Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-01-11


South, the Institution of slavery and the pernarenrv
OF ,!in Cnion and therefore :.e aro opposed 10 tn,
introduction into the National American rla,i rrn OF
this, or any other ayatng question, calculated TO dis
tract the harmony of party, or cudanger the cue
cess OF principles.
1t affords me great pleasure as their presiding Of.
hrer, tn be the organ. through whom this commu,i.
cati"n is made nEi 70 add my cordial aprrovaIuf the
sr!rIt ana terms o the resolutions; for, ar willie the
nominations above named irvu bern mad. bv u,ljli.
ca: iriends o Other Statca. rendered 60 by their due
appreciation of your public character, We endnrsr
them from long. wcllriei and personal kuuwl.tge
Ut your devotion 10 ih. cHuss of patriotism and the
principles OF The National American party.
With sentiments Of high rernrd,
au your obcdcrt srr"ant
JOHN DOVE, President.
RIoHao1D, Jau. 4lh, 1855.
To Dr.. JoHs Dow,
P:":dcm Of the confined Council, Of the City Of
Rtck7ond:
My DEAR SlR:-i have this moment received your
letter c"verng tho resolutions adopted on the lat nsr
by the American cnnlbned Councils Of the CITY of
Richmond, In one of which they have done me the
honor 10 associate my with the highest Office In
the gilt OF great and free people in manner and
under circumstances mat overwhcn me with graft.
tune, and that make ms once more q drbior ms
friends IN Richmond to exteut that no turn OF for
tune will ever enable me To repay
have been lately IGNORED with the unanimous ro-
communication Of two NJ the American Councils Of
State Of New York, tone from the Western and the
other from the Eastern section of the State as can.
didate for the Presidency Of the United State. Th-se
came from persons 10 whom / personally un-
known, and il remained To bs seen what response
would be made to them az my own State and cape.
caiiy BY that portion of it TIM. had known me long
est aud known me best.
From Whist frl 10 be duty to the American par.
~, have recently taken position that had reason
10 believe at the time, wouid conflict with tho hon.
rnuy Of ln-
number of my friends and political assuciates in the
South; II Wa upon subject deeply ntcrw oven with
the usefulness and rcrpr!uity nf our nrganiza.ion
subject upon which tet the mus confident assurance
that or discontinue, our existence or an
nihilnon party, nfaliibly depended 4 subject
upon which the minds OF the South seemed 10 have
been fixed, and upon which thsir passions nn prju.
tliccs had already been highly excited yet stiinua-
| ted by that policy which has always regulated my
public conduct, aud which has cOmpHsd ire, MS part
of my nuturc, tiat c0nd not disregard il if ,rOd
and roVd no, il | rOu'd TO do what believed to BE-
right, anu leave the consequences TO take cure OF
themselves; policy which forcibly express
cd by II late statesman Whose wisdom and integrity
OF purpose .cverrd in DEATH though Neither app:e
ciaed nor rcwardelin in lie, when he SGid "what is
pHbic man worth, wnat is 0gy man worth, who will
not sacrifice himself for the good Of his country -
Stimulated by this policy, say, resolved after the
mos; deliberate reflection, to hazard my own stand
Ig aud popularity, whether lille great, by an IF
fort To point ont unfortunate that had been
committed in Phladelphiu by addressing n calm dir
passionate, argunentavc appeal 10 their better iudg-
mvn;a, and Ia the "sobar 5rcond thoughts" Of the
South. For this, have been Inexperienced by
some, Inseprescnted by others, and bitterly sailed
in some instances. tnot many, AM happy I" sayl By
| those whore best in!ereaIs was honestly end.svnr
| ing 10 serve.
! AZ tie storm tossed mariner donbiful Of his fate
when Looking calmly and bravely on the raging war
of clem.ts that surround him, stands the more firm
y 10 the helm, and turns his thoughts upon his home
and his 'ri"ds so l. in the torrent "i inrrctv", that
has been employed. hsv. held fast Ly my faith while
calmly and uuGElnayed ] have turned my eyes 10
I my own humc aud 20 the friends ~ my door
who sEcw would weigh '"ithput prejudice, and net
without pnssion, - sec what jud5 5nlcn they wnn.o
pronounce upon the suggestions had offered. Their
! verdict has been rendered, and nDbiy. generously
ami kindly have they met my expectations; r"so!u'c
! ly and without hatng or wnvering havo they como
10 ny rescue, an cnpLn;icGtiv endorsed my action
so Tar from their confidence III my judgment ana w"
RSs 6ss,, m inSreasad Tor they have only adopted
! my sentiments, but they have united with thnse
"Americuns in The Norris whu hay" recommended NE
to the party !! candidate iur the Presidency Aud
VIXEN vul: 10 the Influences tina. we're hroug GIT Ia
behr upon them, uId 10 tie outdoor eIertons TO OBJ
tain Il different result feel that | havr rcBs"n 10 bs
! grateful, and cause 10 he proud OF ha"ins such
! friends 10 sustain mel thank them hearty-with
all my sou do thsGk them. Let the Presidency fall
to whom It may shall br content as far 10 an per-
sonuily concerned. only ask that il may fall iutu
worthy hauds t:Ny thoroughly, ana p.oi,ciy CON-
nitea to rhs original objects and prrcipies Of the
American party which were, "that tn constitution
should be observed" ";ho law. .ncud he obryed.'
