Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-06-30
THE DoUBLE-FACED PLATFORM.

Wing Convention. The 9th of the series, in regard
to the compromise differs but little from that
dopted by the Southern delegates; and if endorsed
adhered by the great body of that party in the free
States, ;he country may rejoice at the great change
which has lately the spirit of their Dreams
Before the official publication of their platform,
however, the newspapers in Baltimore, and indeed
throughout the country published unocally another
Resolution as the adopted by the Convention on
the subject referred That Resolution is in the
following words:
8. That the series of acts of the 31st Congress,
the act known as the FugitiveSlave Law included,
received and acquiesced in by the Wing party of
the U nlted States settlement, in principle and
substance, of the dangerous and exciting questions
which they embrace; and, far they concern
ed, we Will maintain them, and insist their strict
enforcement, until time and experience shall demon
strate the necessity of further Legislation guard
against the evasion of the laws tine hand, and
the abuse OF their powers the other, mparing
their present efficiency; and deprecate all further
agitation OF the questions thus settled dangerous
to our peace and will dscountenance all efforts
nue or renew such ag ation. whenever, wherever,
however the attempt may be made; and We will main
tain this system as essential to the nationality of the
Wing party, and the integrity of the Union
And it was the platform, with this Resolution in it,
which, together with the nomination, General Scott
" accepted - by telegraph-he having accepted on
the 21st, and the official series having been pub
lished until the day after; since which time he has
not been heard from.
The above resolution appeared in the Standard of
23d inst, part of the proceedings of the Conven
ton and though at the time considered it excep-
tionable-subject to criticism and ingeniously con-
trved by its authors-yet the full of its OBJ
iectonableness, its evasiveness and duplicy was not
then noticed. Upon careful review of its phraseo-
logy, however, we have hesitation in pronouncing
q e
temp ted and congratulate the Wing party of the
South, that the official Resolution offers no such af
front to Southern intelligence nor such an unprinc
pied snbterfuge for their brethren at the North. On
this point, We think there exist difference of
sentiment amongst And yet this is the resolution
So accepted by Gen. Scott has he yet accepted,
much less agreed to stand upon the official platform
Respecting any hope that may have been excited in
the South, that the Northern presses and politicians,
most ardent in their support of Scott, will adhere to
the platform, it is significant fact, that the
above ambiguous and double-faced Resolution is
garded by them as too great concession to Southern
interests AS evidence of this fact, read what Greedy
of the N Y. Tribune, the Magnus Apollo of Seward
ism and Scottish, says of it. That paper of the 22d
publishes the above Resolution and thus holds forth
"By " the question thus settled" the plank evil
IDENTIFY means to all questions relative to Slave
monsrance respecting the existence of Slavery in
this country perous and wrong. All this is alike
futile and preposterous-we defy it, execrate it, spit
upon it. There is nothing in the Federal Constu-
ton. hing in our Union, which forbids the indg
nan exposure of any wrong, the apprehension of any
iniquy, such Slavery generally is and perpetuay
tends to create.
We say, them in all kindness and Difference to the
opinions of the elder and wiser, that agitation res
pecting Slavery only with the existence of
Slavery, which is its impeling cause-that Conven-
lions and Congresses and Platforms do nothing
effecual for its repression.
If the South really desire to limit and aga-
ton, 1t SHOULD discourage and inhbt the hunting Of
Fugiiives from Slavery in Free States. For this
hunting does, it will, it agitation wherev-
it takes place, and there is power in National
Conventions Doctors of Divinity to prevent it.
We say, then, to the South, in earnest frankness,
this Fugitive Slave Law does create agitation through
the Free States-lUW create it-nrst create it, so
long it is upheld and enforced, You can build no
Platforms to prevent this so long savehunting in
free communities is legalized."
Read, again, what the Lancaster, Pennsylvania Tri-
bune, one of the leading Scott organs, says:
"The resolution the slavery question is far less
radical than many feared 1t will be observed it con-
ains of the absurd and anti-repubcan doctrine
of the hnaity of the compromise measures, which
some politicians and presses have for many months
been lndustrousy intoxicating, and the adoption of
which falsely represented essential to the uni
ty of the whig party. The resolution receives and
In the compromise measures settle |
SHALL DEMONSTRATE THE NECESSITY FURTHER Leg |
IsLATIoN, TO GUARD AGAINST THE EVASION THE LAW
ON THE ONE HAND, AND THE ABUSE OF THEIR POWERS !
ON THE OTHER and discountenances all agitation of
the slavery question inconsistent with this object
The convention uesced in the compromise meas
ufes, but refused give countenance the idea that
the fugitive-slave law beyond amendment or in
capae of improvement
Are not such sentiments in precise accordance with
the distinct avowal made by the friends of Scott be-
forehand, that if the platform embodied the fnaEty of
the Compromise, it would be gull-trap and cheat
And if such be, and we believe it is, the general
feeling of the Scott party at the North upon these
Resolutions, what extremity of oppostion-what Bit
terness and rancor of denuncation may be expected
from them agans the o6fciat platform! What as-
surance do these indications afford, that sectional agi-
tation will be allayed!-that abolitonism will be dis
,ouraged ?-tha the plain Constitutional rights of the
South will be respect =? |
Connected with this subject, there are some things
which we desire to be informed of
l. How came it about, that the above Resolution
was SO universally published as portion of the |
Wing platform The Baltimore presses had report |
srs on the spot-they concurrenty reported it as the
one adopted-so did the Washington City papers. !
Are there t,vo platforms if not, how did the mis-
AXE occur? Who wrote the Resolution Or did
it just sorite itsey2
2. When Gen. Scott's hasty acceptance of the