Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-07-28
The Richmond Enquirer. The " Re-
opening Of Sectional Agitation"

We alluded, in our daily issue of Saturday
last, to the attempt of the Richmond Enquirer
and its allies, to create the impression in
Southern minds, that the American party de-
sires the restoration Of the Missouri Compro-
mise, and that its standard bearer seeks to ac-
complish this purpose. We endeavored to
show that the American platform contains no
expression which warrants any such assump-
ton, and that the remarks of Mr.. Fillmore at
Rochester justify no such Interpretation; that
the American platform contains principles,
alike antagonistic to the principles of the Mis-
souri, Compromise and to those Of "squatter
sovereignty" and that Mr.. Fillmore, as well in
adopting the American platform as in approx
ing the Territorial bills Of Utah and New
Mexico in 1850, stands erect upon the doctrine
Of State equality.
The Richmond Enquirer, on former occa
sion, distinctly charged that the 18th section Of
the platform was plagiarism from the Kansas
bill, that it contained identicaIly the same
principles" as the Kansas act-yet no,o, when
it suits its purpose Of Misrepresentation, il
changes its position, and charges that the
American party desire to restore the Missouri
Compromise The Democratic presses with
almost entire unanimity at the South, have
also alleged Ghough untruly) that the Kansas
act conforms substantially to the Utah and New
Mexico acts These presses assumed the abeve
positions with view to show, that Mr. Fill
more and the American party were committed
to the detestable doctrine of "squatter sover-
eighty" which is contained in the Kansas act
and in the Cincinnati platform
When, however, it was demonstrated that
the Utah and New Mexico bills Of 1850, which
Mr.. Fillmore approved, contained the true doc
trine of State equality, and yet excluded the
idea of "squatter sovereignty" and when,
upon an intelligent construction of the 7th Sec
ton Of the American platform, il was plainly
seen that this 9TH section was based upon the
principles of the Territorial legislation of 1850,
recognising State equality, and repudiating
"squatter sovereignty" then these anti-Amer-
lean presses changed their tone, and seized
upon the denunciation Of "the reopening of
sectional agitation" contained in the 18th sec
ton of the platform, and upon Mr.. Fillmore's
remarks, made at Rochester, deprecating that
same sectional agitation" and they nou seek
to involve the American party and its standard
bearer, in the absurd and ridiculous charge of
seeking to perpetuate that sectional agita-
ton" by restoration Of the Missouri Com
promise
That there are men in the American party,
who think that the Missouri Compromise
ought in good faith, to be restored, NAV be
true, but it is certainly true, that no attempt
to restore it can ever prevail, and it is equally
true, that the principles enunciated in the Ter
ritorial bills of Utah and New Mexico in 1850
and now incorporated in the 7th section Of the
American platform, are Ear more acceptable to
nine-tenths o e the conservative men in the ma
ton, than the restriction policy of the Mis-
souri, Compromise, or the "squatter sovereign
ty" policy Of the Kansas act
Does not the Richmond Enquirer know full
well that the Territorial legislation Of 1850.
superscdiug the policy Of the Missouri restric-
ton, was checrfully aoquiesced in by the
North and South, in 1850, even though the
last extremity had been threatened in GER
tam quarters Of the country if this compro-
mise should be disregarded9 Does not the