New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-06-22
THAT HUNKER PLATFORM.

We forget whether it was Horne Tooke
or some other English Churchman who,
being asked if be had ever known any
person who really and absolutely believed
all the xxx Articles or Creed of his
Church, replied that he had never known
any one man who also believed them all,
but he had known them all to be believed
by one person and another. We have
heard of instances wherein devout adhe-
rent of particular sect has been brought
up all standing by ocular proof that some
doctrine he had denounced as heretical
and pernicious, was directly affirmed by
some article of his Church's Creed which
he had never needed or had unluckily for
gotten.
Such accidents soiiI happen-there is no
use in quarreling about them. Nor do we
complain when something is affirmed as
pant of the creed Of our own sect or party
which does not entirely accord with our in
dividual views. No man who has any clear,
distinct, sharply defined views of his own
can hope to see them precisely, exactly
embodied and set forth in any creed, sum-
mary or formula, which aims to express the
common convictions of millions. There must
be diversity of sentiment as to details, even
where there is substantial accordance as to
leading principles. And the lesson which
this truth teaches the observing, ingenious
mind is" Think your own thoughts-act
'out your own convictions-though this
may compel you pointedly to differ in
sentiment from those with whom a sense
EFF public duty must nevertheless constrain
you to unite in promoting great public
lends deemed important alike by them
and you"
But when creed or formula is set forth,
not to affirm and declare the opinions en-
tertained by those in whose behalf it is pre-
sented, but to constrain and correct those
opinions-not to proclaim what the party
does believe, but to dictate what it shall
believe-then the case is entirely altered,
and silence with regard to the usurpation
becomes net necessary compliance but
a flagrant wrong.
Hence our emphatic objection to and
protest against portion of the so-called
Platform of Principles" set forth at
the Wing National Convention. They
were never intended to be a state
ment of the grounds whereon the Wing
party is united and the ends which it
unanimously meditates. On the contrary,
they were forced upon portion Of the
delegates in full view of the fact that thew
did not express their eonvictions-were
driven through by the argument of menace
and teror-were rammed down by the po-
tent intimation, "Swallow in silence or
we bolt" Yet in the face of every en-
treaty and threat, sirty-sir of the dele
gates, (serenty as we count, voted No when
the Yeas and Nays were called on their
passage. Here was one; fourth ofthe Con-
ven1ion whom not even the importing of
the nomination of their beloved candidate
and the prospect of breaking up the party
could deter from protesting against the
gross wrong. The PLATFORM therefore,
is not that of the entire Wing party, asthe
records of the Convention attest, but that
of majority only-a majority which had
and could have no claim to bind any who
dissent from their declaration. We are of
that sort, and there are many mere such.
Let US endeavor hastily to show why, bv
hasty'review of the Platform scanning
its various planks in detail-as follows:
PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES.