Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1855-07-19
Is the American Party Sound on the
Slavery Question:

Bateu declares Oh tne SUBJECT, anu now tnese
declarations are viewed by the a5oltionsts.
We quote from the American Platform:--
"XII.-The American party having aris-
en- upon the the ruins, and in spite of the
opposition of the whig and democratic par
ties, cannot be held in any manner respon-
sible for the obnoxious acts or violated Pied
ges of either. And the systematic agitation
Of the slavery question by those parties hav-
ing elevated sectional hostility into posi-
tive element of political power, and brought
our institutions into peril, it has therefore
become the imperative duty of the American
party to interpose FOR the purpose of giving
peace to the country and perpetuity to the
Union. And as experience has shown it
impossible TO reconcile opinions so extreme
as those which separate the disputants,
and as there can be no dshonor in submit
ting TO the laws, the National Council has
deemed it the best guarantee of common
justice and Of future peace TO abide by and
maintain the existing laws upon the subject
of slavery, as final and conclusive SETTLE
n,ent Of that subject, in spirit and in sub.
stance.
And regarding it the highest duty to
avow their opinions upon subject SO i'm
portant, in distinct and unequivocal terms,
it is hereby declared as the sense of this
National Council, that Congress possesses
no power under the Constitution to legis-
late upon the subject of slavery in the States
where it does or may exist, or to exclude any
State from admission into the Union because
its constitution does or does not recognize
the institution of slavery as part of IFS So
cial system; and expressly pretermitting any
expression of opinion upon the power Of
Congress to establish or prohibit slavery in
any Territory, it is the sense of the Nation
al Council that Congress ought not to legis-
islate upon the subject Of slavery within the
Territory of the United States, and that any
interference by Congress with slavery as it
exists in the District of Columbia, would be
a violation of the spirit and intention of the
compact by which the State of Maryland &C.
ded the District 10 the United States, and a
breach of the National faith"
That is what it says on the subject OF
Slavery-the great subject of the day--and
we think is sufficiently full and explicit for
the whole South 10 unite upon. Let us see
how the Abolitionists view it. The Mas
sachusctts Aboitionists who seeded from
the Philadelphia Convention, which adopt.
ed the foregoing National sentiments, held
State Convention at Boston, on the 2Stl
June, and submitted an Address TO the PEG.
pie, justifying their withdrawal from the
Convention. We quote from the Address,
in reply the above extract
"The State Council of Massachusetts doe.
not recognize the truth of the declaration
"that the American Party, having arisen OF
the ruins and.in spite of the opposition O.
the Wing and Democratic parties, cannot b
held in any manner responsible for the oh
norious acts or riolated pledges Of eMher,-
1t is the plainest duty Of every party as vel
as of every individual, TO aid in the repeal
ing of OBNOXIOUS acts" or making goo,
"violated pledges" We cannot and we vii
not aid in placing in power, those who pub
licly and unnecessarily pledge themselve
: in advance, not TO repeal the obnoxious acts
and not to make amends for the violated pub
lie faith of the present national administra
ton.
"The National Council then declare
'thpt the systematic agitation of the SLAYER,
question by those parties has elevated sec
tional hostility into positive clement OF pc
litical power, and brought our institution
into peril" and sit has therefore becom
the imperative duty of the American Part
to interfere for the purpose of giving peac
to the country and perpetuity to the Union
; In all this the American party of Massu
J chusetts fully concurs and with much inter
z; est looks farther to see how the "Nationi
) Platform" proposes TO perform that "impel
y alive duty" of "interfering to give peac
: and prosperity to the country and perpetu
j ty to the Union" Repeating 'obnoxiou
); acts" and making good "violated pledges,
! would in our judgment at once and foreve
:, accomplish these desirable ends. Not $
d deem the majority of the National Councl
q They pledge themselves, and desire to plede
Massachusetts in the following Words
l. 1.-THE National Council has deemed it Il
q best guarantee of common justice and Fl
q ture peace, to abide by and maintain the e,
III listing laws upon the subject of slavery as
lie final and conclusive settlement of that SUI
5 ject in spirit and in substance" Massach
VI sets does not believe that conserving
IT OBNOXIOUS acts" and "violpted pledges
r a