The American patriot., 1855-06-16


may legitimately accomplish with the checks
which are imposed on its influence and pro
gress-and we will see that the power Of the
, Abolition party is not armed with those men.
acing terrors with which your partisansimag
it is clothed
The Abolition doctrines, like those of slave
ry, are local in their habitation and their in
fuence confined to the territorial limits of the
free States. As the latter is the reigning poll
teal principle in the South, common ground
upon which all parties stand, so is abolitionism
in the Northern States: point generally
!, agreed on by Democrats, Wings and Native
Americans; and it is exceedingly silly to think
of proving that one party is more to blame
in this respect than another. None are to
blame. The consideration of such matters be-
longs exclusively to the jurisdiction of the
Federal Government has nothing to do. Thou
sand and thousands of men in the Northern
States who would vote and use their endeavors
to keep slavery out of the limits of their own
State yet they would refuse to interfere with
the institution as it exists in other States, be-
lieving, as they do, that it is one matter over
which the federal jurisdiction does not extend.
The Abolition party is and ever will be limited
to the bounds of the free States, and never can
become national in its character. Such senti-
ments and such party can obtain no sympa-
thy in the southern States, the citizens of
which would rise up as one man, without dis
tinetion of party, against any attempt to foist
Abolition upon them
You remember the severe and signal rebule
given to Van BUrcn in 1913, when he ran for
the Presidency. This is sufficient to satisfy
any sane man that the people of the North will
not make their abolitionism ar element in ma
tonal politics.
To those who are in doubt about the position
of the Native American Party, on the aboli-
ton question, the following is recommended
Did we believe that abolitionism was incorpo-
rated as an element in our party faith, we would
quit the organization in double quick time.
But this charge of Abolitionism against Native
trick the opposition will get up next?
Photographed to the New Orleans Picayune.1
American Convention at Philadelphia.
>WNEw York, June 12-The Platform Com
lnittee of the American National Convention
at Philadelphia has adopted the following re-
solutions in reference to the slavery question |
Resotced, That the American party, having
nd in ifo TO fI,o
ition of the Whig and the Democratic parties. |
they cannot be held in any manner RESPONSE
bic for the obnoxious acts or violated pledges /.
of either of them
hesotrcd, That the systematic agitation of
the slavery question by those parties has ele- |
waited sectional hostility into positive element
of political power, and brought our institutions
into peril. 1t has therefore become the imper-
ative duty of the American party to interpose.
ofglving peace to the country and to perpetuate
the Union.
Resolced That as experience has shown that
it is impossible to reconcile opinions so extreme
as those which separate the disputants, and as
there can be no dishonor in submitting to the
laws the National Council has deemed the best
for common justice and future peace
to abide by and maintain the existing laws up
on the subject of slavery as a final conclusion
and settlement of that subject in spirit and in
substance.
Resolced, That regarding it as the highest
duty to avow these opinions upon the subject
So important, in distinct and unequivocatng
terms, it is hereby declared as the sense of this
Council, that Congress possesses no power un-
der the constitution to legislate upon the sub
ject of slavery States, or to exclude any State
from admission into the Union because its con-
stitution does not recognize the institution as
part OF the social system, and expressly pre-
tcrmitted any expression of opinion upon the
power of Congress to establish or to prohibit
slavery in any Territory it is the sense of this
Council that Congress ought not to legslatc
on the subject Of slavery as it exists in the
District of Columbia, and that any interference
Of Congress with slavery as it exists in said
District, would be violation of the spirit and
intention of the compact by which Maryland
ceded it to the United States, and breach of +;
national faith
The platform was adopted by II to II, the
Abolitionists opposing it in body on one side
md the National men supporting it on the
other. The Abolitionists will make an effort
o carry ont their views, and should they fail
will leave the convention.
Open Organization Meeting.