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18 the people at the same time as to whether or not free negroes should be allowed to come into and reside within the state. The constitution was adopted by a vote of seven thousand one hundred and ninety-five for, to three thousand one hundred and ninety-five against it. Slavery was defeated by a vote of two thousand six hundred and forty-five for, to seven thousand seven hundred and twenty-seven against it, and the exclusion of free negroes carried by a vote of eight thousand six hundred and forty for, to one thousand and eighty-one against it. Many of those who voted for the exclusion of free negroes were at heart opposed to the policy, but it was considered necessary to throw this tub to the whale of the proslavery party to secure the success of the free state clause of the constitution.

On the sixteenth of March, 1858, a democratic state convention assembled at Salem to nominate candidates for office under the new state government. James W. Nesmith was chairman, and Shubrick Norris secretary. L. F. Grover was nominated for Representative in Congress, John Whiteaker for Governor, L. Heath for Secretary of State, John D. Boon for Treasurer, Asahel Bush for State Printer, M. P. Deady for judge of the first district, R. E. Stratton for judge of the second district, R. P. Boise for judge of the third district, A. E. Wait for judge of the fourth district, A. C. Gibbs prosecuting attorney for the first district, J. N. Smith for the second, H. Jackson for the third, C. R. Meigs for the fourth. April 2, 1858, a republican convention assembled at Salem and nominated John Denny for Governor, John R. McBride for Representative in Congress, Leander Holmes for Secretary of State, E. L. Applegate for State Treasurer, and D. W. Craig for State Printer. Their resolutions declared that slavery was a state and not a national institution; denounced