Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-12-15
WHOLE NO. 345.
American banquet at New York.


ness of the hour, were not responded to, said he
had now sentiment to offer, which he felt assured
they would all feel pleasure in responding to. He
would give
The Hon. John M. Bolts, OF Virginia--a dstin-
guished patriot and statesman, whose acknowl-
edged devotion to the Union, ana services in the
great American cause, are entitled alike TO the
admiration and gratitude Of our country.
When the applause with which this sentiment
was received had subdued,
Hon. John N. Bolts rose and said:
feel obliged to you, Mr.. President, for the SEN
timent you have given, and feel grateful for the
reception which it has met from you, my friends,
tonight. feel proud to be in association with
you, my countrymen, my brethren, the members
Of the National American party. In proposing
that sentiment, sir, you did me no more than Jus
tice when YOU announced to this assembly that
was the devoted friend Of the union Of the States,
from one of which am here among you now. 1t
was because knew would be among the friends
Of the Union and of the constitution that am
here; and find myself surrounded, sir, not only
by the friends Of the Union and the constitution
but / find myself surrounded by the mothers,
wives, and daughters, and l trust the sweethearts
Of the American people. Applause.
have heard you, gentlemen of the national
American party In the Northern States, denounced
at my own home, as being an Abolition party, and
have remained here In the city Of New York FIVE
days for the purpose of attending this festival to
hear what abolition sentiments would be ex p eseed
or introduced. ICries Of "None, noHel"l am
proud to bear my testimony to the South that
there has been no sentiment expressed here to.
night that would have the remotest tendency to
a sectional character. Applause, and voice
"We wonld not have them II has all been ma
ticnal-all patriotic.
I may, perhapa, Mr.. President, labor under somo
mistake, and If do would like to be informed az
TO the true character Of this organizaton to which
/ feel myself connected. Gentlemen have spoken
here tonight with becoming pride of the victory
lately achieved in your own State and In this ward
and Others have predicted q still greater triumph
In the Presidential election of 1855. That that
triumph ID within reach, If we act wisely with
moderation and forbearanee, have no doubt: but
we have a great work to do [Applause.] That
election s not to be carried by speeches made over
the festive board but, sir If it be carried at all by
the American party, It must be by driving every
symptom OF sectionality from Its platform. Loud
cheers. II is a national platform, and ii must
have nothing but nationality upon its back Zap.
plause.
What is the American partyf What is It that
has brought US together, new and distinct organ
ization, comparatively within the last few months.
| may sayf Has II not been because men of all
parties, who are more devoted to their country
than to party, saw the danger that existed in the
foreign influence that exerted over the nstitl-
tions of the country What is II, sir, that has
brought me, Whig, and you, Wbig, and other
gentlemen that see around me, as Wings, upon
the American platform9 II Is known. air. that
have always, since my FIRST entrance into public
ls6 sna aaff II 5a pS Ii, American platform, yer
no less Whig than was before went upon that
platform. i find gentlemen of the Democratic
party here, standing upon that platform with me
and what has brought together but this sense OF
common danger to US all lAppause.] When
say am no less Wing, / mean that l have
seen no reason to change any of my former opin-
ions, but we have agreed TO hold them in abey-
ance A greater and more important question
to the interests Of the nation has arisen. Those
questions not Of principle but policy, which havo
divided the Whig and Democratic parties here
tofore--such as the tariff, internal Improvements,
and such like-are questions of domestic nature,
always within our control, and subject to our own
action, and need but experience upon the part Of
the people TO decide for themselves, and to
the decision of the day by Legislative action.
4 But here is q different question that has arisen,
that might be yet beyond our reach, and we have
found tie necessity of arrsstng It at once. cay
that have come down from my Whig platform,
and have met my brother Democrats upon this
American PLATFORM to accomplish our great object,
and 90 far az am concerned, / am determined
Lot to let any other question interfere with me In
the contamination Of that great end. Applause.
4 bold it as paramount TO any other question and
every other consideration. II any gentleman hero
of the American party proposes TO introduce bis
Democracy upon that platform, ], as matter OF
course, would propose to introduce my Whggery
upon that platform; and what would be tie conse-
quence but to reduce US back TO our original ele-
mentf If any gentleman proposes TO Introduce
the question Of antislavery, Southern men will in
troduce the question ofslavery, and, as matter Of
course, Il will create a division, and reduce them
back TO their original elements. What have we to
do here with Whiggery or Democracy-s slavery or
anti-slaveryf Loud cheers and cries of moth
ing, notbingi"I Our platform can be summed up
IN one word It needs but one word TO express
it--and that should be written 10 broad, brilliant,
letters that could be In the night as well as
the day" Americanism." Applause.
tits aword that covers all that we want--devotion
TO the Union observance Of all the guarantees Of
the constitution obedience TO the laws; the recogn-
tion of the Supreme Court to decide questions OF
Institutional difficulty between the North and
South; and an alterations most material al
teration---in the naturalization laws. [Applause.
Now, gentlemen, there are in this American or
ganzstion Of ours but two principles that distin-
guish 1t from al others The 6rst 10 resistance TO
foreign interfcrencs and determination to put 1t
down. Loud cheers. The other question relates
TO the Roman Catholic denomination First, Id re-
gard, sr TO the naturalization law. What is TO bo
done with itf We can take no step backward
The war has been declared and the battle has to
be fought We are 10 triumph over them, or they
are TO triumph over us. What do We propose to
do How are we to accomplish our object, There
is scarcely member Of the American party who
does not declare that Americans must rule Anne.
rica, and yet we are told that we must accom-
plish our ends by increasing the length OF timo
within which they acquire the rights Of citizen
ship. / 20 one step beyond that. In my opinion,
that Is remedy for the evil for II you find that