Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-08-17
Fer !ic EHrrner.
lhE AMERICAN PLATFDRM.--N0. la.

! most wonderful pia;i,rrn ,hr l,,,, II ,,n.I ,,,..
': l ;>"tt'chli party having arisen upon
'r' 'n,s ,u ~ rl'tc ot 'hc "rp"spn n H." Hhi
hn'i l'"r"crlr PARTIES ranun, il, L.ra :, ,nv rau
""r responsible !ur Ia. ,,i,n,y: , , y, W.: ~,
pledges oi citEcr. Md the syst,,r,t. ,y;t,;,n -,
:' >!arry.Tu"Stion by ..os, u.r.i,, ,.y-. ,nvatod
scri:'.'i hostility i.fo positive ,,nont ~ .,ic.
I~wG" ANA hroU.ht Or usunns ipt, nnr !, Lo.
therefore, ofrh" me Imperative tIu:v g, ,',r ueri.
cHr ltry to Irrc tn: the pur;r,. ,f ;v:.,,, ,,nr
I" the country n.d ieEpctnliy 10 the Iinl, Arl n,
experience has shown il inlpoSl!hlr to r.cn,ciln ;
n!"i: ~ cNrC!le =; those which scpirai. n . i;.,
:un::, :In rre be dslu;,or In su,ui,.;ur,
To :h9 laws. lilc National Cnuncii hS deemed il tine
brst guafnGsr nt cnmnI"n usiicr nud OF ,r;,',
peace :" nbi'r by mud maintain the cxi.Inr Inv
upon the 'nh'"ct ri slavery rs iiIa ana conclusive
sGltrpcLi vt iiiHt sub;rrr. III sl,f,; .':i ~ .uarr
And regarding il Ia" high"3i dn.- ru ayow .,,.ir
opH""S .ip"r subject 80 :muniam'. III d5tiuc; Gri
uncru.vHcai ;rf'.g IL IL hereby Declared the sru.c
q las ia:rnGi CTuncIl, that Congress im',.t,. r
ppw"-, uritr the Ccu&.u"u. tn Icgicrtr uI.an tho
suhi'cI ~ a'nv'ry in IL" "tai@a whcr- j; dos" :uay
c,'Hr, -: II cNrtla ay &:a,r from admission ii:D ;hc
,:i. br"dust IL tor,titalinu ,t,:s or doc; l .a
. '-:i~': tn ri'tuii.T G! sia:Ty pa:: nf l. III.
cal s;-t' Va "nG ryIT,saly prn""ui;i. anyctnr<.io
ri III ln'm Hy0m tir r0w"r al: IuE-irs ~ ,s,:as o:
iir' 'lI'ef: II an; :ry"r:y ii il fic sGl,S: uf I'll"
National Cuuci. fiia, Congress OUGHT not 10 l..,iute
ap"u rh &Iiact OF sil Tim, thc fcfri:O,irs ol
The ;"!icd states and that Any .tc.ir!ccp by Com
grrs5 W.T.! slavery !: GNatS III tie District OF Co
iHGh,r, would hr Il violation. VI tie spf.; and ihtil.
ton C tho compact rv wLi:h the STAT" ui Mary!a!
coded the District 10 The United States and brcac
oi tnc :IE.r':.al ia'
propose 10 nEalyHr aI ,xuosr tie true character
"i ms a't;c!"-';s ';""rm;y, IL u>:rtncas and lis
nut r'-hd surrender III the constitutional rights u!
Ia" South upon H." slavery Question.
In" hrt part nt tits ;!r;ICc which shall notice j.;
l!I ws' h declares that the "Amc:c:in u:lr:" h"v-
:. i'>on upon The 'u# and ia spite Of r.ir "rp"~i-
'lrn q; the " h.3 INt !rIn"Ira;r parties. catr bu
III any n!aGcr >Inihln :'r the uiuAn!s .,,i- If
violated p!c%cs ": either Ihn. this ".;lur iir4
party EIs rls,n from The ruins "i The Wig party,
Is t:tc, io:, =" tbs Nhi--, with here ani tlcr ilu.
