The case is a hard one,-indeed, is so un- | just as to shock every sense of right. A colored boy, under the charge that he was a slave and had escaped from his owner, is taken to Kentucky and imprisoned until his owner calls for and takes him away. No owner can be found for him; none calls to claim him, even at the end of months of imprisonment. Every presumption was in favor of his innocence. Indeed, he is proved to have been born free. Instead of being released, however, as he should have been, and returned to Ohio, he is still longer detained in prison until he pays the cost of his keeping for the previous months. He had no means when he was taken to prison on the charge of being a runaway slave, and while in confinement he had no opportunity of earning what would pay his board in jail, or even court and jail fees. In fine, he was worse off, pecuniarily, at the end of six months, than he was at the commencement. He had not been imprisoned and kept in confinement for any violation of the laws of Kentucky, not even for vagrancy. He was taken into the State against his will, and imprisoned on suspicion that he was the slave of some person or persons in Virginia. The laws of Kentucky, instead of making the party who had the boy imprisoned pay all the expenses attending the imprisonment, as right and justice would plainly dictate, require the innocent party not only to undergo the imprisonment, but to pay the costs of his unjust incarceration; and, if he fails to pay, he is sold into perpetual slavery. Can any case be harder than that? The Cincinnati "Gazette" states that the sale of the boy was hurried on, that the By a decision of the Kentucky courts, Charles Wegoner is to be sold into slavery this morning, in our neighboring city of Newport. We have already published the details of this case. The father of the boy has visited the jail and identified him as his son. He has made affidavit in due form, stating that he and his wife removed from Virginia to Ohio in 1831, both being free at that time, and had resided in this State ever since, that the boy in Newport jail is his son James, now nineteen years old; that he was in Cincinnati in July, 1859, and saw James, who was then working for Joseph Thomas, who called him Charlie; also that James was born in Ohio, and was never out of the State till within a year. Mr. Joseph Thomas has also made affidavit that the boy in Newport jail was his servant in this city, and he called him Charlie; and that while in his employ an old man came to see him, who Charlie said was his father. Mrs. J. F. Whiteman sends a statement, not sworn to, that she has known James Wagoner for eight years, and knows him and the family to be free. WEDNESDAY, MAY 16. REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.-This day, the Republican National Convention assembled at Chicago, Illinois. Delegates were in attendance from all the free States, as also from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas,* the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska, and the District of Columbia. On motion of Gov. Morgan, of New York, Mr. David Wilmot, of Pennsylvania, was chosen temporary chairman, committees on permanent organization, credentials, &c. were appointed, and the convention was permanently organized by the selection of George Ashmun, of Mass., as president, and a vice-president and secretary from each State and Territory represented. A committee was appointed to draw up a platform, and the convention adjourned. Upon reassembling, on the 17th, an ineffectual effort was made to require a vote equal to a majority of full delegations from all the States, to nominate candidates for President and Vice-President, which would have been equivalent to a two-thirds rule; and the convention decided, by a vote of 331 to 130, that only a majority of those voting should be required. The convention then proceeded to pass the following PLATFORM. population, its surprising development of material resources, its rapid augmentation of wealth, its happiness at home, and its all schemes for disunion, come from whathonor abroad; and we hold in abhorrence the country that no Republican member ever source they may, and we congratulate the threats of disunion, so often made by of Congress has uttered or countenanced Democratic members, without rebuke, and with applause from their political associ ates; and we denounce those threats of dis union in case of a popular overthrow of their ascendency, as denying the vital principles of a free government, and as an the imperative duty of an indignant people avowal of contemplated treason, which it is sternly to rebuke and forever silence. rights of the States, and especially the right of each State to order and control its own domestic institutions, according to its own judgments exclusively, is essential to that and endurance of our political fabric de balance of powers on which the perfection pend; and we denounce the lawless invasion by armed force of the soil of any State of Territory, no matter under what pretext, as among the gravest of crimes. 4. That the maintenance inviolate of the 5. That the present Democratic Adminis tration has far exceeded our worst apprehensions, in its measureless subserviency to the exactions of a sectional interest, as espe Resolved, That we, the delegated representatives of the Republican electors of the cially evinced in its desperate exertions to United States, in convention assembled, in force the infamous Lecompton Constitution discharge of the duty we owe to our consti- upon the protesting people of Kansas; in tuents and our country, unite in the follow-construing the personal relation betwee ing declarations: 1. That the history of the nation during the last four years has fully established the propriety and necessity of the organization and perpetuation of the Republican party, and that the causes which called it into ex istence are permanent in their nature, and now, more than ever before, demand its peaceful and constitutional triumph. 2. That the maintenance of the principles promulgated in the Declaration of Independence, and embodied in the Federal Constitution," That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,"-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 must and shall be preserved. 