The southern press., 1852-01-09
The Benton Platform.

I0t 4e0tOU Tt8ulVths
We referred .ome lime since to The action of
the BENTON Democracy Of Missouri, in noun
mating v NJ o. BUTLER for the Presidency, and
Thomas H. BEsTos for Congress. The letter
of Mr.. BKsToS, in response to that meeting, has
reached us, and will be inserted tomorrow. II
is rot only highly characteristic, but also I'M
portant, because it distinctly lays down the pro-
gramme Of the position of the Freesoil party
of the North in The coming campaign. In that
letter Mr.. BENTON denounces the " "nullitiers and
disuniOnsts' as roundly AS the Union news
paper; and insists on reading ont OF the Demo
cratic party those whom it thus denominates, to
make way for the genuine Union Democrats"
of the stamp of himself and the VAN BURENs.
Like the UnioS, also, he sWears by the name OF
General JACKSON, scoif, at Saes' Rights as
" nullifcation," gires IN his adhesion 10 me Bafh
more platform Of lS4S, and abuses the Nashville
Convention with equal zest and relish.
This coincidence of sentiment between the
organ and Mr.. BENroS, must be highly crafty
to both, though rather unexpected to the
latter. Mr. BENToNs letter is as flippmtly
abusive of the treason" of the advocates OF
States Rights doctrines, and of the traitors"
who stood up for the rights Of their section, as
the Union ever was, when countenancng and
supporting the war made upon the Southern
States Rights Democrats by Messrs. COBB,
FooTE, & Co.-or more recently in its cxposi-
tions Of the binding force and efficacy of the
Proclamation and Force bill on all the Democ-
racy As, in another instance, SOLITARY and
alone" BENTON set his ball in motion against the
Southern Rights Democracy-but like snow
ball, it has gathered as il rolled, until it has be-
come an avalanche, impending over the heads OF
all who dare still cling to the old faith of JET
progressive" policy of the Jackson Democratic
Association, under the lead of f, p. BLAIR, to
entange our foreign relations, and the benton
and Union programme of the prescription of all
States Rights men and States Rights doctrines,
to consolidate power in the hands of the North,
the Southern Democracy are exposed to a fire
in the front and in the rear.
Mr.. BENToNs endorsement of the Baltimore
platform of l848, is accompanied by an expla-
nation of what he considers us the Democratic
ground in relation to slavery" We give his
own words:
Fourthly, Adhesion to the Baltimore platform
of l848 is another point on which hold you to
be right, and the Nullifers wrong That plat
ptoip tin nd in
to slavery. The Nulifers wish to engraft upon
it anew dogma which was expressly, and almost
unanimously rejected by the convention which
framed it, namely, thai Congress has no rig 10
legisiate upon siarery in the Territories. This
dogma, like all the doctrines OF the school to
which it belongs, is of modern invention, and
only invented for the purpose of multiplying
chances to find pretexts to resist the laws OF
Congress-, and for flying off into that new con
tederacy which is to consist wholly of slave
States, and to be christened "7he United State
South" The Democracy take the BaltimOr,
platform as it was agreed tO-not as it was no
agreed to-still less as rejected-and above al
AS attempted to be interpoated by the dregs o
the party which made the effort, and so misr'"
bly, failed in it at Baltimore.
stood and the object is obvious. In view o
such coalitions and combinations, well may th
South keep watchful and distrustfu eye OF
proceedings and movements, so full of peril, no
alone to the rights Of the separate States, bu
to the safety and even the existence of a portion
ofthem.
Far from being dead, political Abolitionsu
rears its head higher at this moment than eve
before; and from present indications threaten.
to control both the old parties, in case of thei
reorganization on their former basis No mar
can doubt this who observes and Judges for
himself Rendered careless and reckless through
confidence, the old wire. .pulers of the Albany
and Of the SEWARD school, with their orgays
and satellites, have shown their hands too plain
ly to be mistaken.
The tone of Southern presses of late proves
that some at least of its conductors have been
awakened to the danger. Others soon will
catch the alarm, and the real character of the
invidious game now playing, will be exposed
The plotters against Southern rights and
Southern safety may exult for time--but let
them look for the recOil of their own Internal en-.
gines of Freesoil and consolidation. Under that
black banner no true-souled Southern, and
many Northern men, will not march, but rally
to the rescue of the institution, the rights of
the States, and the safety of millions of our peo-
pie.
CrayRshlng.
The Union of yesterday puts up another pit
eous plea in behalf of its own good behavior