On Saturday the 7th Oct. a convention of delegates from the several towns met at Lapeer Village pursuant to previous notice.

At the hour appointed, the Board of Supervisors, which was then in session, adjourned and repaired to the place of meeting.

Sanford Kendrick of Lomond was called to the chair, and Enos Goodrich of Atlas chosen Secretary.

The members were then requested to present their credentials, when it appeared the delegation stood as follows:

Bristol—Ira S. Saunders, Elisha Webster, Daniel Black.

Hadley—William Hart, J. N. Tower,

Lapeer—Richard Amos, Estus U. Higley, Mason Butts, Calvin Carter, Ira Peck, Henry Waldruff.

Lomond—Sanford Hendrick, John M Lamb, J. Walton.

On motion of Mason Butts,

William P. Draper of Richfield, and Enos Goodrich of Atlas, were invited to sit as delegates for their respective towns.

The Chairman then briefly stated the object the meeting, and the Convention resolved itself into a Committee of the whole for the nomination of a candidate for Representative to the State Legislature, and one for the office of Probate Judge; whereupon, WILLIAM P. DRAPER received the former, and MASON BUTTS the latter nomination.

The Convention then proceeded to appoint a committee of Vigilance for each town, and the choice resulted as follows:

For Atlas—John Vantine, P. G. Davison, Peter Lane, Talford Powell, James Kipp.

For Hadley—Almon Griggs, —— Sanborn, Russell Cobb, J. N. Tower, Jessee Lee.

For Lapeer—A W Abbott, H Waldruff, J Peck, R Arms, —— Weston, B M Brown

For Bristol—Lewis Alverson, Truman Shaw, Elisha Webster, A H Fisher, J W Kidder, E H Hough; Orry Beach, Bazaleel Bristol, Wm Eggleston, John Hinks, Newman C. Griswold, David Smith, William Hays, Elijah Look, Tedediah Messenger, Amasa Huntley, Stephen Grinnell, Benjamin Terry, Lumon Squire, J. Russell.

For Richfield—Jacob Teachout, Thomas Clark, David L. Belden.

A committee of six was then chosen to prepare resolutions expressive of the views of the convention. The persons selected were J, M. Lamb, Ira Saunders, Enos Goodrich, Sanford Hendrick, Estus U. Higley and William Hart.

The Convention then adjourned until seven o’clock, P. M.

Seven o’clock, P. M.

The Convention met pursuant to adjournment, when the following resolutions were reported and adopted unanimously:

Resolved, That no age ever felt the need of political reform more seriously than the present,

Resolved, That every freeman should be awake to the impending calamities of our once boasted republic, whose sacred privileges have by a corrupt administration, been wretchedly perverted, and forced to the very brink of ruin.

Resolved, That while the work of reform is so rapidly going forward in almost every part of the Union, the citizens of this County will manifest a strange apathy to the common weal if they do not participate in the patriotic undertaking.

Resolved, That our State, though young in years, is old in corruption; and its legislative and municipal departments stand in need of a thorough and radical change.

Resolved, That our own County, in common with its neighbors, stands in need of political reform.

Resolved, That such a reform can be effected, if we do our duty.

Resolved, That we will do our duty.

Resolved that William P Draper and Mason Butts, our Republican whig candidates this day nominated, shall receive our ardent and undivided support.

After which, Estus U Higley, M Y Turrill and Ira Peck, were chosen a committee to prepare and publish an address to the citizens of Lapeer county.

On motion of W P Draper,

Voted, That a committee of three delegates were appointed to attend the Rail-road Convention, at the village of Flint, on the 17th inst.

Resolved that the proceedings of this meeting be published in all the whig papers in Michigan.

S. KENDRICK, Ch’n. Enos GOODRICH, Sec’y.

ADDRESS—to the Freemen of Lapeer Co.

