Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-06-09

they shall induce Colonel Preston to declare him
self candidate. lie is willing to enter the ranks
a private soldier, and fight with the Democ-
racy against the common enemy Under such
ciieune,annas, Democrats cannot have any
scruples in sustaining him as their candidate.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE KNOW-NOTH-
ING NATIONAL CONVENTION.
We find in the Tribune the fullest account Of
the proceedings of tie Know-nothing convention
1t is SO tincLured with the peculiar views of that
paper as to be unpleasant. We omit passages
that too Objectionable to insert Our main
object is to show the temper of the convention.
PHILADELPHIA, June 6, 1855.
The Council met this morning at clock, and
was engaged until y p. m. in considering mat
tiers OF form and the contested cases. The Mas
sachusetts delegation was admitted without more
ado, and the idea announced with much energy
i'll Southern quarters of especially excluding Sc
nator Wilson, was abandoned. 1t would have
driven out the rest of the Massachusetts delega-
ton, and portions of those of other States
Arkansas toe was eased off. Ohio was kept out
until near - O'Clock, but then rather grudgingly
let in. The objection in her was that thirteen
delegates were elected, though but seven 1.-THE
rightiul number) were here. But the most nm
portant decided was that of the Mississippi
delegation, who were let in by vote of 90 to
81, although they are the representatives of an
altogether bastard organization. There is no
regular branch of the K. N. q there The or
ganization from which these come is called the
s. Stars and Stripes of like objects with the
Know -nothngs, but utterly dsregardlng their
forms There is no State Council there, and these
delegates came on here innocent Of either of the
three essentialdegrees Of Know Nottingham They
were put through the third degree after reaching
Philadelphia, III order to sweeten the admission
which their pro-slavery friends were determined
upon, but have not yet taken either the first or
second degree. Had Massachusetts sent such a
delegation the last trump would sound before their
admission would be granted.
The Louisiana case remains undisposed of but
is next in order. Alabama occupies a similar po-
stion, but her delegation is in under protest or ex
PLANTATION. In those States the organization has
disregarded the Protestant test7Tan down in the
Constitution Pthe Order. This Constitution ex-
pressly declares that nobody shall be a member of
The party who is mol Protestant. Another pro-
vision as expressly states n chief object of its
formation to be INSTRUMENTATION of the influence
of the Catholic Church. Yet in two States named
the State Councils have "spit upon and 'scrush-
ed out" these provisions. In Louisiana a great
proportion of the organization is Catholics and
one of the ablest of the able delegates from that
State 10 this National Council is himself Catho-
lie and openly avows it. There will be an ear
though the committee on credentials has Anani-
mously reported against it, it is possible the vote
this afternoon will carry it. The ultra-slavery
interest, headed by Neil S. Brown, of Tennessee
demands their admission because they are Sound
on the "great questions of nationality" that affect
the interests Of the South. The vote of adms-
sion is substantially vote Of dissolution, for il
uproots the fundamental doctrines of the organi-
zaton. After that the Northern members say 90
or STAY, without lot or hindrance, and who shall
blame them; This vote, if given in the case of
Louisiana, or practically the same, by the con-
tnued retention of the Alabama delegation, will
strip. the mask from the Order and exhibit il TO
the world as only another continuance to help on
the war of slavery against freedom. Whatever
its name, whatever its pretended Objects the real
purposes of those who control its machinery and
direct its ends, TO make it efficient ally of
slavery, they call il here, TO save the Union
As yet the council has not numbered more than
one hundred and fifty MEMBERS and the vacan-
cies arc mostly from the North and West Two
thirds Of the whole are the merest nobodies in
character, position, and talents--wcak tools of
political gamblers and slavery progagandists
The free States have not than thirty or forty
| faithful representatives. Connecticut and Rhode
Island are altogether belied in their representa-
tions. Doughfaceism haseven invaded Vermont.
While this is the state of things at the North, the
District of Columbia is here as a distinct State
with her seven delegates This makes the slave
and free States nominally equal-l6 each
The pear is already rotten. You will see il fall
soon
| The council seems in no hurry 10 get through.
and may last into next week unless there comes
an open breach when the construction Of the plat
| form opens.
Governor Gardner, Of Massachusetts, has come,
and the sSIthern receive him with great heart
iness-the only of that delegation whom
| they are treating with any considerations They
oh in fln
| propose TO make him president Of the National
Council in the place of your Mr.. Barker, who has
got 70 depart. But IL they postpone the election
of officers for the next year until after the plat
form is made, they may change their minds as TO
Gardner. He will doubtless take his position
with the rest Of the Massachusetts, delegation.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
No progress has been made i'm the council this
afternoon. The question OF admitting the Louis
lana delegation. who are part Catholics, was up.
But the boiling blood of Virginia which has been
seeking vent all the week against Massachusetts
and Senator Wilson could hold in no longer, and
MIR. Boiling, of that State, opened upon tbom in
long and abusive TRADE. The whole afternoon
session was thus devoted 10 n free Ia liz on slavery
President Barker refusing TO entertain point Of
order, but throwing tire gates wide open. The
\ tide poured in torrent for near three hours The
| Union went all to smash several times. But Al
bert Pike and others gathered up the fragments
| tor use Tomorrow, when the ball is to be re-
| opened
General Wilson replied: lie said he was the
last man TO shrink at home or abroad from the
frank avowal of his opinions, and he was thelast
man on earth to submit 20 dictation and threats,
The gentleman from Virginia charged him with
endorsing Burlingame's speech in the fremont
Temple, and thus striking him down in Virginia
He did endorse that speech. He now endorsed
il, and he should live and die by it, and Massa-
chusetts will stand by that speech An effort had
been made in Virginia TO strike him down in
Massachusetts, but he not to be stricken
down there by the slave power Of Virginia He
conceded the right of the States TO settle their
own domestic affairs. He stood by the State right
doctrine Of Virginia in 1870. Massachusetts had
just asserted her own sovereign powers She
flung back with defiant arm all assaults, come
from South or North. lie was for the abolition
Of slavery in the District and in the Territories
for the restoration Of freedom in Kansas Ne
braska; for severipg the National Government