Washington telegraph., 1855-07-25
From tie Gd=ctte and Denocrafi
u,ov NoLksng or American Platform.

Know Nolk;ng OF American Platform
,-our issue. of the 9th inst. we published this
,I.e,rr1. and gave our views on it. at length. In
,rtisIs we sol tine position assumed by the
.1s.5oraI organization of this new party upon the
80 question Is frtse 70 lie CoaStasiion- and
SORE 5effer far tie Soufh than t.sat which has
1.s,f5,re been assumed or tar are aware,
nrr-c.,r,sed b. any other party.''
TTse COnway-JohnsOn orssn- in noticing that
r.6,rru Is guilty oi sHPpreSsi0 reyT and suS-
P';, f1Isi Without the manlness to publish the
,.Trti,u Of the Democratic platform, on the sub
~ sIavery. or even the fairness to publish aU
~ American Platform, on the same subject. it
s,uqht to place the latter in The position ofre-
e.a, p; TO adopt the compromise acts of 1850 and
~ i!s'iE, Esnsas and Nebraska territorial acts
That our readers may not, by AM possibility,
= he dark on this subject. Will again pub
u that portion OF the American or Know No
ht- i nfsfEorrIl which relates to the subject of
as well as the democratic platform, on the
-n,s s5bFect which, until the adoption OF the
s"rer was conIessedIy the hest, for the south,
- offered by any party, claiming national
.nIrafi0vs When that IS done. readers who
= intelligent men, can I.sd.e for themselves.
Tbs GLOWING IS all that the Know Nothing
.r,torn saws on the subject OF slavery:
-Tbat p experience has shown it is impossible
.. ,.-,u-iIe OpGi0rs so extreme as those which
..n,rate the disputauts and as there can Be DIS
Iqr Ia sn,J.sa5siy 10 fke lars the National Coun-
81 has deene-l II the best guarantee of common
ticr ard OF future peace, TO obislc 5y and MAIN
- he crisiag iarrs EDoH fhe sHLicc: of Sdrery
s end r01sclSre settlement of fe sn6jsf. spirit
sEF Ia subSfGscs-
ResuIrsf. That regarding it the highest duty to
,vaw these opinions upcu Subject 50 important
IN distinct and uneTuivocal terms, it is hereby de-
rI,-pf as the sense of This National Council, that
Cy-rfSS 9,ssseses no DOseT rHiicT tie Constitution
), frJafe syo, The subject Of Slarerp The States,
ar 10 eryse cry SiGe fIo.i admission INTO lhe Cf,-
J., fsrFpss ar Constitution GOtS dOcS s0f recognise
,Is jHsfiIliiOl Of SGreJV par OF he SIGf Sys
| az shi expressly pTe,eTmiJiins any expression
a. oigI5I upon the power OF Congress 10 estab-
E -- -rr'rIbit Slavery iI' aTT TerTIt1r 1t IS the
-nse OF this National Council that CoagTess omshf
m 70 lisr,c sE.oH The s,,jcrf Of lGre.y ,-ifii, ic
T,rylfss of Ike L,iief Si'rtes- am fkat any tnfer
f--zrs Of Cos Ssess t-ttt SIGrcTy Il crisis the
Dty5fe e. CiszTjiI. t-0sid Je Of the spiTd
an i1r1,5sg Of fle ollDdcI 5y trtich The Naie Of
E,uErzI oocI tke DistricI io The Unifed Safes end
Jr-r-8 Of n. N.l,ioaGi Faith-'
That tire s-aOle truth uIay be known, we give
ne res1Ju ion passed by the National Democratic
Convention in 1910, and reiterated In iSIS and
jS5.. aH5 which was held. tLen, to be great
,,rrsSsion to me south. II IS as follows:
THAT Congress has no power, under the consti-
-1ffll "a Interfere with control the domestic
institutions OF the several States and that such
StltPS eNeTNinlfl9
aurtaiuig 10 their aiaIrs. not prohibited bv the
constitutions that ali efforts OF the abolitonsts or
5.hers made to induce Congress to interfere with
ors<tions OF slavery, TO take incipient steps in
rp,ri7n thereto are calculated 10 lead 20 the most
alarming and dangerous consequences; and that all
such Efforts have an ine vitabe tendency to dimin-
ish e happiness of the people and endanser the
stability and peTinaTency ol the Union, and ought
not to he countenanced by any friend of our po-
EticaI Institutions"
We wish 10 look somewhat into both OF the
Qata;IOus Just given. and see what each declares
aHl pTetcTmIts-
The Democratic platform Geciares as follows
@TIu CoHsycSs has poirer, under the constitution,
10 ns.I i or c01llsOi Lic domestic institutions of
ti, scrsrs' Siaes, and that smci Sssies ae tie sole
dad g7ga Jrces Of ereJ ytiing G2ertainins othsir
/ GfFITx not prohibited by t.e constitution"
1t then gives, as the OF tine convention
-grgcrHEi,i.Is any expression of oIl5':0n upoH the
p0rgr Of CoHgress7 over the subject. toe following
That all efforts OF the aboIitionists or others
mate to iBiuce Congress to interfere with ques-
toHs Of slavery or TO take incipicnt seps IN rela-
tioa taeEetO- are calculated to lead 10 the most
slaruiHg ard dangerous consequences; and that
al src Efforts have Inevitable tendency to ti-
mIHIsn the happiness OF the people ard endanger
the Stability and peTnaneEcy of the Union and
Gasat got 10 be coUn.enanced by any friend oi our
q political Institutions
70 f1DfreF OF (Ongf eSS-
5eus- that that body could not interfere Nth o.
