The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-02-15

States where their Party had an Anti Slavery
complexion, once tell us precisely the same
thing-and yet the largest vote they ever cast
was for a candidate bound by open and
solemn declaration to support the Baltimore
platform, with its oath of obedience to the
Fugitive Slave Act, and its pledge to SUPPRESS
the Anti-Slavery agitation What is there in
Know Nothingism to exalt human nature
above the temptations of party ties or neeessi-
ties? Let AntiSlavery men, who are in the
Order remain there, and those who are cut,
encourage them, and abstain from all oppo-
sition, and the year 1856 will witness the cruci-
fixion of the North between two malefactors.
The Old Line Democratic Party will reorgan-
ize, adopt the Baltimore platform, plant itself
on the ground of opposition to bath bound
Secret Political Associations, and all proscrip-
ton on account of nativity or religion, and
select moderate Southern man for its stand
ard bearer. The Know Nothings will ignore
the Slavery Question, put forth their narrow SELF
ish creed, and select for their standard bearer
some plausible man, acceptable to the lodges
of the South, and rather looked upon with favor
by the Protestant clergy, the Temperance men,
and the easilygulled Anti-Slavery peoplsof the
North-and then, throughout the country, the
stereotyped appeal of easy virtue and purblind
conscience" choose the less of two evils y
would soon array the masses for and against
Possibly, this game may be bafied, but it
will not be by such course as has been pur-
H. of %La c,l ~,
generally, and by the majority of the Anti
Slavery Party. There is but one way, It seems
to US, in which it can be baked. Let every man
who thinks it more important to have, an Anti
Slavery President in 1856, than to waste ammu-
milton upon Foreigners and Catholics, in the
| Order, come out of it, if out of it, oppose it !;
and let all such honestly form an open Union,
on clear, distinct, Constitutional Anti,Slavery
principles, for the express purpose of obtaining
the control of the Federal Government in 1856,
and placing it actively on the side of Human
Liberty. And, to make their Union effective,
to give it rallying point, concert of action,
directness and power, let it select at once for
its Presidential Candidate, the man, whoever
he may be, who represents most conspicuously
the great issues of Freedom against Slavery,
and who can bring to the maintenance of these
issues the greatest amount of political strength.
| Let it be well understood, what it is we in
tend to do, how We are going to do it, ara who
is to be our candidate, and the work ill be
half done.
| Unless some such course as this ST. all be
speedily adopted, we see not what is to ave US
from another four years of Slaveholdilg as
tendency, either in the person of "Nitional
Democrat" or National Native Anne lean"
For ourselves, we wish to place this declara-
ton on record: Never shall our vote be given
to any man, whatever his professions or ante
cedents, who shall come forth as a candidate for
, the Presidency, representing any Party pledged,
Or committed in any way, to the degradation,
Acknowledgement, or prescription, of any class
of men, white or black, on account of race, ma
tivity, or religion. On the contrary, whatever
power or influence we may have, shall lie dedi.
Gated to active, unrelenting war against every
such candidate.