3. That to the union of the States this nation owes its unprecedented increase in The delegation from Texas has since been proved fraudulent. master and servant to involve an unquali enforcement, everywhere, on land and ses, fied property in persons; in its attempted of the Federal courts, of the extreme pre through the intervention of Congress and tensions of a purely local interest; and in its general and unvarying abuse of the power intrusted to it by a confiding people 6. That the people justly view with alar the reckless extravagance which pervades every department of the Federal Govern ment; that a return to rigid economy an accountability is indispensable to arrest Systematic plunder of the public treasur by favored partisans; while the rece startling developments of frauds and ec ruptions at the Federal metropolis sh that an entire change of administration imperatively demanded. 7. That the new dogma that the Cons tution, of its own force, carries slavery is any or all of the Territories of the Uni States, is a dangerous political heresy, variance with the explicit provisions of t instrument itself, with contemporaneous e position, and with legislative and judices precedent, is revolutionary in its tendency, and subversive of the peace and hars of the country. 8. That the normal condition of all the territory of the United States is that of freedom; that as our republican fathers, when they 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, by legislation, whenever such legislation is necessary, to maintain this provision of the Constitution against all attempts to violate it; and we deny the authority of Congress, of a Territorial Legislature, or of any individuals to give legal existence to slavery in any territory of the United States. 9. That we brand the recent reopening of the African slave-trade, under the cover of our national flag, aided by perversion of judicial power, as a crime against humanity and a burning shame to our country and age; and we call upon Congress to take prompt and efficient measures for the total and final suppression of that execrable traffic. 10. That in the recent vetoes, by their Federal Governors, of the acts of the Legislatures of Kansas and Nebraska, prohibiting slavery in those Territories, we find a prac-| tical illustration of the boasted Democratic principle of Non-Intervention and Popular Sovereignty embodied in the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and a demonstration of the deception and fraud involved therein. 11. That Kansas should, of right, be immediately admitted as a State, under the Constitution recently formed and adopted by her people and accepted by the House of Representatives. 12. That while providing revenue for the support of the General Government by duties upon imports, sound policy requires such an adjustment of these imposts as to encourage the development of the industrial interests of the whole country; and we commend that policy of national exchanges which secures to the working-men liberal wages, to agriculture remunerating prices, to mechanics and manufacturers an adequate reward for their skill, labor, and enterprise, and to the nation commercial prosperity and independence. 13. That we protest against any sale or alienation to others of the public lands held by actual settlers, and against any view of the Homestead policy which regards the settlers as paupers or suppliants for public bounty; and we demand the passage by Congress of the complete and satisfactory Homestead measure which has already passed the House. 14. That the Republican party is opposed to any change in our naturalization-laws or any State legislation by which the rights of citizenship hitherto accorded to emigrants from foreign lands shall be abridged or impaired; and in favor of giving a full and efficient protection to the right of all classes of citizens, whether native or naturalized, both at home and abroad. 15. That appropriations by Congress for river and harbor improvements of a national character, required for the accommodation and security of an existing commerce, are authorized by the Constitution, and justified by the obligations of Government to protect the lives and property of its citizens. 16. That a railroad to the Pacific Ocean is imperatively demanded by the interests of the whole country; that the Federal Government ought to render immediate and efficient aid in its construction; and that, as a preliminary thereto, a daily overland mail should be promptly established. 17. Finally, having thus set forth our distinctive principles and views, we invite the co-operation of all citizens, however differing on other questions, who substantially agree with us in their affirmance and support. Adjourned. Upon reassembling on the 18th, the naming of candidates for the Presidency being in order, William H. Evarts, of New York, named William H. Seward. Mr. Judd, of Illinois, named Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Dudley, of New Jersey, nominated William L. Dayton. Governor Reeder, of Pennsylvania, nominated Simon Cameron. Mr. Carter, of Ohio, nominated Salmon P. Chase. Francis P. Blair, of Maryland, nominated Edward Bates. Indiana seconded the nomination of Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Austin Blair, of Michigan, seconded the nomination of Mr. Seward; so also did Carl Schurz, of Wisconsin, Mr. Worth, of Minnesota, and Mr. Wilder, of Carter, of Ohio, said, "I arise, Mr. Chairman, to announce the change of four votes from Ohio from Mr. Chase to Mr. Lincoln." This gave Mr. Lincoln a majority. Mr. McCrillis announced that Maine gave her full vote to Mr. Lincoln. Mr. Andrew, of Massachusetts, changed the vote of that State, giving 18 to Mr. Lincoln and 8 to Mr. Seward. Missouri, Iowa, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Minnesota also changed their votes, giving Abraham Lincoln 354 votes, who was thereupon declared duly nominated. On motion of Mr. William H. Evarts, of New York, seconded by Mr. Andrew, of Massachusetts, the nomination was then made unanimous. On motion of Mr. Evarts, of New York, the convention now took a recess until five o'clock, to afford time for consultation as to Vice-President. At five o'clock the convention reassembled and proceeded to ballot for Vice-President, with the following result: Massachusetts withdrew the name of Mr. Banks, and cast 26 votes for Mr. Hamlin. Pennsylvania withdrew the name of Governor Reeder, and cast 54 votes for Mr. Hamlin. On motion of Mr. Blakey, of Kentucky, the nomination was made unanimous. The convention then adopted the following, offered by Mr. J. R. Giddings, of Ohio: Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with those men who have been driven some from their native States, and others from the States of their adoption, and are now exiled from their homes on account of their opinions; and we hold the Democratic party responsible for the gross violations of that clause of the Constitution which declares that citizens of each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of citizens of the several States. The convention then adjourned sine die. |