c;rt of exceptions, ao!::iNu.ts ircr-scil.r-, and
renegade Dcn"rGa, Iiariy combining within itself
every hostile Clement ~ the IniE! Democracy AMI
free" lnstGCI7 chnn: hc ini>akrii. That H.. '.im"-
rican ,urty a. ii has hIflZcd i,.sl; hu, fi-c upon
the voluntary dShanhnicEt of Ee Whg purity. s:,.ll
Tu"t.un; b;;t, tHt il has arisen uni tie ruins ut
tEc Democratic parry, Ggny. The Democratic par
~ not only not III ruins, but with al clcrgy antl
courage never SURPASSED, Is combating this molly
host from sul! ia gn Gnd from the A'lnntic Ia the
Pacific witt. prospect "f success frightening every
day. The fhI!Hlrhia Convention, when it adopted
s article, knew that this statement was not true
They knew that in every Northern State, where
clrc,iL;is hal been held, the Democratic the only
opposing ticket ~ ;hc American party, except ia
New York. md that iE each State tho Democrats:
party prrd Il formidable minority: ai,l .hGt, in Nr-
gin;i, hcy utterly routed :s Fhilistuc hast. They
may tS:,uS" it ;> t:I.y vii, but wCii this party Is
Tnll;!, it will i,c found thar il Is mainly cGnp posed ut
Whi.s. with .h. G!'.liIon vi shu.Om:ais "t all orders,
ana !. icw rancgHIr bcnocra's who prefer the
''sE"!'s' 10 tlcir principles. Tie elections which
have just taken Hacr III The South, prov" that the
Democratic party s ur;tirr III r;ns "r i'll Hight :ur,
lighting with 'lomitHh!e courage and bri!li"nt sac.
The Democratic party does 10: seek ~ impose upon
- arrogant aid rilarl.nic party, any responsibility
rr its ''obnrx!ou, nets" or 'vi"iaiel pledges
deny ,la thor" nrc ANY, aud G"iv :hc proof. Thor
own 'pi0rIo,S 0rti'' ;l? 'riDil'"J S',0g,N," wle
their name was ..Whic'' with .ilc pI,;llaunora sur
render oi the constitutional rights Of the Sout which
this article contains, i weight of responsibility
mere t.,an sufficient IA crush them. Let them dcs:a-
nate the "uU:luXipus act 'yluatcd pledge" Ui the
Democratic ;,rliy. and venture the assertion that it
vii! be uiaic'. cnnu"Sim:ic III abundance against
the parties "f which this party i cnmppocd and
against til: part, in IL new "hrh wherever II
ha, acquired bower Go Ia al" legislatures
ia" N0rt!lcrn States and look N tlIrr resolutions
and acts ii rHilica;iuu ~ the laws Ui the Union,
ani tell me What party i j! ;li.!t Pledges
A.:nin, saws ,ls arrcIc---
Amt the syscmltic agitation nf the slavery lles-
ton by ilo>c par;,s nav" elevated sectional hostility
into positive element at r'Cnl powC: :lld b:"rht
the imperative duty o; tic American parry 10 inter
icrc or the pHr's. al giving: peace 10 the country
AMI pcrpntuIy t. the ni"I.
And. pray. wllut party = il ,ar has a.tatcd this
.,i threatening to The p'rI.'ruI:y Gi Inc Union =
Tie very m"u il, ,ie NHtm, who now ilEd sI:rg'.i
and surrar. !!u. ::.e Suuih, u,cr ia" name II l:
AiGcri: ~ party. When Gnl wiicr. wa. II tiet t!.
Democratic part, ds party, a-I:!;cd tins question
iii. Democratic party, us Il parry, ls uniformly i'll
sisted :,Iu ColigisS Ind no constitutional power in
J STATE. III ihc Territories. owe: The si1cc! III
slavery except IL provide for the rcca1lRt" "i ti@i-
lives and ae urrmly protested ag&iusI liz exercise
OF agitation. From whence cre the a.S oi petitions,
~ .,,.ti lIt.. inns. frlin
tie ulcscntanm Of which tlis question has been 80
much a-i.atG From tts Wings, Aboll;lonsts and
Ere. SJ,irrS u! the Nr:,h-thu>c vino aye H"w MEM
bgs %. and caiIG. fraternity with this "rcc' cath
h,D"| S"y,E2rE,Eg rarty. Iha: there were Northern
mon. Claiming tn he Democrats who were engaged III
s work Is 10: tn l,. denied; bat they have all quiet
/, s.:,i.d nu his great reservoir 9! i>ns, miS;hc'!
.'Ar.rrar' party" X equally true lint, tr" demo
cratic party rDi' not Responsible ioI me acii
i til fragment The Democratic fa:iv. E"!tl anil
Sp,,i. En.; an,! Wcs: h,;... puriic'i b. he c.pu:
.niior al thC'c r"tt' II uia;tiI;i, Is nav Il TIL: "h
;s;s aurs;.uu-drgv:ns .i:a: Congress has an: rnw-
rr UPON this subject, III TIE Sin!"s --d"n"lnS that,
sv any prohihi:ory at III Tho territories CONGRESS
!.es the poser 20 i"reS;all the action "f the
u, op!.. oi the territories, upon this sui!i"ct,
w,,ru they cone into IN. Ur!nu, - State and cn".
