Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-09-20
From the Journal of Commerce.
A,aaouri ComnrOmise Resolution

i'm this State, that the splT1t OF the vast majority
the rank and file in both sections Of the De
mocratic party. aud of many Conservative
among the Know Nothings. is or has become.
their opinions may have formerly
been, fxedly opposed to the restoration OF the
Missouri Compromise. The "ChicaroOn" lead
ers, who. to a certain extent, succeeded in man
the wires at the Binghampton Conven-
lion, were mostly Nebraska men although,
when they found that they could not prevent
the passage of mischieyous resolutions ON the
subject of slavery, they submitted TO the will of
the majority, because. as they sag, they regard
the Roman Catholic question as the paramount
istersst of the day. and are prepared TO sacrifice,
If necessary, their convictions on other points
to attain success in this. They are now seeking
TO bring about a coalition with the unwilling
leaders Of The Hards, who have 10 deal with fol
lowers almost exclusively favorable To terrific
rial sovereignty aud the doctrine Of State
Rights in its widest Specification. The majo
rity of the Hards, unlike the Know NOthlngs.
look upon the growing feeling of hostility be-
tween the North and South with the deepest
apprehension, and the following resolution,
which was adopted day before yesterday, at the
meeting of their General Committee in this city,
shows how keenly alive they are to the import
ance of the subject -
"ReSOtUed, That we insist, as an %articleo of our
creed. upon the well established Democratic
doctrine of State rights, of a strict construction
of the constitution, and the principle Of non
Intervention upon all domestic State questions
and that the peace and quiet of the country de-
mand that it should be left to the people of the
Territories, as it pertains to the people of the
States. to determine for themselves all local
questions, including the subject of slavery, to
the end that a subject so disturbing in its ma
ture and influence may be wholly excluded from
the action of the government OF the Union; and
that, in furtherance of these principles, we give
our unqualified adherence TO the Kansas Ne
braska bill, and oppose any effort TO establish
the Missouri prohibition"
The Convention, which met at Syracuse on
the Odd ullimo, RETAINED from passing a sound,
explicit resolution like the above. because many
of the delegates unfortunately represented the
interests of particular men, and certain peeu-
mary longings. and not the feelings Of the or
ganzation to which they belong. Forthe same
reason they resisted the will of the majority Of
their constituents, which is decidedly favorable
to 4 hearty union with the Softs. This union,
which all good Democrats desire, would not
subserve their ends; but they are willing TO ig-
more the Freesoil, and other objectionable prin
ciples Of most of the Know Nothings, aud be
parties 10 a coalition for the sake of victory,
spoils, and a seat in the Cincinnati Convention
OF ls56, although they cannot he blind To the
fact that such an alliance must prove suicidal
in the end, and entirely isolate the Democracy
of New York from the party throughout the
Union. No one can look over the names, and
call TO mind the antecedents of many OF the
delegates 10 the late Hard Shell State Conven-
ton, without being convinced that self-interesi
r is betraying them TO form an unnatural alliance.
We have not been surprised TO learn, therefore,
that their action is resisted by the rank and file,
and that il required all the energy of the resO-
~lutions of day before yesterday, at 663 Broad
way, to keep them from a general bolt. Mum
bers of those who have heretofore voted with
them within the past few weeks. are de-
tcrmined to act with the Sofls, who, in the
eastern part of the State, are sound on most, If
not all, the prominent political questions of the
day.
The Soft Democratic Committee which met on
Thursday night ut Tammany Hall, is under
1 stood To represent the sentiments of the Demo
cracy of this city, Of the Eastern counties, and
all the counties of the State not included in the
infected district" 1t was in order TO satisfy
the Delegates from these last counties. who came
to the Convention for the purpose Of denounc-
ing the financial schemes of the Wings and OF
plundering generally, but who were not pre-
pared for any resolution whatever on national
subjects, that the amendment offered by Mr..
John Van Buren, to Mr.. Cassidy's resolution was
permitted to pass. II was adopted toith0Ut q
call of the Ages and Nays, on the express condi
ton hat it should be regarded as the mere de
claration of an abstract opinion, without in any
manner initiating against the doctrine of pop
ular sovereignty. This is explained in the two
resolutions which were passed by the General
Committee of Softs on Thursday evening, by q
vote of 81 to l, and which represent fully and
r explicitly the views not only of the Soffs, but
: Of the great majority of the Ha,ds, and of the
conservative minority among the Know Moth
ings. They are as follows:
Resolred, That we are opposed to the repeal
Of the Kansas Nebraska Act, and that We have
perceived with deep regret that an interpreta
ton has been given to the amendment by Mr.
| Van Buren, of Dir. Cassady's resolution, as
though ii were at variance with the known APP.
: probation by all sound Democrats of the prin-
ciples Of popular sovereignty; whereas, il was,
/, on the contrary, as was at the time expressly
understood, the expression of an abstract opin-
ion, based upon the absolute necessity Of carry
ing out fully the principles of the Kansas Ne
braska Act without interference from any quar-.
I ter whatever.
Resolved, That it is the belief of the National
Democracy that the slavery agitation in the Nor
thern States has grown out of interested mo.
tives, and been continued by short sighted IA
naticism, and that we deprecate and deplore the
continuance of a controversy, virtually settled
by the Kansas Nebraska Act, the tendency OF
which controversy is TO embitter the relations
between the North and the South, while it can
not. in any eventuality. result in either national
or individual benefit.
The Soft section of the Democratic party is,
in fact, committed to stand or fall by the repeal
of the MISSOURI Compromise, and although at
the time the Kansas Nebraska Bill passed, the
repeating clause was considered by many as un-
necessary, ill-timed, and calculated to produce
an agitation which should have been avoided
all sound Democrats are agreed now TO main
tain the principle of Popular Sovereignty as an
integral part of their platform, and as the only
position which agrees with the uniform tenor Of
the Constitution of the United States. The Al
bany Evening Journal says
by this action of the (Soft) Convention,
therefore, the party stand upon record as not
censuring the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise, as not condeming, but implicitly approx
ing the Nebraska Kansas Law, and consequent.
ly as unfolding the course of the Administra-
ton in regard to it. True, they announce them
selves hostile "to extension Of Slavery into Free
Territory" but here again is a dodge, for ac-
cording to Douglass. Atchison d Co, Kansas
ceased, by the repeal of the Compromise, to be
free territory, and become free or slave-holding,
according to the character of its inhabitants
Even If il has reference to Kansas, it is the ex-
preston of a 'oish, not a purpose, and is so in
terpreted, We observe, in most of the the Dem
ocratic Journals"
All Anti Nebraska elements are thus sum
moned by the leaders of the Confusionists to
unite in the coming election. TO procure a major
ity upon a purely sectional issue. for the pur-
pose of giving power TO the most currupt body
OF politicians in the State. The effect will,
however. be defeated, if sound men Of the rank
and file Of all parties remain true 10 the prinei
pies they profess to hold.
Straight-out Nnow N%othings.
Some of the Know Nothings in Georgia
rcpudiate the action Of their State Council in
leaving out the religious plank of the national
platform. At a Know Nothing meeting held
\ i'm MarlOn. Georoia on the 1lth int an,nnn