Doughface Convention in New York City

John Adams Dix - We ♥ South Carolina!

Ex-president Millard Fillmore was right – there was going to be another meeting of Southern sympathizers in New York State – specifically in New York City on Saturday, December 15th.

Here are excerpts from a very long article in the December 17, 1860 issue of The New-York Times:

A private meeting was held on Saturday, at the office of RICHARD LATHERS, Esq., No. 33 Pine-street, to adopt measures for the postponement of Southern action on the subject of Disunion. No persons were admitted except those to whom written invitations had been sent, reporters even from the Press being excluded. …

The meeting was called to order by Mr. LATHERS, who spoke of the disastrous condition into which the country had been brought by the sectional agitators of the North, who had pushed their aggressions so far that the South, hopeless of its rights under the Confederacy, proposes to save its institutions out of it. We have met, said Mr. L., to ask them in a fraternal spirit to pause and consider their duties to that part of their Northern brethren whose sympathies have always been with Southern rights and against Northern aggression; to cooperate with us in bringing back to its pristine integrity our common heritage — the Constitution — and rebuke and effectually put down the fell spirit which threatens to divide us. We propose to send a Committee to the South, to lay our views before their statesmen, and to express our sympathy for their wrongs, and to assure them of our continued cooperation and hopes of success in speedily procuring for them that equality which abstract justice, as well as the Constitution, guarantees to them and their institutions. We wish to assure them not only of our own fidelity to the Constitution, and our fraternal feelings to all parts of our common country, but to inspire them with hope that the evils of abolition have culminated, and that a returning sense of justice will mark the future legislation of the nullifying States of the North. …

There followed many speeches and a letter from South Carolina saying secession was inevitable. Nevertheless, toward the close of the meeting:

Gen. DIX also reported the following

Whereas, The Constitution of the United States was designed to secure equal rights and privileges to the people of all the States which were either parties to its formation or which have subsequently thereto become members of the Union; and

Whereas, The said instrument contained certain stipulations in regard to the surrender of fugitive slaves, under the designation of “persons held to service or labor in one State, under the laws thereof, escaping into another,” which stipulations were designed to be complied with by the act of Congress making provision for such surrender; and

Whereas, The agitated state of the country, arising out of differences of opinion in regard to these provisions, demands that we should declare explicitly our sense of the obligations arising under them; therefore

Resolved, That the delivery of fugitive slaves to their masters is an obligation enjoined by the Constitution, in which all good citizens are bound to acquiesce; and that all laws passed by the States with a view to embarrass and obstruct the execution of the act of Congress making provision therefor, are an infraction of that instrument, and should be promptly repealed.

Resolved, That the Territories of the united States are the common property of the people thereof; that they are, of right, and ought to be, open to the free immigration of citizens of all the States, with their families, and with whatever is the subject of personal ownership under the laws of the States from which they emigrated; that the relation of master and slave cannot, during the Territorial condition, be rightfully disturbed by Federal or loyal legislation; and that the people of any such Territory can only dispose of the question of Slavery in connection with their own political organization, when they form a Constitution with a view to their admission into the Union as a State.

Resolved, That we pledge ourselves to uphold these principles by all the means in our power; to seek by all practicable efforts a redress of the wrongs of which the Southern States justly complain, and to maintain their equality under the Constitution, in the full enjoyment of all the rights and privileges it confers.

Resolved, That while we deplore the existing excitement in the Southern States, we do not hesitate to say that there is just ground for it. But we earnestly entreat our Southern brethren to abstain from hasty and inconsiderate action, that time may be afforded for bringing about a reconciliation of existing differences, and that the Union of the States — the source of our prosperity and power — may be preserved and perpetuated by a restoration of public harmony and mutual confidence.

Resolved, That Hon. MILLARD FILLMORE, Hon. GREENE O. BRONSON and RICHARD LATHERS, Esq., be appointed a Committee to proceed to the South, with a view to make such explanation to our Southern brethren, in regard to the objects embraced in the address and resolutions, as they may deem necessary, and to give such further assurances as may be needed to manifest our determination to maintain their rights. …

1) The Constitution and Popular Sovereignty. The ex-president was going to be asked to head south with a couple other gentlemen. Google Books has published the memoirs of Richard Lathers, who actually grew up in South Carolina

2) John Adams Dix was at that time New York city’s postmaster.

3) You can read all about the meeting at The New York Times Archive, including the fact that Lt.-Gen. W. Scott was apparently an invitee.

4) The Times editorialized about the meeting here. The editorial says the meeting was basically a meeting of the Democrat party in the City. The peace-niks weren’t thinking about the good of the country – they were trying to prevent the South from seceding for the good of the party.