Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-03-12
g. .-oyeyuor WIN. Smith--American frin-
es-Democracy. k M.

cipies- Democracy.
We understand that this gentleman, who,
from his youth up, has been an old-line Demo
crat, does not hesitate to say, frankly and fear
Iessly, that there is good, sound Democratic
doctrine in the platform Of our party, as laid
down, daily and weekly, in the american
Organ" When SO many men, protesting to
be Democrats, are afraid to avow their senti-
ments in favor Of our principles and platform,
lest the present administration should deny
them fellowship and communion with the lat
ter day saints" Of the Democratic party, 0he
Cochranes, the Van Burens, and the Blairs,) II
is truly refreshing to find Democrats dyed in
the wool, J" who, not having the fear Of FoRSEY
before their eyes, dare be honest and true to
their principles.
Scarcely week has elapsed since we pub
lished the card Of the Hon. j. M. H. Beale, d
natioe-born Democrat, openly endorsing the
creed Of the American party, = as that, which
he had always protested from his youth. Can
two men be found in the State Of Virginia, whose
political opinions have been more orthodox
than those Of Messrs. Bealc and Smith Both
have been for more than twenty years in the
public service, and we are yet to learn that the
Democracy Of either Of them was ever ques-
toned Win our enemies any longer charge,
that the " American party IS the Wing party
in disguise, when such men come out in vim
dication Of our doctriness
viii any slanderer, hereafter raise his voice
and assert that our party is allied to Abolition
ism, when such men come forward and thus
sustain the views and objects of our partys Is
Senator Adams Of Mississippi, Gan original native
Democrat) less reliable as defender Of the in
stitutions Of the South, than those "naturaIised
Democrats" who are now before the people Of
Virginia, as the nominees Of the administration
partyp Is there man in the State of Virginia.
or In any of the Southern States, who is a
member ofour party, and against whom the
charge of Abolitionism can be justly made
Does any man believe that the American
party" of the South, composed Of native-born
sons Of her soil, have REASONABLE designs
against the institutions Of the Souths
No man believes any such nonsense How
then, can Southern interests be jeopardizcd by
the formation Of Councils at the South, COM
posed Of Southern men, with Southern afiini-
ties, feelings, and attachmentsf "Ohp say
our enemies, 81 the organization is controlled by
the North" The charge is untrue, unfounded,
gratuitous. The American party" Of the
South, are as independent of the North, as the
Democratic or Wing parties Of the South are
independent Of their Northern brethren. The
American Councils in Massachusetts,, New
York, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, manage
their own local elections In their own mode,
separately, without the slightest interference
one with another In Virginia, the nomina.
tons for State officers, are made by . State
convention of delegates, from the various Coun-
ellis scattered through the State, without the
slightest extraneous influence, as the proceed
ings ola nominating convention held Tomorrow
Tuesday win demonstrate.
We have seen and heard 1t stated, by those
who are alike inimical to our order, and ignor-
ant ofits workings, that /" council Of thirteen"
manage the affairs of the American party
This soareeroto is raised to excite the fears and
prejudices of the South. 1t is q humbug-a
deception trick--a falsehood--the coinage
Of ignorance or Of recklessness. There is not
and nsser has been any such central control
over the American party.
A National Council, composed Of delegates
from the several States and in which all lscali-
ties are fairly and fully represented, transact
the general business, and attend to the general
interests Of the National American party,
meeting semi annually or oftener at such place
as may have been selected by the National
Council at a previous sitting.
State councils, district conventions, and
county conventions Of the order, transact the
business and attend to the interests Of the party
IN the State, district, or county, each keeping
within It's legitimate sphere, and each acting
Independently in its own nominations. The
idea Of central controlling influence outside
OF each State, and interfering with the affairs
ofthe party In the separate States, is not mere
" false, but ridiculous idea We repeat
that no such thing exists. No such central
power would be tolerated for single day.
There II therefore no northern control over the
southern councils--no sectional interference
with the rights Of any portion Of the American
party.
Throughout the country, the purposes Of our
organization are alike, uniform, and harmoni-
Gus. Those purposes are developed in the plat
form Of our principles published to the world,
and we have no other purposes than those
therein expressed With the questions Of the
tariff-banks-- public Observation-Disclosures
ternsl improvements, DC, &c, we have, az a
party, nothing to do. Each man judges for
himself and acts for himself on these ques-
lions, independently Of our organization. In
like manner the question Of slavery is not one
which We discuss, rs q party. Our purposes
have relation TO Foreignism, Demagoguism,
and Romanisrn We are pledged to stand by
the union Of the States and the rights Of the
States. Hence we deprccate the agitation Of
the question Of slavery, and oppose 1t
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