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declare themselves in favor of free seas and progressive free trade throughout the world, and by solemn manifestations, to place their moral influence at the side of their successful example.

2. Resolved, That our geographical and political position with reference to other states of this continent, no less than the interest of our commerce and the development of our growing power, requires that we should hold as sacred the principles involved in the Monroe doctrine; their bearing and import admit of no misconstruction; they should be applied with unbending rigidity.

3. Resolved, That the great highway which nature, as well as the assent of the states most immediately interested in its maintenance, has marked out for a free communication between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, constitutes one of the most important achievements realized by a spirit of modern times, and the unconquerable energy of our people. That result should be secured by a timely and efficient exertion of the control which we have the right to claim over it, and no power on earth should be suffered to impede or clog its progress by any interference with the relations it may suit our policy to establish between our government and the governments of the states within whose dominions it lies. We can, under no circumstance, surrender our preponderance in the adjustment of all questions arising out of it.

4. Resolved, That in view of so commanding an interest, the people of the United States cannot but sympathize with the efforts which are being made by the people of Central America to regenerate that portion of the continent which covers the passage across the Inter-oceanic Isthmus.

5. Resolved, That the Democratic party will expect of the next administration that every proper effort will be made to insure our ascendancy in the Gulf of Mexico, and to maintain a permanent protection in the great outlets through which are emptied into its waters the products raised out of the soil, and the commodities created by the industry of the people of our Western valleys, and of the Union at large.

Resolved, That the Democratic party recognises the great importance, in a political and commercial point of view, of a safe and speedy communication, by military and postal roads through our own territory, between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of this Union, and that it is the duty of the federal government to exercise promptly all its constitutional power for the attainment of that object.

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JOHN CHARLES FREMONT,

THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT.

SEVERAL biographies of this accomplished mathematician and indomitable explorer have been issued since he was nominated for the Presidency by the "National People's Convention" at Philadelphia. From these we learn that he is the son of a French gentleman of the same name, who, not long after his arrival in this country, married Mrs. Ann Beverly Whiting, of Gloucester county, Va. The "first fruit" of this union was the subject of this sketch, who was born at Savannah, Ga., January 21, 1813. Five years after this event, when

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Mr. Fremont was making arrangements to return to France with his family, he suddenly died, leaving his widow, with two sons and a daughter, but ill provided for in a pecuniary view. Bowed down, but not discouraged," she gathered her scanty resources together, and settled in Charleston, S. C, where, at the age of thirteen, Charles was taken into the office of John W. Mitchell, Esq., who, actuated by benevolent motives, afterwards had him qualified for the legal profes sion; but his tastes did not lie in that channel: a thorough knowledge of Mathematics seemed to be the all-absorbing object of his ambition, and his devoted application to this science was unquestionably the means of his success in after-life.

He entered the naval service in 1833 as a professor of mathematics; but not long afterwards was transferred to the corps of topographical engineers, with the rank of second lieutenant. In conjunction with the late Captain Williams, he was engaged in several important national surveys, which led to his being afterwards associated with Mr. Nicholet, of St. Louis, in the exploration and survey of the vast region north of the Missouri and west of the Mississippi.

After returning to Washington city, and while engaged in preparing his report and maps of this last survey, he became acquainted with Miss Jessie Benton, daughter of the distinguished senator, to whom he was married in 1841.

In May, 1842, he set out on the first of his three great exploring expeditions, the developments of which have been of incalculable importance, not only to this country, but to the whole civilized world. This resulted in a thorough exploration of the famous South Pass across the Rocky Mountains, on the highest peak of which the American flag was planted for the first time; the second, in 1843, furnished accurate information regarding the Great Salt Lake, the great interior basin of Utah, the mountain range of the Sierra Nevada, and the golden regions of California; and the third, in 1845, among other advantages, secured the possession of the last-named territory, of which Col. Fremont became, in 1846, the first governor and military commander, and was subsequently elected the first United States senator after its admission as a state.

In 1848 a court-martial having found him technically guilty of some frivolous charges preferred by Gen. Kearney, he persisted in relinquishing his military position, notwithstanding President Polk offered him a new commission of the same grade. But this did not dampen his spirit of adventure: Relying upon his own means and the aid of friends, he has since been as zealously engaged as ever in bringing to light the hidden resources of our comparatively inaccessible regions.

It cannot be expected that all the events of so eventful a career should be embodied in our limited space, nor is it necessary; for every one who is desirous of becoming familiar with the minutiae of his history can be readily gratified by consulting any of the numerou biographies with which the book market is flooded.

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WILLIAM L. DAYTON,

THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR VICE-PRESIDENT.

ALTHOUGH this gentleman has hardly numbered fifty summers, he has long enjoyed the reputation of being a learned and skillful lawyer, an upright and intelligent judge, and a sagacious and accomplished senator. He has gained an extensive popularity in his native state

(New Jersey) by the creditable manner in which he filled several important offices, in all which were displayed not only talents of the highest order, but also business habits that are of vast consequence to those who are anxious to serve the public faithfully.

On the death of that eminent statesman, Samuel L. Southard, in 1842, Mr. Dayton was appointed by the Governor to succeed him in the United States Senate; and so ably did he fill the place left vacant by his illustrious predecessor, that he was continued therein by election of the legislature until 1851. His zealous opposition to the Fugitive Slave Law subjected him to several severe encounters with the friends of that measure, in all of which his eloquence and argumentative powers shone conspicuously.

After his nomination for the Vice-Presidency by the "National People's Convention," a committee was appointed to wait upon him, whom he met at Trenton. The chairman briefly apprised him of the proceedings of the Convention, and recapitulated the leading features of the platform which had been adopted. Mr. Dayton, in reply, took occasion to define his position on the most important issues involved in the present political struggle, and said, in substance, that the honor conferred upon him was utterly unexpected; that he felt and duly appreciated it, not on his own account only, but on behalf of his state; that for the last few years, though engaged in the avocations of private life, he had not been an inattentive observer of the course of events; that he could say, with emphasis, that his principles were not changed: he stood now, in reference to the great leading issues of the country, as in times past. After expressing his heartfelt sympathy for Kansas, he alluded to the subject of internal improvements as follows: "The admission of California into the Union as a state--her unprecedented growth-seem now to demand increased facility of communication. A roadway from the West to the Far West will be a ligament binding to the Union both extremes: it will tend to consolidate more firmly the lasting Union of the states-a Union such as our fathers made, based upon equality of rights. It will tend, too, to increase the interior commerce of the country, and to develop still more largely the resources of that magnificent state upon our western borders. The improvements of rivers and harbors are specially appropriated by the Constitution to the general government; and whether our commerce floats upon our coasts, our rivers, or our lakes, it is due to the lives of our citizens, as well as their property, that the government should provide for their safety. He trusted that the people would lay aside all minor differences, and come up manfully to the work-yielding to one another freedom of speech and equality of rights; but claiming→ nay, exacting-the same for ourselves."

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