The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-09-07
THE Foley AND PROSPECTS OF
THE AMERICAN PARTY.


The following article, in which the true
policy Of the American party Is admirably
indicated, 10 copied from the Montgomery
(Alabama) Mail-ope Of sbs vety best and
most reliable papcrs IN the Union. What
the editor says Of the difficulty In meeting
objections urged to matters entirely outside Of
its political principles, is as true In regard 10
this section as 10 Alabama--and II was In
special reference 70 such objections MS these
we alluded when we spoke few weeks
since OF the "formnia and hummery" of the
order. The American sentiment is strong in
the American heart, and divest the cause of
the objections Of which the article below
speaks, and no power on earth can pre-.
vent its ultimate triumph. The Mail says:
IL Is conceded, on all hands, that in the re-
cent elections, the American party suffered
severely, by reason of the failure TO do GER
tain things, which, indeed, the shortness of
the time between the sessions of The two
conventions Estate aud Nationally and the
first Monday in August, left them little OPP
portunity to effect. The chief of these sins
Of omission was the failure to divest the
party Of all that intricate machinery which
characterized it rs an order, and which in IFS
primal condition was on absolute necessilyt TO
its existence. The time had passed when
the appliances, vitality necessary to the cstab.
Iishment OF The order rs nucleus for the
party, should have been retained by the par.
" itself. " was q great oversight that the
National Council Of the order did not, after
adopting lis platform Of principles, declare
the order dissolved aud The party established
Such n course would have relieved the organ
iza,on Of n vast deal OF unnecessary labor, in
meeting objections Sroed 10 maHerS entirely
outside Of lis political principles. The posi-
ton in which we were all lci by the inriioale
action Of the National Council, rs 10 the mat
Ter OF secrecy and other mere regulations of
the order, was The very worst that could be
possibly conceived-we ceased 10 be for all
purposes Of self protection secret associa.
ton, while enough Of The characteristic re-
manned TO subject us 10 attacks skifully
suited TO evoke the popular prejudice against
all secret associations. Half our strength
nay, neNly the whole Of our strength-was
expended in defending ourselves, on issues
wholly irrelevant and wholly immatcriaI.-
The secrecy aud all else appertaning to A..
mericanism rs an order, and without which it
could not have been protected through lis
infancy, in the large cities which swarm with
tens of thousands freshly arrived foreigners,
had become unnecessary. They were known,
by all, from the first, 10 he unpopular. Sill
they were retained, after they had ceased to
he useful and had become positively detri-
mental. And thus We went into the election
battles in the Southern States, clooged and
hampered hy what we all said freely among
ourselves should have been removed by the
/ National Council. il is wonderful That fight.
/ ing under these disadvantages, we obtained
| such substantial victories in Tennessee and
! Kentucky, and made comparatively good
stands elsewhere. Bul for The instinct Of
Americanism in the people and The conceded
| fact that We had ihe only party platform that
! did justice 10 The South, The Encouragement
! of "ur parry policy would have aId Us abso-
! luieiy prosirate al The feet Of ourconquerors.
\ On al! essentials ihe popular heart was with
Us; 90 al' non esseriiGls, The popular preju.
/ diccs were against Us. j was precisely in
this way, that Pierre ana freesoii seemed to
obLain an endorsement 3; the South, which,
on any fair trial or lie issue, they never
eop'd have uLtained. Our opponents saw
the game and managed ii with admirable tact
they onfessed and avoided" as general
Thing. our principles, and forced US 10 expepd
our best energies On points that should never
have been occupied
in The views thus crp6ely and hastily ex.
pressed, we have no; seen member OF The
parry who does moi thoroughly aequiesce.-
Before he election, they were pressed on Us
from MI quarters, and since then, the express
sions Of them have multiplied indefinitely
10 stating them now, we yield not only 10
our own convictions OF right and policy, bul
10 many requests from ibe most intelligent
and reliable quarters. 1t is the desire, we
feel fully justified in saying, Of those who be
lieye in the principles Of The American party,
thai The SLate-Council should be called into
session, at tne earliest practicable lime, with
a view to dissolve the Councils Of the order,
and 10 declare their members to constitute
The AMERICAN PARTY OF ALABAMA, based on
the principles OF The Philadelphia platform,
and having no other than a party organiza.
] ton. We believe that such session of the
Stale Council, acting on this universal senti.
ment of thc party, would be hailed with de.
| light by many who are not members Of our
present organization;nnd that its action would
give an impulse 10 The cause of Amercanisu,
that would he gratifying 10 all who approve
our principles.
We would respectfully submit this ques.
ton TO our brethren Of the American PRESS
Let them express themselves upon it freely
If The universal expression of opinion OF on,
friends, in lis favor, is not given, we shall be
very greatly mistaken. At any rate, however
LEI us have the sense Of The party on the pro
priety of calling The session.
CLEVELAND, TENN.-On our brief visit t.
Cleveland we were pleased to find substan
lial evidences that the spirit of improvement
was at work in The community. Several gen
teel buildings have recently been erected, ant
Others we noticed in course of construction
The merchants seem to have plenty to dc
and we learn their business generally is o
n sound and reliable character. We AWAY
notice such evidences of prosperity anon!
our neighbors with pleasure, at the same tim
we dlsapprove The system OF putting adopted
by too many "city papers" to give facti