It spoke for American Democracy, a
sense of the sacred duty, by reason of these popular triumphs abroad, to
advance constitutional liberty, to resist monopolies. It advocated a
constant adherence to the principles and compromises of the
Constitution. It praised the administration of Mr. Polk for repealing
the tariff of 1842, and making a start toward free trade.
And not a word about slavery. The convention voted down a resolution
which favored "non-interference with the rights of property of any
portion of the people of this confederation, be it in the states or the
territories, by any other than the parties interested in them."
What of the Whigs? They made no declaration of principles whatever.
Complete silence. They nominated General Taylor, as Douglas had
predicted, upon his record in the Mexican War, the war successfully
prosecuted by President Polk, and through which California, with her
gold, had come to the United States. Taylor, the slave owner of
Louisiana! But this was not the end of Whig cunning. Millard Fillmore
was nominated for Vice President. He was from New York, had been in
Congress, had opposed the annexation of Texas, was a tariff man, had
fought side by side with J. Q. Adams for the abolition of slavery. But
also he had been the Congressman who had carried the appropriation of
$30,000 for Morse's telegraph.
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