Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-12-27
The Richmond Enquirer.

we made lew days since, lhat VIC mo ie1tefS
from prominent gentlemen of the South, tno
of sohom scere members IF the late National
Csuncil, held at Philadelphia, approving our
sentiments in favor of liberation Of opinion
on the slave question, suggested that the Hon.
j. NJ Bolts was one Of the gentlemen referred
to by us. We did not think II necessary to
correct the suggestion Of the Enquirer on this
point. for the simple reason Gf for no other)
that it was well known Mr. Bolts was not a
member Of the late Philadelphia Council, and
therefore, could not be one Of the gentlemen
to whom we referred Mr.. Bolts has, however,
authorized tho National American to correct
the Enquirer, as follows:
We are authorized to say that Mr.. Bolts has
had no correspondence with Mr. Ellis on this or
any other subject, and that until within the last
week or ten days, he did not know what was the
position Of Mr.. Ellis, as he does not take and sci.
dom sees the Organ" and that his Louisville let
ter was written and published with regard to the
platform and It's influence on the Presidential cleo
ton alone and without tho least reference to the
organization of the House Of Representatives, or
the election Of any of its officers"
The above statement, SO far as we are con-
cerned, is entirely correct, and we add thereto,
that the persons referred to by us, will, we are
sure, make known their views In full on the
question named at the ensuing session of
the National Council to be held on the 18th.
of February next, and we do not therefore,
consider it necessary, even if it were proper,
to parade their names before the public, or to
respond to the suggestions Of the Enquirer on
this point
We are, however, doing no more than jus
tice to the gentleman referred to, in saying,
that they are national men in their views, opin-
ions and action, that they possess talents and
inHuence-that they are natives Of the South,
and that one of them holds tpo hundred slares,
and feels that he furnishes the highest proof Of
his devotion, as well to the interests Of the
South, as to the pcrpetuity of the Federal
Union, in expressing the views which we have
represented.
Lest, however, we OF they may be misinter-
preted, we add, that the course taken by the
7 organ on'the question 81 tolcration of opin-
| ion In relation 10 slarcry, by the American
party, was not the result Of any correspond
encc or consultation with any person or per.
1 SUuS III VI JUL vi Jul cuiIOildi foOlu.
We have given utterapce on this and ell Other
questions, to the deliberate convictions Of our
best Judgment, without making our friends, in
any sense, responsible for our editorial course
Whilst at all times we receive respectfully, and
consider deliberately, such advice, or sugges-
tions as may be offered to us, by knopn friends
of American doctrines, we admit nothing into
our editorial columns, which does not command
the approval Of our judgment
Our senior editor has been for more than
fifteen years an advocate Of the American
Reformation" both editorially, and upon the
hustings and, although he claims buta moderate
share Of ability as such, it would be strange If
he had not learned enough of the doctrines of
the American party, in that space of time, to
expound them with tolerable accuracy.
With these premises, we assert, that during
tho past fifteen years, and down to the month
of June last, the question Of African slavery, in
all its forms and rotations, has been wholly and
entirely ignored and eschewcd by the present,
and oil former American parties, We have
heretofore stated, and now repeat, that this
question is one upon which the North and
South can never agree as to its justice or poll
cy, and it is therefore useless to make the ef-
fort All that any national party can effect on
this subject by any possibility Is toleration
Of opinion and cessation Of agitation. This
is all the South have hitherto asked, and it is
all that her safety demands, and this she may
readily obtain If she will herself Compel her
politicians 10 keep silence on the subject But
so long as this class Of Southern men are feed
ing the flame with combustibles, it win of
course continue to burn.
II may be here said that strict adherence
TO the 18th section of the American platform,
would effect the purpose Of silencing agitation
throughout the country Most unquestionably
il would, and we regret that northern gentle
men cannot adopt this platform. But it is only
just to say, that this 10Th section demands a
surrender Of opinions hitherto and now, firm.
ly maintained by the whole North, and not
denied by the entire South, on the question of
Congressional power in the Territories. Were
it not for this demand of surrender Of opin-
ion as to the powers Of Congress- the difficulty
would be FAR less in pcrsuading the North Of
the policy and propriety Of this 18th section.
But when it is demanded Of the North, NOT
only that they shall cease agitation, but that
they shall admit that Congress has not the
constitutional power which ii claimed and ex-
ercised in 1920, and which the whole country
acquesced in for thirty years afterwards. the
proposition presented assumes shape in which
they say they cannot consent to adopt it
They cannot surrender what they consider a
constitutional right