNTY CONVENTION.
Cortlandville, Oct. 8th, 1850.
At a meeting of the Anti-Slavery friends of Cortland County convened for the purpose of mutual consultation; Dea. Nathan Bouton was appointed Chairman, and Philander Knight, Sec. Prayer by Rev. Mr. Thatcher. Voted that a committee of five be appointed to prepare business for the meeting.
The following persons were then appointed by the Chair; Oren Cravath, George K. Stiles, Silas Hammond, Thomas Boland, Joel Hancock.
At this period a delegation of over thirty students of N. Y. Central College entered the Court House and the friends felt encouraged.
While the committee were out, some very interesting remarks were made by Rev. Mr. Thatcher. The committee then reported the following resolutions for the consideration of the convention which were accepted.
1. Resolved, That we believe with John Wesley that "Slavery is the sum of all villainies;" and that "Liberty is the birth-right of every creature;" with Jefferson that "The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions; the most unrelenting despotism on the one part, and degrading submission on the other;" and that "One hour of American slavery is more intolerable than an age of that which our fathers rose in rebellion to oppose;" with John Randolph, that "The best blood of Virginia flows in the veins of the slave;" with Franklin, that "We are bound to step to the verge of the power vested in us by the constitution to abolish slavery;" and with Washington, that "There is but one proper and effectual mode by which the abolition of slavery can be accomplished, and that is legislative action, and that, so far as our votes will go, shall not be wanting."
2. Resolved, That in view of the events of the past few months, we are more than ever convinced of the moral turpitude and black and damning enormity of American Slavery. That the recent action of Congress in its favor, and that too, at a time when throughout the civilized world, this atrocious system of fraud and piracy is receding before the growing intelligence and morality of the age, is insulting and disgraceful to the American people; at war with the spirit of our free institutions, and richly merits, and should receive the bitter scorn and unmitigated contempt of every good citizen.
3. Resolved, That it is the duty of every citizen of this country to treat the late Fugitive Slave Bill us a nullity; because it tramples upon every principle of Liberty, Justice, and Religion; and that we can no more obey its horrible requirements than we can abjure our religion; that we should consider obedience to it as, in fact, a renunciation of Christianity; for God has commanded us to "Deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor," and "Not to deliver to his master the servant who has escaped from his master."
4. Resolved, That the Fugitive Slave Bill, recently passed by Congress, is a monstrous and cruel device; at antipodes with every dictate of Christianity and humanity; that it is a flagrant violation of the Constitution of the U S.; a palpable outrage upon that portion of our countrymen, who are already down-trodden and oppressed; and that its speedy repeal is imperatively demanded by every thing valuable and sacred in our civil and religious institutions; and that in our opinion, it would be proper to call an extra session of Congress for this express purpose.
5. Resolved, That this Convention cordially approves of so much of the action of the Whig State Convention, recently held at Syracuse, as relates to the restriction of slavery, and expresses approbation of the course pursued in the Senate of the United States by that noble and fearless champion of freedom, Wm. H. Seward.
6. Resolved, That in as much as the Whigs at their State Convention approved Wm. H. Seward, and also the present administration, whose leading and infamous measures met with his inflexible opposition, is, to say the least, palpably and unjustifiably inconsistent and renders them wholly unworthy of the confidence of every friend of humanity.
Resolved, That the Free Democracy of this State, by forming an alliance with the Hunkers, and agreeing not to make the Jefferson Proviso their long cherished principle, a "Test;" and finally, in the recent State Convention at Syracuse, by endorsing the wicked and absurd doctrines of the last two Baltimore Conventions, have deserted the Buffalo Platform, on which they pledged themselves to "fight on and fight ever until a triumphant victory should reward their exertions;" and that in our opinion, every Free Democrat is loudly called upon to evince by his actions, that he loves principle more than party. [Our italics—CC editor.]
8. Resolved, That Congress has the constitutional power to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, and in the territories of the U. S.; and also, to abolish the Internal slave trade; and, in our opinion, that it should exercise that power forthwith.
