The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-13

Provisions generally were firm aud tended towards
higher prices. Sugars sold to the extent of about
1000 l 100 hhds About 5000 bushels of corn
was engaged for shipment to Liverpool at rates
stated in another column.
The Philadelphia Conventional Practical
View.
There appears to be quite too great ten
dency on the part of the Know Nothings at
Philadelphia, to haggle and dispute about a
platform on the subject of slavery. Slavery is
an institution established and guaranteed by
law in fifteen out of the thirty.one States of the
confederacy; and hated and ill-thought of by
vast number Of people in the other sixteen.
Those who have it say it is the best thing for
them; those who have got rid Of it speak of it
some with bitterness, some with anger, very few
with love or appreciation. Cannot the business
OF the country be carried on, and the cardinal
principles of the Know Nothings be put in force
and effect without an endeavor to Dragon these
| two antsgonistic classes into harmony of SEN
timent on this point There are host of sub
jects on which the Know Nothings differ. 1t
would probably be impossible to obtain vote
at the convention in favor of any particular
church; and if the convention agreed not to re-
port progress and rise till they had devised a
religious platform on which all could agree,
they might sit till the crack of DOOM Yet
nobody wants to insist on religious test-why
not practice little Of the sape tolerance on
the subject of slavery? Why not let every man
be welcome to think of it as he likes, and mean
while carry on the business of the convention
for the general benefit?
AS to hoping that men are to be convinced at
the present day, on such a question as that of
slavery, by argument much less by vitupera-
ton, the thing is absurd. 1t is very question
able whether men, in masses, have ever been OF
ever will be convinced of the truth of any moral
CT philosophical priaciple by argument. The
| whole history of religious controversy shows
| how futile it is to expect conviction to flow
from reasoning on matters of religious faith;
and, like all other experience, goes to prove
that our opinions on questions of ethics, re-
ligioD, and pure philosophy, spring directly
from the feelings and are impregnable against
the assaults of argument. So in the slavery
| controversy; it is mere waste Of breath to at
tempt to convince Southern planter that
slavery is wrong, or fauatical abolitionist
that it is right. Both are beyond the reach of
argument, and the only thing that can be done
is to place them in such position as may pre-
vent their iDjuring each others property, or
resorting to the last recourse of fanatics, cut
ting each others threats.
1.-THE Philadelphia convention would bear this
simple axiom in mind, its troubles in relation
to slavery would easily be overcome. Let it
boldly look the fact in the face; no platform 90
the subject OF slavery can be contrived which
the delegates from Georgia and Massachusetts,
can concur in supporting. Fire aud water can
not CO. exist in the same vessel night and day
cannot cover the earth at the same moment of
time neither can an Eastern free soiler aud q
Georgia slaveowner view slavery, or agree to
deal with slavery on the same principles, and
in the same manner. They may pretend to
agree, and may send forth lie to the world for
corrupt purposes; but as to an honest agreement
or compromise, nothing of the kind is possible
And If the convention are now at work in the
hope that by pruning and grating, and twist
ing and dressing the old commonplaces about
slavery, they may place them in such light as
to be acceptable to both parties, they will
fail, and nothing is SO clearly in prospect for
them as confusion and trouble.
We expect nothing Of the kind. We have
very little concern about the platform discus
sion, for we believe that it must end, as all such
discussions have always ended, in the adoption,
by small majority, of platform on which the
defeated minority will esprit" Ever since
1910, all political conventions of all parties
have adopted such platforms. The minority
has execrated them and spat upon them; but has
supported the ticket meanwhile, and this an
swered as useful purpose as sustaining the
platform. The real platform is the man. and
however the Know Nothings at Philadelphia
may quarrel about slavery, we see no reason
for supposing they will quarrel on the choice of
man. The Know Nothings of Massachusetts,
will go home more fiercely auti-slavery than
before and the Georgians will be fiercer than
ever in their denunciations of the abolitionists;
but at the same time, both will vote for
George Law or whomsoever happens to be the
nominee Of the Know Nothing Nominating Con-
ventlon, and really this seems to be sufficient
ior all practical purpose
we KNOW that imagination leads the world
ana see every day fresh proofs of the power of
distractions in dominating mems reason. Bnt
after all, there are such things as facts, whose
stubborsness is attested on all hands Tho
Know Notbings have been in existence as a M
ltical party for year or so; and at the pre.
sent moment, according to the recorded cleo.
toral data they number within a frife 40 roanv