Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-04-10
.o-ienn. nend,
an Important LITTER from Con- Call Of Florida
in the Philadelphia CoSVention.


render to you an account of the manner in which l
discharged the trust confded to me as your Repre-
sentative in the National Council which commenced
its session on the 18th; and the National Conven''
ton convened on the 22d of February last, at Phil
adephia.. No other delegate from Florida having
attended either Of these meetings, the whole re-
sponsibilty OF representing you dsvolved on me.
Ii is known TO YOU through the medium OF the
public press that | at one time retired from the
Convention and that returned to it again and
participated in the proceedings. 1t is due, no less
to YOU than to myself, to give the motives which
prompted me to BOTH The council, to some extent,
was composed of dscordant elements, the larger
portion adhering strictly TO the principles OF the
18th article Of the platform adopted at Philadelphia
on the 9th Of June, 1855, while another portion,
dsregardng that article, insisted on recognizing
the Justice aud propriety OF restoring the Missouri
Compromise. resolution was offered TO strike
out the 18th article without offering for it
ceptable substitute. This produced long and an
mated debate, in which the Southern delegates
had but little participation, leaving 1t to the con-
sentative members of the North at their request,
TO defend the interests of the South, which they
did with great zeal and ability. But near the close
OF this days discussion, when the vote was
about TO be taken under the application of the pre-
vOus question, cutting off all debate, and when it
believed the resolution to strike out would be
adopted, | made known, in emphatic terms, my
determination to retire from the Council il that
measure prevailed and moved an adjournment
uuti the next day, III order to give time for debe
ration on a subject of so much importance. The
loud response from various parts Of the house
ave will 90 with yOu"-showed, in d manner not
TO be misunderstood, that persistence in the
measure proposed must lead to dissolution Of the
Council. The motion to adjourn prevailed, and the
time it gave for reflection produced the desired e-
feet The Council met next morning under far
better feeling and under more favorable auspices,
and motion TO lay the resolution on the table
carried by a handsome majority. In the midst OF
the good feeling so happily restored, and in spirit
OF compromise so as the result Is announced,
a gentleman from the District Of Columbia offered
as a substitute for the old platform the one hercun
to appended TThe Platform here referred to has
already appeared in our paper.-EDITOR.
| was not satisfied with the substitute without
some further expression Of our determination to
resist the restoration OF the Missouri Compromise
But with amendment proposed to the 7th sec
ton, which met my appreciation, in spirit OF COM
Citation | agreed TO vote Tor a repeal of the old
aud the adoption OF the new platform. The action
of the Council on the subject hasty and incOn-
sderate. The substitute was adopted under the
application of the previous question, without debate
or amendmenG still | voted for it under the hope
that something would yet be done to render it &C,
ceptable, firmly resolved, if disappointed in this
hope, that | would dissolve my connection with
the National Council and the National Convention.
So soon the platform was adopted the Ma.
tiond Council adjourned sine die.
On the next day the National Convention met
its organization brought into active conflict all
the discordant elements OF which it was composed.
From the State of Pennsylvania there were two
delegations: one adherng to and standing on the
principles of the 18th article of the platform of
1855, the other overlapping it and disregarding all
its provisions. The majority and minority reports
of the Committee Credentials brought tho rights
of the cOntesting parties before the Convention,
and presented an exciting and angry question for
discussion. The debate was long and animated
and resulted in sustaining and admitting to their
seats in the Convention the delegation coming in
over and disregarding the principles of the 18th
a tice of the platform of 1855. During this dis
cussion, which took place at night and continued
until o'clock on the morning Of the 23d, | WAS
suffering an oppression Of the lungs from cold,
which forbid my participation in it. But was an
attentive observer of all that passed, and became
convinced that there were two distinct parties in
she Convention, which, with few individual ex.
ceptions divided alone by single proposition
the restoration or non restoration of the Missouri
Compromise Regarding the American party as
entirely national and conservative, based in its
principles on the Constitution and pledged to suss
tain the Union and all theiinstitutioDs of our couu-
try, and regarding the proposition to restore the
Missouri Compromise as sectional and actious, and
therefore dangerous 10 the Union and the National
peace and harmony, could consent to hold no po~
litcal fellowship with those who advocated the
measure, however certain their co operation would
be to carry the whole North and West for the NOM
inees of the American party. | preferred the haz
ard Of defeat by separation to the certainty OF
success by union of two discordant parties the
one national aud the other sectional. | leave en-
tirey out of view the questionable more than
doubtful Question-W Whether Kansas will ever be-
come a slave State There is another question:
high and important principle involved. Congress
has legsated cOnsttutionally the subject Rights
have accrued TO individuals under that legislation
rights OF u delicate and important character TO the
American citizen. Those rights aud the peace and
harmony OF the country should not be disturbed
and agiIated 10y further legislation. We had PASSED
the fiery ordeal Of 1850. The finest and richest
portion Of the country, conquered by our arms had
become free State. The South had acquiesced;
the best feeling and the kndest relations had been
restored between the North aud South, and oui
happy and prosperous country was Teposing in
peace and safety. The South asked not-uever
would have asked-for the repeal OF the Missouri
Compromise. II was the free offering OF the North
it accepted by the South. And now, when
Southern men have gone with their PROPERTY uu.
D
never have gone without that aGthority-if Con-
gress should usurp the power TO legslae further on
that subect-ii it should berate the slaves in Kan
sas their masters to retire with them Il ON
that Territory by restoring the Missouri Compro
mise-the bad faith and treachery Of such an act
| il it did not at once dissolve, would shake thin
/ Union TO its foundation.
Entertaining these opinions, and not being sats-
Eed with the platform adopted without some further
] 81.
on the morning of the 23d of February, retired
from the Convention sitera full and frank declaration
of the causes aud motives by which was actuated
When retired from the Conven ton, the distn.
/ suished representative from Alabama, Mr. Walk
err retired also aud all the delegates from the South
and indeed all the conservative men from the Nortf
would have retired bu; for the hope they iutertain
! cd that the disposition of the Convention woul(
assume a more favorable aspect. In this hope
they were not disappointed. The action OF tn,
/ Convention on the following resolution, introduced
py one OF the ultra Northern men, realized thei
/ highest expectations:
"ltesoiUel, That the National Council has no su
thotity TO establish platform of principles io
/ tbs Convention; and that will nominate M
person for President or Vice President who is no
in favor OF interdictng the prohibition OF slavery
north of SO 30"
motion 70 lay this resolution on the table wa
carried by vote OF one hundred and forty one Il
sixty, when South Carolina, Georgia Alabama auC
Florida were not represented in tue Convention
Had the Southern delegations been complete an,
in full attendance, the vote would have been NOR
than three to one. This decisive vote OF the Con
veudon on test question was like Judicial deci
sion a statute. Il gave the Interpretation to HI
7th article OF the new platform, and removed al
doubt OF It's meaning. This satisfied me; il satisf
ed the whole South aud conservative members o
the North, while il caused all those tainted viii
ireeosoiIism aud black rcpubicanism to retire leay
iug the Convention in the most perfect concord an
harmony ! Was then requested by my frneds 4
| mum and tnkn my srat In the Convention Thi