9. Resolved, That we deem any man worthy of our suffrages, who endorses the principles embodied in these resolutions, and whom we believe to be honest and capable.
10. Resolved, That the professing christians of this nation are responsible for the late infamous acts of Congress, which are a libel on our free institution, and that they have reason to deprecate their coldness and indifference in the cause of God's poor.
Voted, that the resolutions be taken up separately. The resolutions (excepting the 4 and 10,) after a spirited discussion, were adopted.—The 4th resolution was laid on the table for the reason that the same ideas were embraced in the 3d. The 10th resolution, on motion of Rev. Mr. Thatcher, was indefinitely postponed.
Resolved, That this meeting adjourn to meet at the Court House in Cortland village, on the 15th inst., at 10 o'clock A. M. and invite all Anti-Slavery friends to meet with us for the purpose of considering what course it is proper to pursue in the present crisis of affairs.
PHILANDER KNIGHT, Sec.
SLAVE EMIGRATlON.
The Buffalo Republican has the following paragraphs:
Yesterday a party of fifty-one colored men, women and children from Pittsburg, under the command of B. G. Sampson, a mullato of very considerable ability, crossed the Ferry at Black Rock into Canada. They were all armed "to the teeth," and on their way to Toronto. When in the middle of the river they made the welkin ring with huzzas for their safe escape into a land, to them, of freedom. When they landed on the British side, they paraded on the beach and again swung their hats and gave shouts of joy, mingled with song. It is said that one hundred left Pittsburg of this party, but forty-nine dropped off and remained in the States for the present. It is also stated that fifteen hundred have organized and are on their way to Canada from the States. In this party were seven females and four children.
The singular spectacle is here presented, of a race of enslaved people, fleeing for protection to a government which first riveted their chains upon them by establishing slavery in the colonies of the United States. Sensible of the wrong she has done the colored race, the British Government has now become their friends and offers them an asylum on her shores. There is a moral in this which will not be lost, we trust, to the people of the United States.
LIBERTY PARTY CONVENTION.
The Liberty Party electors of the County of Cortland are requested to attend a County Convention for the Nomination of County Officers, on Monday next, 14th inst., at 12 o'clock noon, at the house of S. R. Ward, in Cortland village.
FOREIGN NEWS.
Arrival of the Steamship Cherokee.
New York, Oct. 5—3 P. M.—The Cherokee arrived at her wharf at 9 o'clock this morning, bringing two weeks later news from California, Oregon, &c., a large number of passengers, and over $1,000,000 in gold dust.
The Steamer Oregon arrived at Panama on the 18th Sept., having left San Francisco on the 1st., bringing down $1,500,000 in gold and 300 passengers, 250 of whom came in the Cherokee. The rest came by the Georgia, which will probably arrive to-morrow via Havana with the mails.
The San Francisco Herald says with regard to the affairs at Sacramento City: We are happy in being able to state that the disturbances almost wholly ceased after the first outbreak. The first account, as is usually the case, somewhat exaggerated the number killed, and of the combatants. The squatters fled in a short time. After the first difficulties in the street, some of the ringleaders were arrested and they are now awaiting their trial in prison.
A few days after the fight in Sacramento, Sheriff McKinney was killed in attempting to arrest a man named Allen, one of the leaders of the Squatter party. Rumors prevailed in Sacramento that a band of some 400 armed men were now in the vicinity of Weaversville, preparing to make a descent upon Sacramento for the purpose of securing the prisoners.
The wounds received by Mayor Bigelow in the affray are not likely to terminate fatally. It is said his physicians now entertain hopes of his recovery.
The news of Gen. Taylor's death was received with much concern in the country. In this city measures were immediately taken to celebrate his obsequies, which took place on Thursday last.
Since the arrival of the Steamer on the 15th, we notice a great apathy in our market generally, which can be accounted for, by the large stock of goods on hand, and the scarcity of money. Lumber still continues very abundant and scarcely averages the prices of freight.
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