Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-20


jackson man, Clay Wing, witness the fraterni'
zation without agreeing TO bury their former differ
ences on minor questions, and make one united
effort to rid the country OF such a systematic at
tack ON the body politicf Ii is the object OF the
American party 70 accomplish this.
You viii see from the extracts which | read that
the Union sentiments of Washington and jackson
constitute the platform. President Pierce and Mr..
Seward have formed their coalition in such way
TO secure the foreign vote and to enlist the Cath
olics as partisans In that cause. To counterfeit
this coalition, the American party propose TO mod
fy the naturalization laws and to enter into polti-
cal brotherhood with no ecclesastic or sectarian,
who processes to owe allegiance TO any power high
er than the Constitution of the United States.
There is no wrong here done to any human being.
The foreigner who has acquired the rights OF cltl-
zenship, as he values those rights, cannot object
to place them beyond the assaults OF those paupers
and criminals who are landing on our shores by
the thousand Nor ought the Catholic to feel
surprise that the American mind looks with dis
trust and apprehension upon hierarchy which in
all other countries has sought to connect the
Church and State, and whose history has been one
continual struggle for dominion In temporal as well
as secular matters. We are charged, gentlemen,
with establishing religious test, and assailng the
great natural right of all human beings to worship
Almighty God according to the dictates OF their
The position of the American party on this
question is as clear as daylight 1t simply an
nounccs TO the Catholic bishops, that If they pos
sess the power to organize their communicates
with political train bands TO support system dan
gerous to liberty and subversvc of the constitution,
It is lawful to oppose them We say that it is
lawful to oppose them-by our votes, at least
until they can show that their allegiance to the
Pope is subordinate to that Of obedience to the
oc he LAM ha ms inf
libity-the power Of pardoning sins. He claims
the right of deposing princes and potentates.-
Let his followers satisfy us that these pretensions
are not claimed by them, and they will find the
American party as willing to meet them in the
bonds of common and equal citizenship as any
other class of churchmen. dismiss this part of
the subject with the declaration, that the idea in
corporated into the platform, that America must
rule America, is as old as the constitution, and has
been maintained by all the early statesmen of the
land. 1t is not the prescription of the Catholic,
but timely and salutary warning to him that it
the influence OF his church is brought into the po-
litica arena as an element OF power it will be OPP
posed with candor and frankness, and trust with
success.
come now, gentlemen, to that portion of the
platform which dsposes Of the question of slavery.
We have met it with frmness. We declare that
Congress has nothing to do with it. That the
that beyond this recognition it is a local thing.
We are not insensibe to the fact that the bill
erecting governments in Kansas and Nebraska has
caused great agitation and has rendered the inter-
position of the conservative men of all sections
necessary to tranqulizs the country. But how
can these conservative men act Can they do any
thing but invoke the people to survey once more
the true character Of this question: and apply to it
the old doctrine of our fathers, that slavery is
Ii, ha fad Inv III
thorites having competent jurisdiction over it? 1t
is impossible to restore the Missouri Compromise,
because the people Of those Territories have, un-
der existing laws, rights which Congress cannot
touch No matter what may be thought Of the
folly and recklessness Of Mr. Pierce and his cabi-
net, in re-opening the slavery question, by the
passage of the bills in question, all dispassionate
men must admit that their repeal is now an iInpos-
sibility, or If practicable, that the repeal would
only widen the breach between the North and the
South.
Under the treaty by which we acquired Louisi-
ana, slavery within its limits placed on the
same footing that was in other territory of the
United States But the South, in 1920, for the
sake of peace, consented that 1t might be excluded
from the country north Of 36 80. Mr.. Pierce and
his multiplying friends, North and South, were not
satisfied to let well enough alone. Nothing would
satisfy them but to reopen the question, and to do
1850 required the course they pursued. Now,
put 1t to YOU fellow citizens and to all intelligent
men in our country, II l am not speaking accord
ing to the facts when assert that If the PROPOSE
ton to repeal the Missouri Compromise had been
made part of the Compromise Of 1850, the whole
measure would have been lost. Nobody ever
dreamed that the final settlement Of the slavery
question at that period had reference to other OBJ
jects than those proposed in the bill Of compro-
mise But II was necessary for Mr.. Pierce and his
adjuncts North and South to get up another agita-
tion and they accordingly threw out this frebrand
The North could say that the pro-slavery men had
violated compact and cancelled the obligation
to execute the Fugitive Slave law. The South
could say that 1t had obtained at last its rights,
and that the nulfers were victorious. What cared
they for the good Of the country, provided that
the agitation gave them the power to make Pres
identY
With Mr.. Davis at the head Of the slavery party,
and Mr. Seward at the head Of the anti-slavery
party how easy would il be for these leaders TO
make bargain and keep the politicians in their
places. II was the old ride and tye game. The
nullifer Of the North was TO have the horse in
1856. The nullifer of the South was TO have him
in 1850. But, gentlemen, this American party
puts its veto on this unhalowed attempt to con-
vert sectional jealousy into permanent source Of
political power. Il tells this new school Of Demo
ington and jackson that its motto Is" Our Fed
eral Union must be preserved" Are we not au-
thorzed to say that this is the true American sem
tment, and that II We adhere TO ID, we shall con-
quer and put end TO this contest about slAveryf
| think We arc. In hurrying my remarks to Close
| think you will agree with me when | say that il
was no longer possible for an old jackson Demo
crat TO act with Pierce and his friends. He could
not do so without acknowledging the lead Of such
men as Wise in Virginia, Davis in Mississippi
Douglas in Illinois, and Atchison in Missouri These
men all acting as a unit, in support Of the mod
ern theory Of State rights, allowing that State
may nullify an act Of Congress, and go out Of the
Union when she pleases. They may call them
selves slavery or anti-slavery men. They have a
common purpose TO accomplish at the expense Of
the landmarks Of patriotism as established by those
who founded and who reformed our system.
Younever hear one Of these State-rights men In
Virginia talk Of Madison as the exponent Of the
constitutional relations between the States and the
Federal Government. If Mr.. Pierce were TO tell
his Cabinet that he was determined 10 fall back on
General Jackson's doctrine in 1882, they would fly
Off as wolves do when the huntsmen sound the
note Of attack and pursuit There Is but one road
open TO the true patriot and that Is tounite in the