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Grand Rapids Convention: For The Signal Of Liberty

Grand Rapids Convention: For The Signal Of Liberty image
Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
October
Year
1846
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

At a Convention oí ibe Liberty party, held at Grand Rapids. Sopt. 23, for tho purpose of nominnting two condidd'es lor the office ol Representativo for the District composed of the countücs of Kent and Ottawa, Rice 11. Prkscott, and Geouge M. Bakker, wero unnnimouely nomnated as euch candidateo. Mensures wero tlicn concerted and agreed upon to huid Liberty meetings in the scveral organized townshipa in this District.The Conveniion then went into Committee of tho wliolc npon resolutions exprossive of the aensc of this meeting ; when after aome discuss on and a litile opposition on the ground of xpcdiency, but none upon principie, the foliowng preamble and resolutions were unanimously doplcd: Whereas, the Government of thia republic manatos diroctly from atidis responsiva to the )cople thereof, and whereas, the people ara resonsible for all the abuses oí such Government nlesa they speuk and vote directly against hem: And whereas, theains of omissionaro so nearly llied 10 commission that to refuso or osgiect to peak nnd vote against tho unjuat measurea o Government is nearly the ame as speaking and oting jn favor of them: And whereas, the jinig this or any other olitical party cannot possibly release us from any f our obligations or responsibities or abrógate ny of the duties we may owe 10 ourselves, our )osteriiy, our country, or our God: And whereas, it is as inucb. tlie duty of the .iberty party as of any othcr party to be conslanty and vigilantly on the watth, to scarch out and xpúse all the wrongs, corruptions and usurpaons thal rnay from lime to time have crept into ur Government, and to opposeall unjust and nconstitutional lawa that ina be enacted or roposed And whereas, it is a piece of superlative inonsistency to exposé and denounce the corrup - ons and abominations that may have been rought into any Government by Qjhir putics ■iihoul oursolvea proposing to reform iliuni : nd mm. nating ond supporting for office men ho are pledged to carry out such reformations : And whereas, the system of American Sluvey is a groas and shameful violation of all he principies upon which the Cynstitution of hc United States was bascd : And whereas, all aliempts to reconcüe su ch Constitution with elavery results in construing lie noblo instrument to death in rcducing it to hopcless ruin, a form without a substance, a ody without a soul, a caput mortuum, a mere lullity : iherefore, Resolved, Ttiat first and foremost, nnd paranount to every othor object aha!! be our ''eternal losiility" to Slavery and that we will both morlly and politically, with all our Conatitutional powers, opposo the extensión or coMinuaiion oi he foul curse. Resolved, That taxation without représenla 'onor any aystem of taxation which is unequal nd consequently unjust. isa direct viulation of he inalienable right9 of individual, audcontrary o the fust principies ty which we proíessed to be governed.Uosolved, That maintainingn standing ormy n timo of peace is wrong in principie, dangeroua o our liberties and to the purity of our Governnent, and it obligesus to pay a heavy and oneruus lax without the least shadow of benefit. Resohed, Tliat we will favor a rediiction in he salaries of most of our noiionul and staie oficers, believing it ibsoluteiy necKssary to save he country froin the great and increasing cvils of excessive legislation, and the disgraceful scrambles for office. Resolved, That we will favor such alteralions n the torm3 of our Government as ehall render 11 the principal oSieers elective by the pevple. Resolved, That we will oppose all pariial legslaiion, exclusivo privileges or legaJtzed nionyp lies, as they are inoompniiblc with tho doctrine of equal rihts to all men. Resolved, That in Wm. Goodkll of New 'ork, we behold a good jurist of the most proound wi sdom and knowledge, a Stutesman of est broad and comprehonsive views, and above 11 a moíl finí), consistent and exomplary C-kristan, and a man every wny well qualifiud to ill lie Presidential cháir, and one we wouidIadlv ee nominated by the Libeity party. Resolved, That the Secre'.ary bo requested to orward a copy of the procetdings to ihe Signal of Liberty.