The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-25

ed by the majority of the late Know Nothing
Council at Philadelphia, including the New
York delegation, meets the approval of some
of the most distinguished conservative states
men of both the old political parties of the
country. In fact, the simple plan of acqui-
escence in aud obedience to the constitutional
and Congressional compromises upon slavery,
as they exist, and the policy Of non interven-
ton upon the subject in the States aud Terrific
ries, is the only platform which, under any
circumstances, can be made to hold water on
both sides Of Mason and Dixon's line.
Our readers will remember that in 1850 it
was through the joint efforts of the old states
men OF that day, of both parties, passing off the
stage of action, that the country secured those
| healing measures OF reconciliation known as
the great adjustment Of the slavery question of
that year. The leading spirits in this adjust
ment were Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Lewis
Cass, and, Notwithstanding his opposition to the
admission of the whole of California as a free
State, John C. Calhoun. The warning voice of
Mr.. Calhoun against the shoals and quicksands of
abolition, secession and dissolution, were quite
as effective in securing the series of measures
adopted rs treaty Of peace, as were the elo-
quent appeals Of Mr.. Clay and his compeers for
| the spirit of union, concession, and harmony.
Clay, Webster and Calhoun have been gathered
to their fathers. OF those four master spirits of
the Senate in the great adjustment of 1850,
General Cass alone remains; and he, too, in the
order Of nature and politics, is passing away.
We are quite sure that the day of ambitious
desire, and labor, and study, and log rolling for
the Presidency, on the part of General Cass,
has passed off with this late anti Nebraska,
anti-administration Know Nothing popular
reaction, which has swept over the country
from Cape Cod to Kansas. We feel certain
that the old General has settled down into the
| quiet character Of the patriotic philosopher,
with no further anxieties or desires for the de-
mocratic nomination, but deeply concerned,
nevertheless, at the gathering clouds around
the political horizon.
The opinions of such man, in such posi-
ton, and at such crisis as this, concerning the
drift and tendencies Of the political movements
| Of the day, are Of the highest Importance. In
this high estimation of General Cass we are
private correspondence he fully endorses the
| non-intervention platform of the late National
Council of the new American party at Philadel-
phia. He could, as he very justly intimates,
hardly do less, because this Philadelphia plat
form and his celebrated Nicholson letter of
1S4S, upon State and popular sovereignty, are
substantially the same thing. Ia word, though
not expressly authorized SO to do, we take the
liberty to say that Gen. Glass; in his private poll
teal correspondence since the adjournment of
the Philadelphia Council, fully endorses its con-
sentative, constitutional and n0n.interventioa
platform upon slavery, as the embodiment of
his own opinions, principles and policy upon
that subject to the letter.
Nor does this experienced constitutional
statesman stand alone concerning this Philadel-
pbia American platform. We understand that
Daniel s. Dickinson, VIM. G. Rives of Virginia,
Edward Everett, Willard Fillmore, and other
leading conservatives Of both the old parties,
have expressed themselves upon the subject in
similar terms Nor is it very astonishing that
they should do So Both the old parties have
been broken to pieces upon the rocks and reefs
Out of the ruins Of these two old parties new
parties are rising up. There is the Northern
Seward disupion coalition party and in the
South there is an earnest movement on foot for
an ultra Southern or conditional secession par
ty. Between these two extremes we have this
mysterious aud spontaneous popular upheaying,
North and South, of this Know Nothing or
uyith all IA
ties and nonsense upon other subjects, solid
footing of sound nationality, union, and safety,
upon the great and vital question Of the day.
1t is not wonderful, therefore, that such lead
ing conservatives of both the old defunct polti.
cal parties, as Glass; Dickinson, Rives, Everett,
Fillmore and others, in casting about them
among the wrecks and ruins of the late politi.
cal revulsion, should seize upon the most avail
able medium which is offered in the present
revolutionary state of things, as the nucleus
for o sound aud healthy national organization.
1t is in this view that we find Andrew Jackson
DonelsoD, of Tennessee, who is no more
Know Nothing than Cass or Dickinson, boldly
cooperating with this new party as the most
available basis for the restoration of that Union
sentiment and Union policy in the government
which this faithless free soil and secession ad-
ministration has SO recklessly destroyed
We published yesterday brief report of the
remarks of the Philadelphia seeding Senator
Wilson at late Know Nothing meeting in
Boston. He says that Governor Gardiner told
them at Philadelphia that not city or town
in Massachusetts, would support the majority
platform, and that Mr.. Brooks, of the New York
ETpress, had said that the whole North would
spurn It, But Mr.. Brooks is by no means q
reliable prophet. Seward, Weed and Greeley
have evidently frightened him yet there is
no necessity for alarm. Seward cannot carry
fha NORTH with ell TO coalf t;ou