Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-16
The Chasm Widening.

Inc Ch0Sm WIDENING
The resolutions adopted by the Ohio Free
soil convention "resent" with intense and ex-
elusive zeal "the spread of slavery under
whatever shape or color it may be attempted :"
But in doing SO, it goes cannon shot beyond
even the extreme grounds taken by the Penn
sylvania seceders from the American Order
for it not only pledges itself to "labor assidu-
ously to make void" the Kansas and Nebraska
bill, but will "oppose, by every lawful means,
the establishment Of slavery in any national
territory, and the further increase of slave
Territory or slave States in this Republican
Confederacy." The seceders at Reading lin
tied themselves to an expression of opinion
that the Missouri Compromise ought to be
restored, and that il efforts to that end should
fail, Congress should refuse to admit any
State tolerating slavery, which shall bo formed
out of any portion of the territory from which
that institution was excluded by that Compro-
mise"
We warned our macontent friends some
days since of the purpose of the disunionists to
entrap them. We called their attention to the
assaults Of the National Era, the Tribune and
other organs Of Abolition. It may be now
seen that Wilson and other spies sent into the
American camp would have led US to settled
war upon single issue, and that issue the
sectional rights Of the several members of ube
Confederacy. The seceders at Reading are
dissatisfied with the Philadelphia platform, be-
cause il recommends sectional peace on the
basis Of present Legislation. Do they not see
that If we weigh our anchor from this ground,
there is no escape from being driven to sea by
an irresistible tempest of agitation, or dashed
upon the rocks of disunionism by the strong
tide Of sectionalismf We offer no argument
in favor Of the Philadelphia compromise, but
we ask, at the hands Of all prudent men, COM
parison Of the consequen COS to result from it,
with the open assaults upon the peace and
character of the country, 1nenaced by that party
which announces but single principle Of ac-
tion--an eternal strife OF sections
Our seeding allies ,cem absolute doughfsces;
their platform seems tame and harmless along
side of that promulgated by the Red Republi-
cans Of Columbus; and upon competition for
the vot OF those who are anxious to repudiate
the act on Of tl,e Federal Government upon the
subject Of slavery, we presume that the plat
form Of the seceders could not obtain one in
one hundred against that Of the Free-soilers,
for this is crisis which admits of no neutral
ground We must maintain the law as It is,
or drift away into an illimitable ocean of inno-
! walton. The fanatics, with the shrewdness
which sometimes characterizes insanity, have
restrained the zeal Of their followers until
those who had been incensed against the Mis-
souri, legislation might have Joined their
ranks. They HOW find IT impossible to do so
any longer; they proclaim their purposes; II
is war Of az itation, even to the dissolution
of the Union, or the destruction Of every fra
ternal tie whi,,h binds It's members together.
In this object they have accepted the aid Of
aliens Of every Cline, Of fanatics Of every faith,
to overthrow an institution recognised by law
an usage. They may, without Inconsistency,
offer Cabinet appointment to the papists and
foreign missions to foreign refugees. Amer.
cans who dread the enmity Of foreign and
| fanstical foes even more than the imaginary
aggressions ofyour own fellow-citizens, are you
willing to follow these enemies Of the Union,
in their nefsrious and reasonable purposes
Reflection, and the terrible depths Of that
chasm now opening between your purposes and
the avowcd objects Of your enemies, and ours,
viii convince you that the only safe platform
is the law as it is. Let us, then, close ranks
upon that platform, abide by and maintain il
against all enemies
We see that in Democratic conventions held in
the counties Of Kennebec, Penobscot, and York,
resolutions we're passed condemning in the strong
est terms the policy Of the present administration
on the slavery question, and advocating the fssion
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