35; Jacob Collamer, 15; John A. King, 9; Gen. S. C. Pomeroy, 8; Thomas Ford, 7; Henry Wilson, 5; Cassius M. Clay, 4; Henry C. Carey, 3; J. R. Giddings, 2; W. F. Johnson, 2; and A. C. M. Pennington, 1. The nomination of William L. Dayton was then on formal ballot made unanimous. The convention then adopted the following declaration of principles, and separated with great confidence and unanimity of purpose:

This Convention of Delegates, assembled in pursuance of a call addressed to the people of the United States, without regard to past polit. ical differences or divisions, who are opposed to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, to the policy of the present Administration, to the extension of slavery into Free Territory; in favor of admitting Kansas as a Free State, of restoring the action of the Federal Government to the principles of Washington and Jefferson, and who purpose to unite in presenting candidates for the offices of President and Vice President, do resolve as follows:

Kesolved, That the maintenance of the principles promulgated in the Declaration of Independence and embodied in the Federal Constitution is essential to the preservation of our Republican Institutions, and that the Federal Constitution, the rights of the States, and the Union of the States shall be preserved.

Resolved, That with our republican fathers we hold it to be a selfevident truth, that all men are endowed with the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that the primary object and ulterior designs of our Federal Government were, to secure these rights to all persons within its exclusive jurisdiction; that, as our republican fathers, when they had abolished Slavery in all our national territory, ordained that no person should be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, it becomes our duty to maintain this provision of the Constitution against all attempts to violate it for the purpose of establishing Slavery in any territory of the United States, by positive legislation, prohibiting its existence or extension therein. That we deny the authority of Congress, of a territorial legislature, of any individual or association of individuals, to give legal existence to Slavery in any territory of the United States, while the present Constitution shall be maintained.

Resolved, That the Constitution confers upon Congress sovereign power over the territories of the United States for their government, and that in the exercise of this power it is both the right and the duty of Congress to prohibit in the territories those twin relics of barbarismPolygamy and Slavery.

Resolved, That while the Constitution of the United States was ordained and established by the people in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, and secure the blessings of liberty, and contains ample provisions for the protection of the life, liberty and property of every citizen, the dearest constitutional rights of the people of Kansas have been fraudulently and violently taken from them-their territory has

been invaded by an armed force-spurious and pretended legislative, judicial and executive officers have been set over them, by whose usurped authority, sustained by the military power of the Government, tyrannical and unconstitutional laws have been enacted and enforced-the rights of the people to keep and bear arms have been infringed-test caths of an extraordinary and entangling nature have been imposed, as condition of exercising the right of suffrage and holding office-the right of an accused person to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury has been denied-the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures has been violated-they have been deprived of life, liberty and property without due process of law-that the freedom of speech and of the press has been abridged-the right to choose their representatives has been made of no effect-murders, robberies and arsons have been instigated and encouraged, and the offenders have been allowed to go unpunished-that all these things have been done with the knowledge, sanction and procurement of the present Administration, and that for this high crime against the Constitution, the Union and Humanity, we arraign the Administration, the President, his advisers, agents, supporters, apologists and accessories, either before or after the facts, before the country and before the world, and that it is our fixed purpose to bring the actual perpetrators of these atrocious outrages, and their accomplices, to a sure and condign punishment, hereafter.

Resolved, That Kansas should be immediately admitted as a State of the Union, with her present free Constitution, as at once the most effectual way of securing to her citizens the enjoyment of the rights and privileges to which they are entitled; and of ending the civil strife now raging in her territory.

Resolved, That the highwayman's plea, that "might makes right," embodied in the Ostend Circular, was in every respect unworthy of American diplomacy, and would bring shame and dishonor upon any government or people that gave it their sanction.

Resolved, That a railroad to the Pacific Ocean, by the most central and practicable route, is imperatively demanded by the interests of the whole country, and that the Federal Government ought to render immediate and efficient aid in its construction; and, as an auxiliary thereto, the immediate construction of an emigrant route on the line of the railroad,

Resolved, That appropriations by Congress for the improvement of rivers and harbors, of a national character, required for the accommodation and security of our existing commerce, are authorized by the Constitution, and justified by the obligation of government to protect the lives and property of its citizens.

The remnants of the Whigs, in order to give their party a formal sepulture, met in National Convention at Baltimore-Edward Bates, of Missouri, presidingSept. 13, 1856, and by the following platform pledged their support to secure the election of Fillmore:

Resolved, That the Whigs of the United States, now here assembled, hereby declare their reverence for the Constitution of the United States, their unalterable attachment to the National Union, and a fixed deter mination to do all in their power to preserve them for themselves and their posterity. They have no new principles to announce; no new platform to establish; but are content to broadly rest-where their

fathers rested-upon the Constitution of the United States, wishing no safer guide, no higher law.

