The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-07-12
PENNSYLVANIA KNOW NoTHINGs.

On the Sd inst. n State Council of the Penn.
sylvania Know Nothings was held at Reading
The discussion turned upon the adoption Of the
18th section of the Philadelphia Platform. and
great excitement prevailed. Three distinct
propositions were reported from the Committee
on the subject. The first or majority resolutions
were as follows:
"ResolDed, That we do not propose to inter.
fere in any wise with Slavery within the Limits
of those States where, by the laws, it already
exists but that to every attempt to bring The
freemen of the North into new partnerships
with Slavery, to every attempt to subject new
territory to Slavery, to every measure proposej
in Congress for the further protection or eytep.
sion of Slavery, and for the admission Of new
slave States, we declare ourselves now and Inn.
mutually opposed and repugnant
"ReSotced, That the repeal of the Missouri
Comp. olhise was an infraction of the plghtej
faith OF the nation, and that it should be r.,
stored aud, if efforts to that end should fail
Congress should refuse to admit any State fol
Grating Slavery which shall be formed out og
any portion of the territory from which that in.
stitution WIS exc'r ded by that Compromise"
The SEQ ID p c & ition, presented as a ground
of corp :omise, was as follows:
"That the question of Slavery should not b,
introduced into the platform Of the American
party, being convinced that no such issue wa,
intended to be emba ced within its principle,
and objects; that we believe in and shall ever
defend the right Of freedom of opinion and d.,
cussion on that aid every other subject not IN
tended to be embraced within the designs of ogr
organization but, inasmuch as the subject rs,
been TO ced upon US, we regard the repeal O..
the Missouri Compromise an infraction of the
plighted faith Of the nation, and that it shouB
be restored and, if efforts to that end should
fail, Congress should refuse to admit any State
tolerating Slavery which shall be formed out of
any portion of the territory from which that in.
stitution was excluded by that Compromise"
The third proposition was the resolution ON
the subject embodied in the platform adopted
by the National Convention
The vote was first taken on the third PROPOSE.
tion-yeas %, nays lj3
On the majority report, or first proposition,
the yeas were 50, nays l04, the Philadelphia
delegation voting against it.
On the minority or compromise report, the
yeas were AS, nays 80.
The only other business Of importance trans.
acted by the regular body was the passage Of
the following resolution with almost entire
unanimity:
"ResOtred, That committee of thirteen be
appointed, to invite the cooperation of all the
State Councils in the Confederacy who may be
willing to concur in the principles and platform
this day adopted by the State Of Pennsylvania
as and for national creed and that q COnven
ton be held at Cincinnati, on the Sth day Of
January next, to concert measures To secure
the nomination IN the Convention, calied By the
National Contention, of candidates for Pres
ident and Vice President who are willing to
stand upon the platform this day established,
and transact such other matters as may be
deemed necessary to secure the success Of the
American party in the Union the representa-
ton of each State in said Convention to be
equal to the number of members such State is
entitled to in the National Congress-
Before this resolution was acted upon, ten of
the Philadelphia and two of the Montgomery
county delegation withdrew. The seceders,
after the adjournment of the regular council,
proceeded to organize new State Council.
Such is the statement Of the Philadelphia
american. The Philadelphia SIM publishes
the proceedings of the Seceders Convention, as
the American Council, Mr.. Broome being the
principal actor. 1t acquiesces in the twelfth
section, acknowledges subordinaton to the
NduoHdi oruer, anu repuuIlleS INC OIhcl NVi'
vention, as follows
ReSolred, That the minutes purporting to
be the proceedings of the State Council of
Pennsylvania, which assembled at Reading, on
the Sd instant, disclose the fact of the seces.
sion from the national organization of large
number of those in attendance who have repu.
dated the National Council, and disOwned its
authority, and that therefore their entire pro
ceedings are, in the opinion of this State Conn.
Gil, disorganizing, and are hereby repudiaied
and disavowed"
II will be observed that the Johnston section
of the Council, which has called a Convention
at Cincinnati, on the 9Th of January maintains
that the Slavery Question ought not to have
been introduced into the creed of the party;
but since it has been forced upon it. thanks
to the boldness and consistency of the slave
holders, that section now goes for the restora
ton Of the Missouri Compromise low North
ern ground as it is possible to take. This IS
running the Anti-Slavery movement into the
ground" with vengeance.
THE FOREIGN NEWS