vHtrL the institution of slavery in the several
States and that such STATES were the Judges OF
everything S7peTtainIns 10 their p irs. not pro-
htIted - the constitution. The balance about
tbe asOlitiOnists, &c. is al. SO much fcIk. An
opinion as to the po'-er OF Congress over the sub
pei, beng -pretermitted."
Now Wilson. of Massachusetts, as vile an abo-
htOHISt as he Is does not claim that Congress can
control the fufI =,
~ IN the States where il exists. He comedies to
the States the right OF managing and controlling
their Own institutions
Thus much Tor the Democratic platform of 1910.
ISIS and 1872, which was the best ever offered
before Oy any national party to the south Let
us examine into the Know Nothing or American
patt"rm- and see what it Gcriares. and what it
PrstsrMlts- Ii declares a. follows:
Inat regarding 1T the highest duty to avow
tless opinions upon a subject important in dis
unct sI'i uEeqHvOcal terms it is hereby declared
Is tire sense o: the National Council, that Con-
Sess possesses 40 pore URler the Constitution 10
kglass UPON THE sUEJEcT ox SI.vERr IN ruE
STATES or 70 EXCLUDE ANY STATE From ADMISSION
MO THE UNION BECATsE HER CONSTITUTION DOES
OK DOES Sor RECOGNIZE THE INSTITUTION OF
SL.vEFT as q part Of her social s,fsfeHa1
We low give the pre;ennittimg clause which
Vas 81 offensive to our nei.iDor OF the organ
feia'riIns hIm that in or former article we dis
oFf'V.eu oi II ana SAID that It SHOULD 90 to tine
la!extent OF expressly denying any such power.;
us IN the following words 1--4ad erDrcssly ,,rc-
gL ig r#y oppression Of opinion r,,on the po,reg
CcaSFess 20 es'a5iish prohibit SlG-erg ~ asp
IeTEOFg d IS The seslse If ihs NIf.o,oi Council fhGi
S seHsFess oasH sloi 10 ics,c s.7ou fie subject of
sFg 'ra5 tse IclT.,0rics OF tie Ui,aed Sfaies :
iHeN iciio.Fs this declarations: And that am
~ y s'elre = C0,srcss r7ita SiareT-y as Il crisis a.
s ~ D-sTf o Cotrs.IiG- sross,I be = VIOLATION OF
Z. 1T aHf N1zNTTov v0ffi cosrP.cr J ,-i.li x.
SS-s9 -ie-JsaHf ce,fof the D;sts1ri 10 i.c Unite
'',ies- ca r. 're'1l o. lie N.s55an, EGifa- ,
: oe-oHe sIoyn- tie DeaIocsati. platform ouI,
'' 'df@S as 70 The a:t.sority oi Congress that 4
q. NJ iiisJos s-i. or coifrog the institution o.
S''e'y. ir tiie StGtes where Il exists.
va the other hand. The Know Nothing platform
g. me declaration, i;iiiy and clearly that
go possesses - power nnder the Constitu-
. '@sisdte upon tue iect o; slavery in the
49, end goes further than the Democratic
r'' 2E saying that Congress has 40 poxe,
5 1'ry SlGle from admission irso lie Union
ar constitution does does mo- reroc.,:ss in,
Te''l q siaregy n part oj i,es sociaJ s,ssfes
- - -o-> luTtaer than the Democratic nja,l;,r,a