Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-12-19
WHOLE NO. $40.
Letter from Hon. John M. Bolts.
RrcHMoND, Nov. IA, 1855.

RIcHMoND, Nov. IA, 1855.
GENTLEMEN On yesterday received your COM
munication inviting me to attend grand Mass
Meeting to be held in Louisville on the 9th inst,
and beg to assure you that every feeling of my
heart would prompt me to accept IT. If circumstan-
ces were such as to justify it but they are not.
Business engagements call me at this time in an
other direction.
The respect, and might say the attachment,
have always felt for Kentucky, would render such
visit at any time acceptable but at this crisis
las regard III In the affairs of the American par
ty, II would be particularly gratifying; for, while
the general character and intelligence Of her peo-
pie have at all times commanded my respcct, the
constancy and devotion Of the people Of that State
to her most gifted son, who stood foremost among
all his peers, has elected my warmest admiration:
added to which, the identity Of political feeling and
principle that has always existed between us, has
bound me to her with more than ordinary regard.
feel, therefore, that if have anything to say to
the American party, that, next to my own State,
there is no place and no people to whom might
say It with more propricty than in Kentucky and
to Kentuckians
1 Nothing but the deepest anxiety for the success
of the American cause, and the confident conyic-
ton I entertain Of the danger to which 1t is ex-
posed, would prompt me to offer the suggestions
which propose to submit; but having reflected
very maturely on the subject and having arrived
at the conclusions have, it would be breach Of
faith to the party If did not expostulate against
course which, If persisted in must in my judgment
result in defeat, and in the triumph of the foreign
party and their Democratic aies--than which
more disastrous result to the welfare of our coun-
try could not occur For the observations offer
only ask fair and unprejudiced consideration
before further business is done and before il is too
late to retrieve false or unfortunate step, The
suggestion is that you do not follow the example
80 tIo,G nf X1n
ty, by adopting or insisting upon the platform as
adopted at Philadelphia. 1t is not as an individual,
or as q Southern man that speak, but as men,
Der of the American party, resolved to hazard and
sacrifice, If necessary, everything in ceaseess ef-
fort to overthrow the foreign influence which has
TO greater or less degree, controlled the affairs Of
this great nation for the last fifteen or twenty
years, and which, If not checked, will continue to
control them for all time to come
Let Kentucky be governed by her own counsels;
let her lead off in another direction; let her set an
example that her sister States in the South will.
upon reflection, be proud to follow! Let her be
the great pioneer the road that will lead to VIC
toryl For If the South shall continue to persist in
holding on to that platform Qisten to me, entreat
you, when tell you) oertain and nglarinns dafaat
awaits us. No matter what you, or ], or the South,
may think of that platform, and no matter how
right it may be- 1t Is not satisfactory to majority
Of the party 1t has not been, and 1t cannot be,
ratified or endorsed by any one free State in the
Union: and If it should be, it will be by division
of the party and consequent loss of the State. If
General Washington himself could be restored to
life, and should be nominated and placed on that
platform, he would be defeated.
The recent elections in the North serve to show
what we might do as a united party; but we must
not forget that the elections in New York and Mas
sachusetts we're carried by Reputation Of that
platform, and in spite Of IL and that In general
or Presidential election, II we insist upon Il must
be divided and consequently must be beatan. And
are we willing to loose this great stake at such
time this, for the qualification Of an idle and use
less abstraction, for mere declaration of our opn-
ions, which at last will accomplish no practical
good TO any human being on earth?
In the first place, don't believe in any paper
platform for regulating the conduct Of President
after he becomes the representative of the nation
nor do believe IL necessary in making section
of the candidate plo should constitute platform
within himself. His antecedents in public life;
bis high and elevated character; his political sta
bilty and integrity; his known devotion to tho
constitution and the Union, should be such as to
command the confidence Of the country without
platform; and If we have no such man in our par
ty, then we have no right 10 claim to make Pres
ident from our ranks. The old, and with me, still
venersted Whg party never had platform but
once, and then IL contributed largely towards, II it
did not occasion, its defeat
But suppose i am mistaken in this, and that
platform Is necessary evil then let me ask what
constitutes PLATFORM Is Il not basis of prin-
cples, or rule of action, agreed upon by the whole
party for it's own guidance and government How
then can series Of resolutions agreed upon by
minority and which drives from the convention
those representing majority Of the party, be re-
garded a platform binding on the psrtyf can
not comprehend how il is, that the Philadelphia
fha ri nh mr. IN adj
platform; for where one Is legtimately adopted,
! the convention mus be very differently organized
from that which sat in Philadelphia.
| Is there one man In the entire party, who will
claim that in settling upon what shall constitute
the principles Of the party the representation from
Florida shall be allowed TO Offset that Of New York
| Delaware Offset that Of Pennsylvania--Rhode
Island Offset 0hio-Texas Offset Virginia--and Ar
kansas, Kentucky or MassachusettsS The propo-
stion Is in itself papable and monstrous absurdi-
ty; and yet this was the character and constitution
| OF that nvention-each State being allowed an
equal number Of representatives.
But suppose ! am wrong again, and that this
was fair representation where then was the ne
cessty for, or rropriety in, ado stng any resolu-
tons that we're acceptable only to a comparatively
small portion of the partyf If we are strong
enough In the South, TO carry Presidential cleo
tion without the aid Of those in the North, who
agree with us on the main point that first brought
us together to wit the necessity for arresting the
current Of foreign influence that threatens TO over
whelm us, and to place the government and desti-
/ nes Of America in American hands, then II may
all be well enough but II, on the other hand, it
shall appear that we can't bulge one step without
their cooperation, then why do anything that will
provoke quarrel among ourselves, and one too,
which will sssuredy throw the power that is with
In our grasp into the hands Of our adversaries? |
confess do not see the practical wisdom Of such
proceeding.
France and England have agreed to lay aside all
i their former national disputes and have formed an