FELLOW CITIZENS: —

In behalf of the Republican Whig Convention, convened at Lapeer county seat, on the 7th inst., we would address you on the importance of our coming elections. Never since your committee have been allowed to act a part on the political theatre of life, has there appeared a time more dark and portentious for the perpetuity of our free institutions:—and deeply anxious as we feel for the fate of our common country, in her unnatural and unnecessary struggle against usurpation and abuse of power—we would gladly speak of her abuses and advocate her wrongs, but our labors are imperiously demanded at home.

For some years past there has been much crimination and warmth of feeling between the political parties in our county, as to which in justice belonged the name of DEMOCRACY. And as your committee has very little confidence in the professions of political men, at the present day, they would prefer judging of their claims, by the fruits they have borne. We shall therefore enter promptly on the duties assigned us, and inquire fearlessly into the official conduct of those who hold offices of honor and trust among us. And as every office holder is a servant of the people, and amenable to them for his conduct, we shall expect a categorical answer to such questions as are herein proposed. In the first place we would make the inquiry of the people whether here is not a political junto formed at Lapeer on the plan of the Detroit Junto and Central Committee, from which they receive dictation and instructions ? and if so, is it composed of ALVIN N. HART, S. D. M’KEEN, NORMAN DAVISON, and several lesser lights, which are allowed to shine at times when the weather is squally—such as our sheriff and his deputy, county treasurer and clerk, and certain justices of the peace. That point established, we would next inquire of S. D. M’KEEN, whether he acted in the house of representatives, during the current year for the interests of Lapeer county, or for the Lapeer junto? Was the ten thousand dollar loan bill passed for the benefit of Lapeer county, or that N. HART and S. D. M’KEEN might have the handling of it as agents for some ten or fifteen years to come? We would also like to know whether S. D. M’KEEN did not vote in the house of representatives to appropriate fifty eight dollars of the people’s money to defray the expenses of a grog bill incurred by himself and his associates; and whether these men are not the advocates of the doctrine of absolute proscription, and that moral character is not essential to office holders?

We would next inquire of OLIVER B. HART whether the books of our county treasurer are kept by NOAH H. HART, the county clerk, as a matter of convenience, or because the treasurer is himself incompetent to perform the duties of that office: thus leaving it in the power of the clerk to rob the treasury, and make his own records so as to defy detection? What has become of the non resident taxes for the two years past? Has A. N, Hart had a part of them for private purposes? And is it DEMOCRATIC to sell whiskey to the Indians after having sworn to support the constitution and laws of the state?

Did not the Auditor General of this State declare the office of County Clerk for this county vacant, for the want of bonds, in a public notice through the State paper in June last? By what authority does Noah H. Hart now fill that office? Has there been a new election by the people, or did A. N. Hart and S. D. McKeen, during his absence from the state, forge a bond and lodge it in the Auditor General’s office, thereby filling that important office in our county without the consent of the people expressed through the ballot boxes?—And for what peculiar services rendered the county, did he present to the board of supervisors a bill for over $100, of which he was allowed but $15.

Of the sheriff and his deputy we would ask how much of the expenses incurred and charged to the county for summoning a petty and grand jury for the April term last, was made after they knew there would be no court?

Fellow Citizens, do we not need a reform? Are you willing any longer to have your property and industry taxed for the benefit of office holders? If you think the charges against those who rule us, intimated by the above interrogatories, are untrue, and made for political effect, we ask you to inquire of our supervisors whether in their recent investigation into our county affairs they found all things as they should be ? Ask them if a reform is not needed? Ask them if you have not been cheated out of your rights by those whose oaths of office require them to be faithful to your interests? Ask them if the name of DEMOCRACY has not been used by those in power as a cloak to cover their frauds upon the people? Fellow citizens, we present for your suffrages at the coming election WILLIAM P. DRAPER of Richfield, as a representative of our county, and MASON BUTTS of Lapeer, as Judge of Probate. Their integrity and moral worth is a sufficient guarantee to us that if elected they will vigilantly watch over our interests and defend our rights.

E. H. HIGLEY, |
IRA PECK, | Committee.
M. Y. TURRILL, |

Pontiac Courier (Pontiac, MI) Monday, 23 Oct 1837, page 1