Charles Sumner

Nor is there any cause by which mankind can be advanced that is not embraced by our aspirations.

In other words, it is our lofty aim to bring back the administration of the Government to the standard of a Christian Democracy, with a sincere and wide regard for Human Rights,--that it may be in reality, as in name, a Republic.

In adopting it as the paramount principle of our movement we declare our purpose to carry out the Great Idea of our institutions, as originally established.

The moving cause and animating soul of our party is the idea of Freedom.

At Baltimore and Philadelphia, in the great Conventions of these parties, Slavery triumphed.

Fellow-citizens, individuals in each of the old parties strove in vain to produce a change, and to make them exponents of growing Antislavery sentiments.

The Antislavery resolutions adopted by legislatures at the North are regarded as expressions of individual or local opinion only, and not suffered to control the action of the national party.

Neither can venture, as a party, to place itself on the side of Freedom, because, by such a course, it would disaffect that slaveholding support which is essential to its political success.

Nor is there any assurance, satisfactory to persons not biased by political associations, that either of these organizations will ever, as a national party, espouse the cause of Freedom.

Neither has ever labored to place the National Government openly, actively, and perpetually on the side of Freedom.

Neither has ever striven to divorce the National Government from Slavery.

Neither has ever opposed the extension of Slavery.

Neither has ever opposed, in any form, the coastwise slave-trade under the flag of the United States.

Neither has ever sustained any measure for the abolition of Slavery in the District of Columbia, but, on the contrary, discountenanced all such measures.

But whatever may have been, or whatever may now be, the opinions of individual members, it is undeniable, that, as national parties, they have never opposed Slavery in any form.

If the principles which we have at heart were supported openly, actively, constantly by either of the other parties, there would be no occasion for our organization.

Surely we cannot err in declaring that an administration cannot be entitled to our support, which, during the short career of a few months only, is marked by such instances of subserviency to the Slave Power, and of infidelity to the great…

The Post-Office, intrusted to a son of New England, assumes an abject neutrality, while letters committed to its care are rifled at the instigation of the Slave Power.

Clayton, as Secretary of State, in defiance of justice, and in mockery of the principles of the Declaration of Independence, refuses a national passport to a free colored citizen, alleging, that, by a rule of his Department, passports are…

And yet there are four persons in the cabinet from the Slave States, and three only from the Free States, while a Slaveholding President presides over all.

The Slave Power continues to hold its lion's share in the cabinet, and in diplomatic posts abroad,--thus ruling the country at home, and representing it in foreign lands.

The first Washington freely declared his affinity with Antislavery Societies, and that in support of any legislative measure for the abolition of Slavery HIS SUFFRAGE SHOULD NEVER BE WANTING.

We look in vain for any token that the National Government, while in his hands, will be placed openly, actively, and perpetually on the side of Freedom.

Let all its officers and members follow Washington, declaring, that, in any legislative effort for the abolition of Slavery, THEIR SUFFRAGES SHALL NEVER BE WANTING.

Let it unite with Franklin in giving countenance to the cause of Emancipation, and in stepping to the very verge of the power vested in it for DISCOURAGING every species of traffic in the persons of our fellow-men.