Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-12-12
Petersburg ,InteIligen Ger.


attempt to prore the inconsistency Of the Sc
nior editor Of the american Organ, in refer
ence to the 18th section of the Philadelphia
platform. Hitherto those presses which as
sailed us on this question, have contented
themselves with denunciations, and have for
borne to refer to any fact or circumstance, in
support Of their assaults upon our consistency.
We entertain no doubt that the Petersburg In
telligencer really believes it has referred to
facts and circumstances establishing its posi-
tons We knop, and that press shall now
kno,o, that ii has been most unfortunate in its
references to our course in the National Coun-
Gil at Philadelphia, last June.
After admitting, what it could not consist
entity deny, that the Intelligencer had "rejoioed
with exceeding joy at the result Of the late
New York election, which result was obtained
upon the Binghamton platform, in which the
18th section Of the Philadelphia platform was
repudiated in the strongest and plainest Ian
guage, that press proceeds to ask us as follows,
to-wit:
'tAnd now, in conclusion, we will question the
Organ little further. 1t talks very fiuently and
earnestly about its own consistency in now oppo-
sing the 18th section. Was its editor not mainly
instrumental in getting up the Philadelphia Con-
vention, and was he not a member of that body
If so, did he or did he not take his seat in it as
one feeling himself bound to abide by its action =
Did be not, when the Wilson faction bolted, rcmain
with the majority that passed the 18th section, and
did he, at the time, say or do anything to denote
the open hostility which he now so roundly de-
clares against it? The active part which he took
~ ~
berthe views and appeals which he put forth be-
fore It met, all going to show that he was DESTROYS
and anxious to obtain, in solemn form, the sense
of the American party upon the great questions at
issue-his refusing to follow the boilers after the
annunciation Of the platform; and, more than all,
the obligation he was under, rs member to con-
form himself to the will of the majority when fairly
and authoritatively expressed, unless he chose to
enter formal protest upon the Journal which he
did not do)-these considerations, in our opinion,
justify us in saying that his present position is
wholly inconsistent with the position which he pre-
viously occupied and we call upon him to say
whether he has the right now to repudiate the
18th section, or any other section of the platform ?"
We shall plainly and frankly answer the in
terrogatories propounded
1st The Organ has not opposed the 18th
section" as intimated in the commencement
and ending Of the above extract. Wehave over
and again said, and now say, that zoe make no
objections to the principles contained in that
section ourselces, but we will not make that
"12th section a 'test of eligibility to office"
We say az we have always heretofore said, zoe
can stand on that plank oarselres, but we will
not aid in examining it down the throats of
those who cannotsurrender their long-cherished
opinions, of the power of Congress over the
Territories, as exercised in the Missouri Com
promise act Of 1920, and acquiesced in for over
thirty years by the whole country This is our
position, and we trust that the Petersburg In
telligencer, and all other presses, who have
either misunderstood or misrepresented our
position, will now state it fairly in their papers
I'd. We were not "mainly instrumental in
getting up the Philadelphia Convention" but
we were a member Of the National Council,
which met at Philadelphia on the 9th of June
last, by adjournment from Cincinnati. 1t met
pursuant to the constitution of the National
Council, and was not got up for the occasion,
as the Intelligencer supposes, nor for the pur-
pose stated by that press, in the article from
8. Wewere bound by the action of the Ma
tonal Council, and have conformed ourselves
to its action, but we have to inform the Intel
ligencer that there was no faction" in that
body requiring us to compel Others to adopt
their resolves as "test Of eligibility to OF.
flee" under the American party.
4th. We did remain with the majority that
passed the 18th section !" and, in relation to
the residue of the interrogatory we have to say,
that in the select committee which framed the
platform, zoe opposed the "12th section" and
more than once defeated its adoption by the
committee,- we finally withdrew our OPP
position to it upon the appeal Of several friends
from the South, to let 10 go before tho Coun-
cil-and we distinctly avowed our purpose
then to offer in the Council substitute there
for, which we did offer, and which was not
acted upon, simply and only because the pre-
vious question was called for and carried,
against our rcmonstrances, upon the "msori-
ty platform" or 18th section"
Two reports were made by the select com.
mittee upon the Platform TO the Council, the
majority and the minority reports Mr.. Ray
ner, Of North carolina, then presented his
plan, declaring, substantially, that the question
Of slavery should form no part Of The Ameri-
can Platform. We then presented our plan
which was, a restoration Of the Missouri Com
promise line through the action Of the Ameri-
can party, and without legislation. These four
propositions were before the Council, and all
Of them have been published to the country,
and need not now be republished. The ques-
tion was first taken on the minority report