"the Cuiol Should De Preserved nrd "tIat Ameri
| cans ehoud rule America" W. want no tiynid par.
Or cliumpi"n--no :.rdrr footed carpet knight, who
| fears 20 be Seen i'll the council chamber, or ~ho
shrimks from open and frank avowal Of b.. opi1-
ivu-, every point connected with the orgarizaticl
There il too much wisdom III the American party
TO surrender The substance for the shadow the have
tuo much discretion second time to swap away the
Presidency aud ;ha coutrol OF the Government for
AL idle abstraction or useless platform. !. /. not
| better 90 have right thinning without rut
! form than wrong thinking han with plarfnrr'-
good nomination i'll which the people CorGdc,
neeLS no platform to support t, and it viii be i'm"
enough when you have made tGd nomination tn
tender platform for tho acceptance uf Tie nominee
| We had platfurl1 in 80. What became Of i'll
What good cid 1t do It's Democracy rioted in their
success, and ridicu!rd for follywhiIs the only
crumb uf comfort left for consolation WAS, :hct
,rc lad platform. The right OF mnn in the
Presidential chair. will do more to suppress the aga
ton Of tile slavery question: and TO the cos,i
tutona rights of ali sections Of the country, than NIL
the platforms, and all The resolutions that be writ
ten from now ill the crack "i '"om. Ny position
l.0w, is precisely what il was in J2 ! begged the
South then, not 10 press tho North Ia the wall, by
quiring them to eadors' The tnga,e STARE idH beg
ged them to be satisfied with the passage Of the law,
and the arYuiesccarr of the Norh1 brg2.d than 10
put up General Scott on his nationality and kn0wn
devotion to the Conztitution md tEe onion, and
bis acknowledged approval Of the compromise men.
.irts said # they would do this, We could elect
him, il not would be- beaten.
The North then aoD said, "let nl0ne on the
slavery question: we want to get rid Of it;--dhnt
press it upon us,- You do shall al be defeated
don't require to endorse legislation that We did not
approve but willing To submit 10, and shall sue
ceed." The South was imperative-they would listen
10 no relnostrance from their friends either North
South, but woad hare lie pluJorm-the ,equel il be-
fore u.s. and he story is told: are got the plat
rorrn and that WAS all did get for share the
elecun and ail the advantages attending il went to
our Opponcnts-l suppose We hnr0 that platform stil.
and are likely 10 retain il, it would be of no more
value tn the robber, than X was to t!oss who would
be robbcd. saw no reason TO admire the pertnaclty
Or political manas enent of the South in 32. want
to see more such trades made again by the pnrfy
with which am Identified AZ to swap the Presidency
for platform. All | AK now is the; Ne may learn
wisdom from experience, Gli not throw away the
election again by pressing matters farther than nccts-
shy or expcdency may dictate. We snll h"r" time
enough to make as many platforms As We want inter
we have pu; down the foreign influence given peace
TO the country and ensured the safety OF the Union.
What is the 18th section upon which 40 much has
een said when examined closely (which 1t IS TO be
regretted more have not done for themseves) 1t viii
be found to be not worth the paper upon which It II
written, for any practical purpose to the South; II
fret requires the north substantially to endorsc the
repeal of the Missouri Compromise, wh'ch n Is rsr-
tain Mcy wW not d. but which il is equally certain,
they Will newer permit to be reStoredi and then II
contains the denial of a constitutional power, which
n the opinion of many il plainly and expressly given
Oh the face OF the instrument ITSELF and which TW be
claimed and exercised whenever any future Congress
may choose to claim and exercise it, Notwithstanding
il may be declared in this, any other platform that
the power does not exist. should be glad to Know
if the author of that resolution any who uphold IT,
believe that such declaration nf our opinions IN THIS
platform would control influence i'll the slightest
degree the future action of Congress or any mrnDer
OF the body II not, then why insist upon 1t Tor
whilst can do no possible good it is pregnant with
certain mischief to our party and ruin TO our hopes
of success and it must have been known that no
northern mau could be sustained who would sanction
such denial.
Its denial of the Constitutional Po~er OF Con-
press 20 refuse admit State bcraune slavery Is or
is no, recognized in its Constitution Without
Jw,Iing rnon the propositon il will be enough TO