The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-12-06

sing. No Party can live, or deserves to live
the members of which do not maintain goo(
faith to each other.
Let us survey the political field.
There will be three distinct nominations II
the Presidential election-Republica'l, Pro Sta
reIy Democratic, Knop Nothing or elmer
cam" Three Parties are already organized
the Republican, the Pro !SIaueJy Democracy
and the Kisop Nothing. The first, represents
the Principle of Liberty, the second, that o.
Slavery, the third, the policy of Caste and
Compromise.
The Slavery-Democracy has an organization
in every State of the Union, but is really as
cendant only in the slave States. 1t has beer
the main instrument of the Slave Power. Its
one policy is, to yield to its exactions. and tc
enforce popular acquiescence in them. 1t re
pealed the Missouri Compromise, for the pur
pose of Matchmaking Slavery, and it insists
upon acquiescence in this repeal. The endorse
ment of the Fugitive Bill, Of the Compromise
of 1850, of the repeal of the Missouri Compro
mise, and of the policy embodied in them and
implied by them, will be the test in the Ma
tional Convention of the Party to be held in
Cincinnati next year, and the sole issue tender
ed by its nominations.
The Republican Party is organized expressly
to meet this issue. 1t refuses its endorsement
to the Compromise and Fugitive Slave Bill Of
1850; it condemns the repeal Of the Missouri
Compromise and, striking at the Principle
and Policy of all these measures-the extern
sion and naturalization of Slavery-t demands,
the total prohibition of .S2arery in all Federal
Territory.
These two Parties, then, confront each other
on single issue-Freedom and Slavery. VIII
the men who, cdhering to the Know Nothing
Order, profess devotion to the cause Of Free
dom, answer this question: Suppose these two
Parties, so arrayed, should be left, undisturbed
by any other organization, undistracted by any
other question, to decide this single, grand is.
sue, by their votes next November, what would
be the decision? Can they hesitate-can they
for moment doubt that the Right would tri
umph, and the Slave Power be overthrown ?
But, another Party, with other issues, does in
tervene, and the result at once becomes doubt
full. Who are responsible for this-who, respon.
sible for thus interposing in the conflict between
the Slave Power and its Opponents, and for
giving to the former new lease of life ? The
twenty four thousand Free Sellers who voted a
Know Nothing ticket in Massachusetts,, and
the thousands of Anti-Slavery men who are
still tampering, in other States, with the Know
Nothing Order.
Look at the exact position of this Party.
We leave out of view its secret mummeries, of
which it has grown ashamed-its extra. judicial
oaths, which it proposes to give up--its anti
Christian policy of prescription, which it still
clings to; our concern now is, simply with the
position of the Party in its bearings on the
Slavery Question. 1t was not organized with
a view to meet this issue, to dispose of it in
any way. What business with it, then, has any
Anti-Slavery man, holding this issue to be of
paramount Importance? 1t has diverted a
large share of public attention from this issue.
Does this give it claim upon their continued
support? 1t has divided the free States on the
issue and yet, they adhere!
Alter the Order had been at work for year,
adherents in all the States, from
all the Parties, in some States absorbing near
ly all the AntiSlavery voters, it held its Ma
tional Convention, and, to the surprise of these
deuded voters, adopted platform affirming
acquiescence in the Compromise Of $780, in
the Fugitive Act, in the repeal Of the Missouri
a word, in all existing laws on
the subject Of Slavery. Some of the Northern
members seeded, others adhered. The sece-
lers were sustained at home, but what followed ?
Not single State Council disbanded-only
two or three indeed dissolved their connection
with the National Order. The organization
was kept up, and the seeding delegates called
a Convention, to meet at Cincinnati on the 2lst
November, to see what further should be done.
Had the Order in the North been loval to
Freedom, had it verify believed the Slavery
Question the paramount issue, it would have
dissolved itself, and its members would have
united with the only Party, arrayed distinctly
against the Slavery Democracy, on the one is
sue it audaciously rendered. 1t was not true to
Freedom-it subordinated it to other objects.
Its managers generally contemplated reunion
with National Know Nothings, on Nation
al" basis, as it is affectedly styled. In New
! ork, the Party planted itself openly on the
basis Of caste, compromise, and nationality"
In Massachusetts, it arrayed itself against the
only Party, organized TO meet distinctly. both
locally and nationally, the Slavery issue. No
sooner were the results of the election in those
States known, than the project of forming Re-
publican Party in New Jersey was postponed
and in New Hampshire, Connecticut, and
Rhode Island, the Order resolved to maintain
its organization, to insist upon its peculiar
Know Nothing Principles, accompanying the
resolution, however, with such declarations OF
Ani'-Slavery sentiments as were calculated and
Designed to Lseclude anything like a successful
attempt at a separate Republican organization
Then followed strong demonstration on the
part Of the Know Nothing members of the
Legislature of Vermont, State in which, until
then, tnS Order had not undertaken to assume
the lead
On the 10th November, they, and others
sympathizing with them, met in the State
House al Montpelier, and, after the passage o.
the usual Anti-SIavery resolutions, laid down
their platform, as follows
~. ReSOired, That we are determined to use
all honorable EFFORTS to secure such modiGca
ton of our naturalization laws, aided by such
an elevation of public sentiment, as will pre-
serve the trpe interests of the nation, and will
guaranty the three vital principles of Repub
lican overnment-SPIRITUAL FREEDoM,
FREE BIBLE, AND FREE ScHooLs-thereby pro
noting the great work of ADtericanizing Ame,
icG.