The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-09-06
EDITORIAL NOTES.

| EDlTORlAL NOTES.
New YORK PoLITICs.-The New York Know
Nothings met in Council at Binghamton on
the 2Sth ultimo, and continued in session two
or three days. Great efforts were made by the
leading men of the Order to prevent the express
sion of sentiment on the subject of Slavery,
which might be distasteful to the South 1t is
said that number of leading Southern politi-
clans were present, who were backed by the Sill
YER Grays and Hard Shells in the effort to pro-
| cure the ratification of the Philadelphia Plat
form without alteration. 1t seems that this I'll.
| ira pro-slavery movement was defeated; but, to
all practical intents, the policy adopted will
answer even better purpose than that of rati-
| flying the Philadelphia Platform, since it may
delude few soft-headed friends of Freedom
into its support, without giving the least guar
anty of effective action against Slavery. We
present the platform and resolutions entire. 1t
will be seen that the feeble promise of hostility
to Slavery extension is not admitted to the Dig
nifty of plank in the platform; while the Sec
ond, third, and fourth "planks," or sections OF
the platform, have an awful squirting" at the
old-fashioned Hunker adherence of "agita-
ton" There can be no doubt that these anti
sectional" planks will always interpose i'm
passable bars to anything like effective coun-
teraction of Slavery aggression, while it is
hoped that the Resolutions will amuse and
pacify the honest opponents of Slavery.
PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES
| " FIrst-Americans to rule America
| " SecO1d-The maintenance of the Union,
and the Compromises of the Constitution faith
fully fulfilled.
| "Third-The absolute exclusion from the
creed of the American Party of all sectional
| doctrines that are against the sense of any por.
ton of the American Union, and the disuse
| of the name, influence, or organization, of the
| American Party, to advance any measure
against the constitutional rights of the States,
the intention or effect of which shall be to en-
danger the perpetuity of the Union.
"FourM-No sectional interference in our
Legislature and no prescription of persons on
account of religious opinions.
FyM-Hostility to the assumptions of the
Papal power, through the bishops, prelates.
priests, or ministers, of the Roman Catholic
Church, as anti-republican in principle, and
dangerous to the liberties of the people.
Straightforward reformation in the natu
ralizaton laws of the Federal Government.
,SeuenM-The enactment of laws for the
protection of the purity of the ballot-box by the
State.
| Eighth-Free and reliable institutions for
the education of all classes of the people, with
the Bible as a textbook Of our common schools.
"REsoLUTIONs ON PRINCIPLES.
"Reso1oed, That the National Administra-
ton, by its general course of official conduct,
| together with an attempt to destroy the repose,
harmony, and fraternal relations OF the country,
in the repeal of the Missouri Compromise and
the encouragement of aggressions upon the
| government of the Territorial inhabitants of
| Kansas, deserves and should receive the united
condemnation of the American people, and the
| institution of Slavery should derive no exten.
| sion from such repeal.
"ResOloed, That in the organization OF the
| American Order, the institution of involuntary
| servitude was and now is regarded as local and
| not national in its character subject for the
federation of difference of opinion by the citi-
zens of the Northern and Southern States, and,
| as such, has no rightful place in the platform
| of the National American Party"
None but the most unsophisticated can fail
to see that this resolution is designed to de-
ceive-that it has been thrown out as stub to
the popular whale" by which the cunning and
unprincipled demagogues who framed it expect
to divide the forces of the Republicans, without
losing any of their own ranks. We doubt not
that there are honest Ant-Slavery men among
the New York Know Nothings; but if they fail
to see that they have been sold " to the Silver
Grays by the State Council, after reading this
platform, they must be as blind as they are big
oted.
The Softs, or Administration party, met at
| Syracuse on the 10Th ult., and went through a
farce similar to that which was enacted at Bling
hamton. The committee on resolutions brought
| in q series, f" cut and dried " for the occasion by
the ofliceholders and expectants. They are 81
lent as to Slavery and the Nebraska bill, and
failed to give satisfaction to the delegates from
the rural DISTRICTS who are tinctured with
strong Free Soil proclivities. The committees
resolutions were amended by the Convention,
but in such way as to present the same
double face which is observable in those adopt
| ed by the Know Nothings at Binghamton'
| The first three resolutions of the committee,
which were adopted, refer to State affairs
the fourth is condemnation of Know Moth
! ingism; the fifth congratulates the Democ'
racy of the Union upon the signal triumphs of
"ther political brethren in Virginia, Wise, the
Enquirer, and Examiner, fierce and fiery advo-
Gates of the African slave trade and negro breed
ing,) North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama,
(bloodhounds,) and Texas. The sixth depre-
Gates illusion )" the seventh refers to local Or
ganization; the eighth is as follows, being a
qualified endorsement of the Administration,
with reference to certain measures:
/" Resolved, That the National Administra.
ton has our hearty concurrence and commend
alton in its management of the public finances.
in the exercise of the veto power to protect
the Treasury from being made the spoil Of
spectators, and to arrest improvident and cor.
rupt expenditure; that the system of rigid &C.
countability to which disbursing officers have
been held, the scrutiny with which defalcations
have been detected, and the attitude assumed
in support of the American name abroad, as
well as the important treaties with foreign Gov
ernments, extending the system of commercial
reciprocity and freedom of trade, are marks of
an honest and faithful Administration"
! The following, which were not in the "bills, y