The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-06-22

Last Tuesday we published the Platform
adopted by the National Know Nothing Con-
vention, assembled at Philadelphia. We
trust every reader has given it the attentive
perusal its Importance demands. We had
hoped thatthis Convention would have found
ii possible to entirely ignore the slavery ques-
ton in all Its aspects, SO far as the formation
of platform is concerned-but that qodS
impossible. AS it is, we deem the position
of the Convention, as specified in the plat
form, to be declaration of its intention to
leave the slavery question in all its aspects,
and all existing laws upon that institution,
undisturbed. Upon this slavery question,
the Convention split. The delegates from
number of free States were determined
upon platform of their own, including the
restoration of the Missouri Compromise,
with strong free-soil demands. New York,
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, voted with
the entire Southern delegates for the plat
form as reported by the majority of the Com
mittee,and ultimately carried it in the Conven-
ton. As Free-soIers always do when they
cannot carry things as they please in such
bodies, they kicked up a mutiny and with
drew-apparently forgetting that the Con-
vention had any other principle or question
to Investigate or announce, but what related
to slavery-and by their conduct, tyrannica-
ly demanding either that their wishes should
be carried out, or the Convention must cease
its labors. But many, who in the heat and
fire of their disappointment withdrew, after
wards returned, and Ohio, Illinois and Iowa,
were represented at the close of the Conven-
ton by their delegates. The Convention
was entirely harmonious after this withdraw
al, and closed not only in the most peaceful
manner, but in the full confidence of the
success of the American party. mass
meeting held in Philadelphia Immediately
after its close, warmly endorsed the plat
form of this Convention. So much by way
OF a brief statement of the immediate re-
suits or action of this Convention.
We now beg leave to make a few remarks
in definition of our present position. We
are not Know Nothing, nor have we ever
been member of aVy secret political associ-
ation-but our sympathies are with the
American party. We believe there is
strong anti-American spirit in this country,
fostered by demagogues of every degree, and
dangerous in all its tendencies, which should
be crushed down. This spirit is con tinually
fawning at the feet of foreign influence,
counting its favor, purchasing its votes,
% ,r,sfH L. L.,
ment. and seeking. by its acts whether by it's
object or not, to elevate the foreign born
over the American born, and thus blending
dangerous foreign influence in all the
workings of our Government. 1t is lessen
ing and weakening American influence in
the affairs Of our Government, and increas-
ing an influence it was never intended by
the founders of this Republic should in any
degree be connected with its institutions or
with :he;- development and permanency.-
If we understand the great feature of the
American party, it is to crush this rising
foreign influence and that demagoguery
upon which it is founded, yet in no manner
to take away from the foreign born citizen,
any right he may now possess as such citizen,
nor to prevent the foreign born from secur-
ing by citizenship under proper restrictions,
the same rights. We have understood too,
that this party seeks to NEEDLE with no mans
religious convictions nor to prescribe him on
occount of his religion, but that it is opposed
to foreign influence of any kind, whether OF
church or state or people, interfering with
our Government and its workings, and seek
ing to obtain dangerous influence over its
institutions. Sympathizig with the Amer
lean party in these particular and prominent
tenets, we have extended it helping hand.
If there are principles and lines of individual
conduct connected with the Know Nothings,
with which those not belonging to their
order are unacquainted, we do not know
whether we are opposed to or in favor of
them-for we are not Know Nothing.
Contrary to what seems to be the opinion
of those members of the order of free-soil
sympathies, we had supposed Know Nothing
ism founded on something higher and broad
er and deeper, than an intermeddling with
sectional questions-that its spirit was na-
tio,taL, and all it's objects and tendencies
were national, and that it would seek rather
to crush than nurse matters of sectional
difference, particularly one the agitation
of which has always been dangerous, and
never more so than at this time. But espe-
cially did we think, that combined together
by more sacred bonds than ever before uni