Washington telegraph., 1856-05-21
AMERICAN STATE CONVENTION.

On the outside of this weeks issue
will be found full report of the proceed
ings of the State Convention, held at Lit
tie Rock ON the 2Sth ult We have been
prevented from presenting it to our read
ers at an earlier date, owing to the failure
to receive the Gazette & Democrat of the
Sd instant. As it is, We are indebted to
the Pine Bluff American for the report,
which we give as it appeared in the Ga
zette.
We desire to call the attention of our
readers to the Platform of State Policy
promulgated by the Convention. 1t is a
document, which, when fairly presented
to the people, will challenge their atten-
ton and command their support. The
mere references to the abuses which have
grown up under the administration of the
dominant party, are suggestive of reform,
and will lead all men into a candid and
intelligent examination of the condition
of affairs in Arkansas, which will inevita-
bly result in the subversion of the dynas
ty, which, monopolizing the public offices.
controlling the public policy, and attempt
ing to shape the destiny of State second
to none in point of natural advantages
have enriched themselves, retarded the
progress of the State, crippled her ener
gies, frittered away her resources, destroy
ed her credit, made every movement il
the march of Internal Improvement anc
development of her admitted capacities
dependent altogether upon individual en-
terprise,-and even in view of the efforts
of public-spirited men to create channels
for the importation of absolute necessaries
and the expectation of her commodities
have raised the hand of insolent power
to crush out the very germ of the spirit
whose action foreboded the overthrow O
their hitherto unchecked schemes of per
sonal aggrandizement and individual po
litical preferment
The Platform of the State policy of the
American party of Arkansas, is all the
party could have desired. 1t is compre
hensive, free, open, undisguised in the
terms employed, bold in the enunciatior
of the opinions held by the party; and i
is an appeal to the people which canno
pass unheeded, to rally to the support O
men and measures who intend, and which
are calculated, to reform existing abuses
and inaugurate policy which shall make
Arkansas what nature meant she shoulC
be. Men who see the handwriting Of
their political doom upon the wall, may
affect to sneer at the instruments which
have been selected by the party to accom-
plish these great purposes; but when oul
standard-bearers go before the people, and
point out the evils under the yoke Of
which they have SO long and patiently Ia
bored, the reyulsion will follow so sure as
the day follows the night; and redeemed,
regenerated and diSenthralled," Arkansas
will take her proper stand among the
States of this great Confederacy.
1t will be seen that the Convention full
ly endorsed the action of the February
Convention. By doing so it gave utter
ance to the feeling which pervades the
whole mass Of the American Party of Ar
kansas and of the South
The campaign has now fairly opened,
and we expect to be found at our post 7;
and while We, not boastingly, confess a
belief in our ability to vindicate our
Platforms, State and National, in the
Judgment of their friends, we trust we
shall not be altogether unable to repel the
assaults of their enemies.
Dol