Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-22
The American Platform.


The American Platform.
II any doubt has hitherto existed, that the
Washington Union is, In its qualities OF wis
dom, intelligence, and sagacity, andinit spowers
Of reasoning and argument, Representative
of an administration, whose imbecility is now
byuord, that doubt is solved by its leading ed
itorial of yesterday, under the alarming head
Of The South betrayed, and the Union i'm
perilled by the Philadelphia National Council"
Whilst every Intelligent man, and every in
dependent press in the country regards the
American platform, adopted at Philadelphia,
as imbodying principles, and establishing rules
Of action, for the American party, which are
thoroughly conservative, and which, when
sanctioned by the masses, viii sink all Sec
tional agitation, and thus perpetuate the
Union, the above-named press affects to dis
cover a betrayal Of the South, in the very mea-
suros which guarantee her safety, and the pro-
lection of her interests.
That press assumes, in its fathomless wis
dom, that the second corollory to the maxim
contained in the fourth plank Of the platform,
comedies the sacredness Of the Missouri rostric-
ton, and that II presents this question as the
allabsorbing issue now before the country, and
this, too, in face Of the fact, that the minority
report Of the committee on the platform was
distinctly rejected by the National Council
ayes Al, noes 92 The fourth plank, and its
corollaries, contain no reference to the Mis-
souri, restriction, even though such construc.
ton might be given to them, if the rejection Of
the minority report did not forbid it I; but they
have special reference to the Compromise
measures of 1850, which it was the obvious
purpose Of the Council to perpetuatc.
The idea of the Union that the National
Council intended by the maxims of the 4th
plank and its corollaries, to concede princi-
pie which it directly refused to admit by vote
of more than two to one, is quite as ridiculous
AS many others Of its absurd notions, which
characterize the article now before us.
We shall not discuss the position taken by
the Washington Union, that the restoration Of
the Missouri restriction, would be tantamount
% disunion. The Council having refused to
Adopt such restriction, it would be waste OF
time and argument to discuss its tendency OF
oonsequences-we have facts enough to deal
with, without spending time in disputing about
the possible results of improbable contingent
ciss. The Washington Union doubtless re-
grets, that the American party did not seek to
destroy the Union, at Philadelphia, SO that the
public mind could be diverted from a contem.
plation of those measures of the present ad-
lninistration, which have placed tho North and
South in positions Of direct antagonism.
The Washington Union is seriously az
grieyed at the adoption Of the 18th plank in
the American platform, because il asserts, BY
Implication, that the Wing and Democratic
parties had committed obnoxious acts"-had
been guilty Of violating pledges"-and had
elevated sectional hostility into positive
element Of political power" and il undertakes
10 speak for the National Council in defining
those obnoxious acts and violated pledges"
That press has quite as much to do as II has
capacity to accomplish, If Il will speak only
for the present administration, and defend the
villanies practisod with the cognizancc Of the
President, in Kansas and elsewhere, without
assuming to put opinions and language into
the mouth Of the National Council, which Il
neither uttered nor entertained.
Whatever may have been the individual
opinions Of members Of the National Council
on the question, there was no recognition by
the Council, Of the conshtudonality Of the Mis-.
souri, restriction, mo act done, tending to its
restoration on the statute book, but ON the con-
trary, there was a direct negative given by the
Council to its restoration, and yet the mends-
sious Washington Union seeks to impose upon
tho country the idea, that the Council " conce-
dcd /" what il perenptorily denied
But that press assumes, that asthe majority
report was adopted by the Council, by vote
Of 80 TO 80, IL became the law Of the organizn-
ton, in which each member was bound to &C
quiesce, else to withdraw, or be expelled,
but that in truth, I" il is the settled policy OF
the organization TO allow its members in differ.
ent localities TO adopt their own issues" &c, &c.
II is a strange doctrine, that a member Of
dcliberadve or Legislative body, may not enter
his reasons, by way Of protest, on the journals,
against the action Of body whose Legislation
he nevertheless intends TO submit to. The
right Of protest by members ofall Legislatures
is secured to them; and yet, the professionals
may, and must nevertheless, submit to the
law enacted. Such protest admits the au-
thority of the body, but objects TO its action,
whilst an actual secession from the body, sewers
I'd the relation between the secedent and said
body--and hence we drew the distinction, in
former issue, between protest and secession
from the Council, by the members from several
Of the Northern States.
But the Union draws most singular con.
clusion, from its unauthorized premises to
wit that In February next, the Northern
delegates win constitute majority, when Ab.
clifton acknowledgement will select for the
southern delegates the candidate for the Pres
ideRcy" Now our conclusion is, that those
who 20 into the National Convention next
February, will stand upon the platform Of the
American party, recently adopted, that New