Herkimer Convention. The Voice of New York! Proceedings of the Herkimer Mass Convention of Oct. 26, 1847, with the Speeches of the Hon. David Wilmot, of Pa.; C.C. Cambreleng, John Van Buren, and others.

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“Free Trade, Free Labor, Free Soil, Free Speech and Free Men.” Albany pamphlet issued as a newspaper “Extra” of the Albany Atlas, publishing the anti-slavery proceedings of the 1847 Democratic State Convention at Herkimer, New York.

The convention resolved to adopt the provisions of the Congressional proposal known as the Wilmot Proviso which opposed allowing slavery in territories recently acquired from Mexico in the Mexican–American War. Congressman David Wilmot himself attended the convention. His remarks are summarized here and, to give a fairer account of his sentiments, the pamphlet reprints a speech he gave in Albany following the convention.

Also found are speeches by former congressmen from New York, C.C. Cambreleng and Bradford R. Wood and John Van Buren, lawyer and son of President Martin Van Buren. The proceedings reveal a growing rift in the Democratic Party on the issue of slavery that would engender third-party movements such as the Free Soil Party.

Price: $275.00