The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-07-05
LET US HAVE THE WHOLE TRUTH.

ldlly INdllOndi, anaTcnlca, anu ldHdtiCdl
LET US HAVE THE WHOLE TRUTH.
A National Party that attempts to carry both
'ections Of the country, in disregard of the
Question Of Slavery, or on a Pro-Slavery Plat
orm, is necessarily seduced into course OF
regeneration and deception. 1t will wear
me face at the North, another at the South
When the Wings adopted the ignoring policy
in lS48, General Taylor was advocated in the
slave States, as a man who would be true to
all their demands, in the free States, as I'M
friendly to Slavery, and opposed to its extension.
Last year, when the conduct of the so called
Democratic Administration was to be passed
upon by the People at the ballot-box, the
popular sovereignty doctrine at the North
was construed to embrace the right of the in.
habitants Of Territory to exclude Slavery,
at the South, the right Of the shareholders
to introduce it, despite any territorial legisla-
ton.
The Know Nothings are already driven to
similar tactics. Ex-Governor Johnston, who
determined in 1852 that no ProSlavery Plat.
form should be raised by the Wing Convention,
and then acquiesced in the passage of the most
thoroughly Pro-Slavery resolves ever adopted
by National Wings, is now striving to save
himself from the consequences of like incon-
sistency in the Know Nothing Convention.
We copy the following from the Tribune:
ave have received from Gov Johnston, of
l. Il
the Know Nothing Grand Council he voted for
the Pro-Slavery Platform there adopted. He
says:
go did not vote for said Platform, and do
not intend to do so hereafter / opposed it in
Convention, spoke against its adoption in the
Convention, protested against it, and refused
all cooperation with any National organiza
ton that recognised or adopted it. am now
what | have been-a firm and consistent op-
ponent OF Slavery extension"
for the ma ority report-and ace never said that
he debut, he did not vote for the minority
report he did not secede from the Convention,
after the adoption of the former-nor did he
unite with the seceders in their appeal. He
simply protested-and such protest 81 for an
Anti Slavery manp He protested, first, against
the introduction of the Question of Slavery at
all that is, he was in favor of ignoring the
great Practical Question of the country What
firm and consistent opponent of Slavery ex.
tension" But, if the subject was to be acted
upon, then he protested that he would not act
with any Party "whose action would result in
endorsing the Kansas Nebraska Act" Whose
action would result in endorsing large
margin, this, for playing hide and seek
Will the Ex-Governor please to tell the Pub
lie when he will make up his mind whether
such endorsement has been given or not :?
whether he believes the adoption of the plat
form as it stands, is such an endorsement?
whether he remains connected with the Party
represented by the majority of the Convention
at Philadelphia? whether he expects to sup.
port the candidate for the Presidency the Order
may nominate on the 22d of February, at its
National Convention in Philadelphia?
This politician is the representative of class.
great meeting as the phrase goes, was
lately held at Easton, Pa, to glorify the pro-
ceedings of the National Council, and it was
addressed by E. Joy Morris and Mayor Conrad
II was unprincipled enough to endorse the plat
form OF the Philadelphia Convention, in whole
and in part, both in relation to Native Amer-
canism and all other subjects, and then, with
an iinpudent recklessness of Truth, it adopted
the following resolution:
" Resolred, That we deprecate 10 the most
solemn and emphatic terms the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise act of 1920, as a breach
OF sacred compact between the North and
the South, which for thirty.fou years was a
bond of national peace and tranquility. That
it is the sense of this meeting that the twelfth
section of the Platform does not endorse the
Missouri outrage, as has been alleged by a por-
ton of the press, but refers the whote subject
of Slavery to the proper legislation of the coun-
try, through the individual responsibility of the
representatives of the people, and therefore
does not commit the party to any specific ac-
ton"
The dishonest bubble in this is meaner than
an outright falsehood. 1t is true that the 18th
section of the platform does not endorse the
Missouri outrage, in the sense of approving it,
but it does endorse it, in the sense of acquies
cling in it, abiding by it, and maintaining it, as
the reader shall now see
We quote the portion of the 18th section re-
lating to it and all laws in regard to Slavery:
"And, as experience has shown it impossible
to reconcile opinions 80 extreme as those which
separate the disputants, and as there can be nc
dishonor in submitting to the laws, the Nationa
Council has deemed it the best guaranty o.
common justice and of future peace to abide
by and maint1n the existing laws upon the
subject of Slavery, as final and conclusive
settlement of the subject in spirit and in sub
stance"
The Kansas-Nebraska act, or the Missouri
outrage" as the meeting has it, is one of tn,
existing laws upon the subject of Slavery: "tt
abide by and maintain it as 6nality, with al
the other laws on the same subject, the Con
vention deems "the best guaranty of common
justice and future peace" And yet this meet
ing has the hardwood to assert that the Con
vention does not endorse the outrage
James K. Polk, when the Oregon Bill wa
submitted to him for his sanction, disapprove,
Oft gave his reasons, but waived his scruples