:ts tie u,e"r oi CvrE:c~s, by my p:GLlo''o'v
cnac,:nrt Ia prcscri!'" I" h citi%c.5 "i the s%ve
SHir:. cnis;:a,ins ti'er" What sEr!e' oi rfnpr.ty:
r,rorv;.cc 20 arcI ~ the constitution ani '.ws ot
l. State from which h-y "n!sratc, and no. restrict.
cd Ev III" cura,latiuM "I i'ic Unite! states they
shall cary with ti.em. ii l. irr.n the h"n-siCIe!.r!"-
in. St.:r-, ",pu>"n in i"r. Principles, Were this
veg .,ncic II im,r,c"J,,rs Ia predominant, :iia, this
l.;,ar,u his ever a!.'l nmw COMES. They pro-
cinrI ir.: rap"sc .! a.ita!Ing tE!@ question. until
cv ar hvrGmP'.a!:" tic rIiis'Il"''"I'i II the ils
.n;, :rstrci'rT tJ r,p"Ii :" al" N:"h.'Si.G D ti''
cu.rciu. ii hGss ia" lt" ''ilir, " lnnbitl"n ci
,i,v.c, ~ t,i, rei,"r,s III" ""rsa! 81 ID: fn.itfc
ia ill.,! hich they hr,-, IL rt:,ct, mn!ed, and the
ry,niii;io %. any ne" STATE mt" ;u tLTI, wG0 Gt
q slrvrr: n!.,.L0n "!Hu,E in ECr Constitution. Ia
Il ;ccunp npl:sAC,i II Il! This, lie Democratic pn''v
ur: i. oily n'-t,clc: Ent /" Ia. ,it'tfurii" -" fhei
Iar,y ali thrIr -i."ri- ave dirrCt+'. The Panirphia
;'ouvcrti.n .u"win. rl, this tr thy could n"i have
rIHSc.l ;hri: "yvs Np,n i;T: "n '!I!s conservative
m!S: - ur..c The Si:h, an''-i wi!i %it 'h';. ;-
tort; Mrc LT"vtrG ~ c;:'i:c SV':!ie:i; cu =" ii't
viii. tsrn ~ this var upon The DuEio"rh:n nHry,
rp r,;or,l IN u fearful and ,,rrou. struggle for the
lIn:e,tuu ,i tic constitutional right u: if:c Sonth
AM tl. p,.rr.,i;y u' The Union. lils rrGiG" upon
the Democratic party i. iasc and tlr authors "i i!-
article knew it 10 br .;S" wien ;iIcy Adopted anu
pabl:,hrd il. Il !i.y attempt I" justly tla char-
is lie introduction vi !i!: i,.nsi. Sehrasin h! ami
tie r..,cul ot the rsp;i.i fr t". c: 1t nc f.n.:-
bc.t,t tna ii.;s bill was txacy Ike all III" "h2T lr:-
rton bills, ana the rcprm ol tHe .'i''7r rcs T'i -
tva hut The necessary result "i ;!c ''"'"'ii're '''i
ui iSjtri which did nothr: I:'.Te or i'>s ;han re-
i:,,iac tho Constitution violated III the Mlsaonri re-
s;rirtion This was Just aud right, and tI" An:"ri-
c;.n Convention dared no: a"y t" the c'ntr;:y M
Though they indirectly ASA. Il ~ IN ',bn"f''"S "Sl
and ri,S,:I gr,l.c.' Upon these bills iir"r" WAS
no need oi a;.,ion an! should have been none be-
every principle ;ny"ire in them hs ben a..
cuscd ia the ,:uyrcss ii The COMPROMISE measures.
Those r,.fr!.ss ard malignant splEi!s, howey-
er-unen.ics TO the South, vioin"rs oi the Con.
st;tu,;op and traitors to the Uh!"n--Couid not
permit tie escape Of this opportunity, for kin,
ding a:resh the tiamcs OF sectional jealousy nni
asajlipr anew and with m"re vis"r the insti-
tatous of the South ard the character ct her people.
aud His very conservative and paacc.ov;ns party,
play i.o their hands, and by siyly aud falsely
rhasyins the agitation ypon the Democratic party, is
cnvrr.!y ,,.avinS int" ti1r; hands When this party
shall have driven from its "wn fraternity, all the
slaycry ..:tlrs, OF whom i; is full, il will be inc
enough Tor il 10 rcbuic the Democratic party winch
did nj! it ca,ili 10 still agitation, except rcnsne 'he
equality OF The Constitution aud restore The vi"ate
rights Of the South What clan" has this party S 10