Resolved, That we regard with the deepest interest and anxiety the present disordered condition of our national affairs-a portion of the country ravaged by civil war, large sections of our population embittered by mutual recriminations; and we distinctly trace these calamities to the culpable neglect of duty by the present national administration.

Resolved, That the Government of the United States was formed by the conjunction in political unity of wide spread geographical sections materially differing, not only in climate and products, but in social and domestic institutions; and that any cause that shall permanently array the different sections of the Union in political hostility and organized parties founded only on geographical distinctions must inevitably prove fatal to a continuance of the National Union.

Resolved, That the Whigs of the United States declare, as a fundamental article of political faith, an absolute necessity for avoiding geographical parties. The danger, so clearly discerned by the Father of his country, has now become fearfully apparent in the agitation now convulsing the nation, and must be arrested at once if we would preserve our Constitution and our Union from dismemberment, and the name of America from being blotted out from the family of civilized nations.

Resolved, That all who revere the Constitution and the Union, must look with alarm at the parties in the field in the present Presidential campaign-one claiming only to represent sixteen Northern States, and the other appealing mainly to the passions and prejudices of the Southern States; that the success of either faction must add fuel to the flame which now threatens to wrap our dearest interests in a common ruin.

Resolved, That the only remedy for an evil so appalling is to support a candidate pledged to neither of the geographical sections nor arrayed in political antagonism, but holding both in a just and equal regard. We congratulate the friends of the Union that such a candidate exists in Millard Fillmore.

Resolved, That, without adopting or referring to the peculiar doctrines of the party which has already selected Mr. Fillmore as a candidate, we look to him as a well-tried and faithful friend of the Constitution and the Union, eminent alike for his wisdom and firmness-for his justice and moderation in our foreign relations--for his calm and pacific temperament, so well becoming the head of a great nation-for his devotion to the Constitution in its true spirit-his inflexibility in executing the laws; but, beyond all these attributes, in possessing the one transcendent merit of being a representative of neither of the two sectional parties now struggling for political supremacy.

Resolved, That, in the present exigency of political affairs, we are not called upon to discuss the subordinate questions of administration in the exercising of the Constitutional powers of the Government. It is enough to know that civil war is raging, and that the Union is in peril; and we proclaim the conviction that the restoration of Mr. Fillmore to the Presidency will furnish the best if not the only means of restoring peace.

The Democrats in the October elections carried the States of Pennsylvania and Indiana, and thus removed all uncertainty about the result in November. The Republican party at once entered upon a dangerous

rivalry; for Buchanan lacked 377,629 votes of a popular majority over Fremont and Fillmore.

VII. FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

In connection with finances, it appears that a revenue of three-fourths of the annual expenditures is sufficient for current expenses. This arises from the fact that the other fourth is kept floating and in the course of settlement is transferred to the following year. The imposts on exports and imports were about equal. While the expenditures increased, there was a decrease of the public debt to the amount of $34,166,792.

Year. Public Debt. Expenditures. Exports.

Imports.

VIII. OUTLINE OF CONCURRENT EVENTS.

The Crimean War: In a dispute between Russia and Turkey, England joined France, (afterwards joined by Sardinia), in war against Russia, March 27; The Allies-25,000 British, 25,000 French and 8,000 Turks-landed at Old Fort, Crimea, Sept. 14; Battle of Alma, Sept. 20; Siege of Sebastopol begun Oct. 17; Battle of Balaklava, Oct. 25; Battle of Inkerman, Nov. 5, 1854. In September, 1855, the Allies entered Sebastopol and the war was ended by the Peace of Paris, March 30, 1856.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF JAMES BUCHANAN. Democratic, One Term, 1857 to 1861.

I. CABINET.

PRESIDENT.

1857. James Buchanan, Pennsylvania.

VICE PRESIDENT.

1857. John C. Breckinridge, Kentucky.

SECRETARIES OF STATE.

1857. Lewis Cass, Michigan.

1860. Jeremiah S. Black, Pennsylvania.

SECRETARIES OF THE TREASURY.

1857. Howell Cobb, Georgia.

1860. Philip F. Thomas, Maryland. 1861. John A. Dix, New York.

SECRETARIES OF WAR.

1857. John B. Floyd, Virginia.

1861. Joseph Holt, Kentucky,

SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.

1857. Isaac Tousey, Connecticut.

SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

1857. Jacob Thompson, Mississippi.

POSTMASTERS GENERAL.

1857. Aaron V. Brown, Tennessee. 1859. Joseph Holt, Kentucky.

1861. Horatio King, Maine.

ATTORNEYS GENERAL.

1857. Jeremiah S. Black, Pennsylvania. 1860. Edwin M. Stanton, Pennsylvania.