State organizations have been formed in all of the free, and in some of the slave states; and over nearly all the Union, free soil associations and the most enthusiastic meetings have extended. Even a brief outline of these would swell the work to an undue size. For this reason, the frank and highly honorable letter of the Hon. John P. Hale, withdrawing his name as the candidate of the Liberty Party, and supporting Van Buren, and Adams, has been omitted.
The brief history of this question in the 29th Congress, also, is covered but in part by the speech of the Hon. David Wilmot, at Herkimer.-New York, though not the first, was in the van of this great movement. Her able Senator, John A. Dix, in a most powerful free soil speech in the Senate, in March, 1847, on the "Three Million Bill," nearly two years ago, closed with these emphatic words :“But I say for her, (New-York,) and in her name, and I believe I do not misunderstand her resolutions, that she can never consent to become a party to the extension of slavery to free territory on this continent."
Many of the documents contained in these pages are among the ablest political papers which have come before the country since the formation of this government. They disclose the honesty, firmness and intelligence of those who have enlisted under the Free Soil banner, and that with the names of VAN BUREN and ADAMS inscribed on its ample folds, they are determined never to yield the contest till the victory is won.
Errata, p. 96. For CHARLES F. ADAMS. read HENRY DODGE.