The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-06-21
From Richmond Enquirer.
THE PIETY OF THE PHILADELPHIA PLATFORM

THE PlETl UF THE PHILADELPHIA PLAIfUhM,
After ten days of toll and trouble of strife and agony Of
sectional struggle and personal contention Of low intrigue
and furious conirovcrsyaer every argument of persua
sion and of compulson had been exhausted in the vain
attempt to establish harmony of feeling and uniformity OF
opinion-after schsn had the body in pieces and
destroyed its power and respectahythe ramp Of the
know-nothng council in Philadelphia promulgated plat
form, in which their maxms of morality and their prnc
pies opublic policy expounded with the painful pre-
cison Of logical deduction and the copious detail Of .
criminal Indictment
This know-nohing platform ia wonderful production
There anything like il before and qus
sure there viii never be anything like it again. 1t is
equally original and inmitable. The genius that con-
ceved ii should avow its paternity and enjoy the APP
pause OF admirug nation The person that could
combine much of political wisdom and pious pfecep
surely illustrate in his life all the virtues OF the
Christian and all the accomplishments of the statesman
Who is he2
In this country the State and the Church are distinct
and independent The interests Of religion have never
been COMPOUNDED with matters Of public policy No party
has ventured to incorporate confession Of religious faith
in platform Of political principle until know thngism
began its desperate experiment upon the public virtue and
the popular intelligence The first article Of the Philade
phia platform arms the existence of Deity and the agency
of special Providence and the cepenh recognises the
authority OF the Scriptures This is the knownothing
confession of faith Is il TO be understood exclude the
VI OF the issue al
least and for the simple that the grand chaplain Of
the order is disciple Of socnansm and the majority of
it's members in the North belong to the Unitarian
munon The party that ignores the second attribute of
the Godhead may raise recruits in Massachusetts, but will
find favor among the Christian people Of the southern
States
But all this preence regard for the interests of religion
is the merest cant and the most shameful hypocrisy
party that numbers not righteous enough in its ranks
to |, from the fate Of Sodom up the special
patron Of the Protestant relgon party whose peiy
illustrated by the profgacy OF Hiss to affect exclu-
sve concern for the public morals Joseph Surface
aboanded as much in vrtnous sentiment ia vicious
duct but the veil of affected honesty could conceal the
hideous deormy Of his real character The morality Of
knownothingsm the morality the villain n the play
and the soundes platform would fail cover up the
essential corruption and evil OF its nature Indeed It's
professions Of purity only to expose its criminal
duct in the strong light Of contrast Tho protest In this
Philadelphia platform against the seshness and venay
OF politicians its professions Of regard for the public
eress and its promise to restore q primitive
pcity aud virtue ia the administration OF the government
with all the effect Of the berest irony from party
which IS responsible for the shameless OF It's Mas
sachuses members and for the indecent disclosures in the
legislature Of Pennsylvania There much modcsty in
the painted bnsh Of the prostitute there Of sincerity
Of conviction and honesty Of purpose in the pure pa
trionc professions OF the know-nohing platform. The
people will be deceived by such preences and idle
mockery Of political integrity They have had these
pledges before and they have in this very party the
most fragrant corruption OF private morals violation
of public virtue
The Philadelphia platform obnoxious In It's ponca,
principles as ia It's religious proiessons and The party
exhibits a. little Of wisdom in It's policy Of virtue in II.
conduct This accusation we win make good in another
article by critical scrutiny Of the provisions Of the
platform
ma. ~
papers that the judges Of the supreme court Of Pennsyy
mia are unable to agree in the Of Dr. ce on the writ
OF error asking for new trial. that Of their number
for affirming the proceedings of the court below one
for amending the record in way and the other two
Tor reversal II this be true nothing further win be done
in the matter until August uayt vxhcn t,a