New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-02
THE KNOW-NOTHINGS OF MASSACHU-
Sc TTS.
ADDRESS ADOPTED IN THEIR STATE COUN-
Oh At BOSTON ON FRIDAY JUNE o.

I Il -
Recent occurrences constrain the State Council of
the American Party of Massachusetts, 10 present an
Address to tier fellow-czens, declaring conclsey
as osshe their views OF It's duty at the present crisis
platform expressive of the principles of majority
of the National Council has recently been adopted
and made public atesed by the signatures of it's oi
cers. This platform contains views and declarations
on The subject of Slavery utterly repugnant to the con-
yicOns of the American Party of Massachusetts, and
which al e deemed by them, inexpedient, untrue and
urcoI stiiutional. Their most sacred duty to their
country, Themselves, and TO posiedty constrains
them TO utterly rcpudate those views aud dec ARA
tons and TO entirely dlssever themselves at once from
all political fellowship with any organization which
proclains such platform as its rule of action.
The State Council OF Massachusetts, does not recog-
nize the Truth of the declaration that the American
"Pariy having arisen on the ruins and in spite of the
"otposion olthe Wing aud Democratic parties, can
moi be held any responsible for the o6ROI-
ious acts piolated piedges Of either" Ii is the
plUnest duty OF every party, as well as OF every midi
yiCual, 10 all in the repeating OF obnoxious acts or
making good 4" violated pledges" We cannot and we
will not aid in placing IN power those who publicly
and unnecessarily pledge hemrelves in advance not to
rel cal the obnoxious acs and not 10 make amends for
the violated public faith of the present National Adj
nrsti alton. We hardly the necessity for their
removal from office if their obnoxious acts are not
TO be eIealed and their violated pledges not to be
made good. The people demand and will insist on
both the one and the other.
Tie National Council then declare that the sys-
tema ic agitation OF the Slavery question by those
"artes has elevated sectional hostility into positive
"eement Of political power, and brought our ihstitu-
tons into peril, and at has therefore become the
imp eraiive duty of the American Party to interfere
for the purpose of giving peace to the country and
"perpetuiry to the Union In all this TIE American
Party of Massachusetts fully concurs and with much
interest looks further TO see how the National Plat
form proposes TO perform that imperative duty
OF interfering" "to give peace TO the country and
prosperity to the Union" Repeating obnoxious
Facts and making good violated pledges" would in
a..1 algaff fsan
desirable ends. Not deem the majority of the Ma
tiona Council. They pledge themselves and desire TO
pL dge Massachusetts in the following words: "the
National Council has deemed it the best guaraty
of common Justice and future peace to abide by and
"mai tain the exist laws upon the subject of Slavery
as final and conclusive settlement of that subject in
spiri, and in substance" Massachusetts does not
believe that conserving TO riOiaed pledges" AMI Oh
RoziOus acts" "are the best guarantees OF common
"Justice and of future peace"
Massachusetts utterly repudiates the dogma of the
majority of the National Council that Congress pos
sesses no power under the Constitution 10 exclude
any State from admission into the Union because its
Constitution does or does not recognize the lnsu
- ton of Slavery a part Of Is social system"
Statesmen of distinction, from Madison to Webster,
both inclusive hold that the Confederation is part
ship of States and that the existing partners can at
any time dictate what terms a new member shall
be admitted into the Confederation. SO believes Mas
sachuserts now, aud she refuses her adherence 10
platform designed 10 pave the way for the admission
dom by solemn national compact of thirty four years
duration.
Massachusetts, enters her earnest protest against aud
refuses aGquiesoeDce In the declaration that Is the
sense of this National Council that Congress ought
mot to legissie upon the subject of Slavery within
"tle Territories OF the United States" This is going
further than the South ever asked of the ole Wing
Democratic parties. This nullfes the ordnance of
1857 and the entire Missouri Prohibition. This
deIs the whole domain of National Territory from Min
nesota TO Oregon both included, TO the embraces of
Slavery. This literally makes Slavery national and
Liberty merely sectional lhs declares the very re-
we're of the proud boast of Old England, 30 that
wherever floats national standard under the con-
troll Of National Government there shall exist AZ
mean seryiiude.
These vital questions come home TO the conscience
| of every Northern man, however high or however
lun be Ii is needless TO specify other portions of the
Platform constrained TO dissent from and pro-
| iest az Iinst We would however In connection with
their assertion that the national compact time
" hOnored agreement known as the NJ ssoun Com
promise, ought not to be restored refr their addi-
tLal declaration of "a tender and sacred regard for
tLose acts of craftsmanship which to be coutra-
dsln guish.d from acts of ordinary legislation by
tie fact Of their being of the nature of compscis
and agreements and so 10 be considered fixed and
" settled natonal policy" There ia no compact or
agreement" ne act OF - fixed and settled national
policy that this applies to with such peculiar and
pertinent sienncancy as tie great Missouri Compromise
of 1870, which has us been stricken down al the
beck OF slavery. Yet the National Council did not
int nd It's application 10 that outrage for thew ds
iiDctly affirm that the violation of such national
comp act must be submitted to as final and concIu
sye settlement of that subject in spirit and in SUD-
stance" they apply the above expressions, which
they demand the North 10 ndorse ''of tender and
sacred regard to the FpgitiUe SIare 6iH. The
shserng in punic faith of the National Compromise
Of 1870 must be ecquiesced in says the Philadephia
Platform final and conclusive settlement osThat
subject in spirit and in substance but it adds the
e =.
from acts Of ordinary legislation, being in the nature