Democratic State Convention

A Democratie State Convention, called íor tho purpose of nominating a oandidate for Justice of tlie Suprome Court-, and for consultation, was huid at Merrill Hall, Detroit, on Thursday, the 7th inst. Owing lo tho shortness oi the cíill, the larga representation called for, and tho severe vreather, the Convention was not fllu. Most of the counties in the lower península were ropresentedjhowever, 5y prominent and life-long Demócrata. The Convention pormanently organized by the election of President - Kon. Ferius S.Fitcii, of Ingham. Vice President - Henry Fralick, of Wayne; O. W. Bennett, of Jaekson ; .Joseph W. Brown, of Lena wee; John Almy, of Kent; Lewia S. Tyler, of Gencsee ; Benjamin Fovvle, Hilldale; Jesse Helmick, of Berrien ; Johnson Niles, of Oakland. Secretarles Geo. N. Chase, of Wayiw ; W. C. Bojlon, of St. Josoph ; H, P. Crouse, of Livingston. The following resolutions reported from a committee of thirteen, of whioh Hon. R. McClelland was chairrnan-, were unaniraously adopted: 1. Resolved, That the democracy of Michigan, by their delegates in convention assembled, again solemnly renew their pledges of unreserved affection and loyalty to the Federal Constitution and Union. They recognize thdm as the charter of our civil liberty and the foundation of our unpaialleled prosperity. They bolieve that not ony our own national interest, but the best and dearest hope of humanity the world over, are concerned in their preservation. They, therefore, in view of impendiag disunion, declare it to be the duty of every party and every patriot, laying aside sectional prejudioes and partisan preferences, to unite in meas ures of peaoe. conciliation, and fratornity in behalf oi our common country. 2. That we should ever bear in mtnd that this Union was formed from many distinct States ; that ita wide area now embraces communUies of different institntions; that our fathers luid ics original foundations in a spirit of liberal and patriotic forbearance and cmpromises; that tha bonds of this Union A'ere neither armies, nor navies, nor any fonn of physical foroe, but the fraternal feelingsand natural aympathy ol freemen, and ajust respect for mutual rights; thai a Union so founded can be maintained by no other niethod; that coerción can never win back lost afleection nor restore impaired confidence ; while a constant respect by each section of the rights and institutions of the rest can not fail to fostor a sentiment of loyalty to the government and of the aöection between all sections of the Confederacy, vvhich wil] make the Union as enduring as it Las been glorious. 3. That secession of any Stato or States from the Union i.s not a constitutional, but only a revolutionary right. It can never be justilied by slight causes, but only whn great constitutional rights are impaired or tramplecl down, and the rightful constitutionai method of redress has failod ; that we, therefore, condemn and deplore the revolution so hastily precipitated in the Cotton States ; but tho unanitnity and rapidity whioh has marked this great rupture should adrnonish us that whole communities never plunge into revolution except from a sentiment of great actual or threatened wrong ; thut menace and coerción can only aggravate and arouse the spuit of a people who believe their rights, their honor, or domestic sufety iinperiled ; and that, therefore, it is the first duty of the government and of the peoplo to regard and respect the complaints of' any State, promptly to remove all gnevances or causo of alarm, and, w benevér neodful, to give such renewed assurance8 and guarautees as may be neces?ay to restore the confidence of an}' disatïected section of tho Union 4. That, whilü we shall steadfastly uphold and support the constitutional authorities of the Repub;ic, irrespective of party, and while we affirm the duty of every section of the country to juin in such support, we hereby declare our conviction that, in the present condition of the country, the only path of' safety is that of conciliation and justice ; that coerción by arms is civil war; that civil war is disunion, absolute and forever ; and we therelore earnestly council against all menaces or acts of coerción of States by arms, as not ouly vain for any good, but certain to yield a hloody harvest of public aud private woes. 5. That we again protest against the Personal Liberty iïills, so called, becauwe they are aggressivo and hostile in their character towards the rights and iustitution8 of the slaveholding States, and were so designe 1 ; because they aro unnecessary, unoODBtitUtionftl, and unfraternal ; because thoy are fruitfu) causes of sectional irritation and crimination ; bocause, thereforo, they are unwortby óf ourselves aud our State ; and we again appeal to tbose who have tha power to erase them wholly from the eiatute books 6. That, notwithstandin,"x our party differenees, we ootnmend the late aeciaration of Senator geward, in the U. 8. Sonate, that all platforms mustyield to the safety of tho Ropublic ; that every onj who shall stand in the way of the preservation of the Union must id tho end be swept away iu the whirluind of popular indignation ; and, in the present great paril of the Union and ConetitutioD, tho democracy of Michigan waiving all other ditlerence-, will stand shoulder to shoulder with all men who nobly Facrifico partisan opinious and interests to the iutegrity of the Union ; that our thanks are duo to the eininent statesmen of every p-.irty who have advanced measures or sentiments of compromiso and conuiliation ; and that vo believe that, if all partisan feelinga shall bö put behlnd us, tho people oí tho country will reudily find in tho propositions of eithor Senntor Crittenden, Senator Douglas, or oí tho Bordar State (Jommittee, the elements of au honorable and adequate odjustment of all our present unhappy suifes. 7. That Virginia, by her propósition for a convention to deviso measures of. conciliatiou, has aeted woi thy of her ancient renown ; that, wiiile our sister States ara so unaniinously bearing their offeringa of peace and arnity to that great fraternal eounci!, we feel profoundly indignant and rnortified at the falso positioii in whioh Mi'.;hiian is placed by tho fanaticism of a majority of her rulors; that we believe that this action does foul wrong to a large miijority of our peoplo, and is a stain that must and shall bc washed away froia the good namo of our Siato. The following resolution was also adopted : Resolved, Thr.t the resolution adopted by this convention be engrossed and signod by the President, Vioo Presidenta, and Seóretaries, and forwarded to the President of the convention now asRembled at Washington by invitation oí the State oí Virginia, to be presented to said convention as tho voiee of a rnajorityof the people of Michigan. After a f uil consultation and discussion the convention adjourned to meet in Detroit on the Tth day ol Marcb, for the purpose of notninating a candidate for Judge, and for the transaction of other business which may be presented.