The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-06-21
The American National Convention.

The American National Conyen1on.
This Convention which assent bled In
Philadelphia few weeks since, has ad-
lourned after harmonious session on all
other questions, save that of Slavery, on
which there was stormy debate, and a
division Of sentiment that led to q disrup-
ton of the convention. In this Conven-
ton there were admitted seven delegates
| from each State, making the number some.
thing over two hundred, and which gave
an cndue ascendency in numbers to the
Slave states The Convention contained
fair proportion of men Of talents, politi-
cal experience and sagacity but the ma
jority of these was from the Southern
states, the delegates from the Northern
states being mostly inexperienced men,
There were also large number of out
siders present, engaged in watching and
debating the movements Of the Convention
The Federal Administration had its a
gents there digging pits for the ConVen-
ton With the defeat of the Know Moth
ings in Virginia on the slavery question,
they saw that if the convention could be
induced to adopt slavery platform, an
end would effcctually be put to the fur
thcr success Of their enemies, the dreaded
Know Nothings a slavery platforms
would destroy them in the North and an
ti-slavcry one in the South, The Admin
istraton looked upon either course as re-
storing its asccndcncy over the Union
On the organization Of the Convention the
dclegatcs from Louisiana were Catholics
and represented state Council that ABB
yoratcd the Catholic test, while it adhered
to that against Foreigners. These dele
gates were rejected and others admitted
representing a state Council sustaining the
the Protestant test This action is con-
sidcrcd as settling the principles OF the
organization on this point.
On the Slavery question there was an
animated and protracted debate, in which
Mr. Bowlin, formerly member of Con-
gress from Virginia, led Of on the pro-
slavery side. His position and argument
was a kind of chronological disquisition to
prove that the negro race was inferior to
the caucasian, and therefore that slave
ry, was benevolent institution; provi-
ding head of superior Intelligence to
preside over, control and direct the phys
zeal energies of the negro race. He was
for having the Convention adopt his the
DRY and so on with ali its might for the
increase and perpetuation of slavery.
Mr. Wilson, U. S. Senator FROM Mas
sachusetts, let off on the other side of this
question, He urged opposition to slave
ry on political, economical, moral and re-
ligious grounds, and he should strive in
all suitable ways to circumscribe and
hedge it in. He did not desire the Con-
gention to adopt an anti-slavery platform,
because he wished every member Of the
organization to be free on that subject to
do as he should be pleased. As for him
self he would be bound by no pro-slavcry
tests Massachusetts, would be bound by
none; the North would tc bound by none.
Ia this debate Mr. Bowlin was backed
by a considerable number Of the South
crn delegates, and Mr.. Wilson BY large
proportion of the northern ones. Slavery
and Freedom stood front to front, and
their respective demands were asserted
without circumlocution of ambiguity.
The result, as our readers know, was
the disruption of the Convention on this
question. Mr.. Wilson was right. There
should have been no declaration Of prin-
ciples, as there can be no National party
that takes either the one side OF the other
on it. If the American party has destroy
ed itself by attempting an imposibility, i'll
has fallen into the same pit, and been de-
stroyod By the Trojan horse that doomed
the Wing party.-LadG2sndct Wig.
\ Baltimore paper Of Saturday gives
the particulars of a grand fight between
two frail women of that city. When first
abseryed they were down upon the pave
mcnt, one fourishing cowhide and try
ing to lay it upon the shoulders of the
other. A bystancr parted them, and sup
posing that the affair had ended, turned
to attend to bis business, when one woman
Elizabeth Simpson, drew from her pocket
a pistol and discharged it directly at the
head of her opponent, Margaret Hamilton,
the whole load taking effect in her left
check producing frightful wound. Of
fccr Davis conveyed Miss Simpson before
Justice Lawdcr, who committed her to
jail for examination.
The editor of the New Hampshire Pa
triot, Presidents home organ, says that