Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-01-14

universal panacea, the l2thN secuop, nave
been wonderfully effective. II says that I" PAL
for the 18th section Of the Philadelphia Plat
form, there would have been no American
party In virginia." Is the Democrat entirely
accurate In this? II we mistake not the
American party of Virginia made its nomina-
ton Of State officers, in the spring of 1868, and
boosted of ~, 900 members then, and actually
pollod 70, 600 votes in May, 1866 whilst the
"l2th plank" was not framed till June follow
ing Was not this SO? The elections in Vir
ginia had transpired before the Philadelphia
Platform was adopted Will the Democrat
please to correct its table acknowledged events
and then inform US whether in truth, the " 18th
section" adopted in june, had any influence
in causing the 70, 900 voters in Virginia tosup-
port the American ticket at the precious cleo
ton in May2 We are very sorry to DO thus
obliged TO deprive the Democrat of the benefit
of its jubilant assumption, founded in obvious
errorl ~
We are compelled to add, that the Democrat
| is also in error, in stating, that New York had
shown her determination "tos support the Phila.
delphia platform" Some four five other thirty
three members in Congress are Willing to stand
| firmly upon this platform, but it "a well known
/ to the Democrat, that the Binghamton plat
| form upon which the American party of New
| York recently achieved national triumph"
| land the Democrat has admitted it was ma
tienal triumph y expressly declared that " sla
very should gain no advantage by the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise, and further, that
the question Of slavery is sectional and not
national and ought not therefore to be EN-
| braced in the American platform !" Those
gentlemen of New York who maintain their
positions upon the 18th plank" are honorable
and patriotic in their views, and doubtless rep
| resent the opinions of their immediate consti-
tuents, as is their right and their duty, what
ever may be the general sentiment of the State
| 1t is to us source of deep regret that the
American party of the whole country cannot
stand spon the Philadelphia platform. We
WOULD rejoice If they could do 1t. But it is
entirely obvious that they cannot The State
of New York, a majority of whose delegates
had voted in the National Council for the "l2th
| plank, repudiated it in her State Convention.
| She triumphed, as we have shown, upon to-
tally different platform Nearly the whole
North stands in direct antagonism to the "12th
plank" Several of the Northern States de-
clared in the National Council, their desire to
harmonize upon the basis of an exclusion Of
slacery from the platform. Georgia has re-
sponded to the proposition, as we understand, in
a spirit of compromise on this question, by the
resolution which we have heretofore published
| We regard it as the only feasible basis upon
| which the North and South can unite Those
who have hitherto maintained the "12th
plank" in Pennsylvania, have recently issued
an address, ION the LIST of january in which,
after recounting the troubles in the State
Councils on the slavery question, they declare
as follows:
Cali who are truly American in their purposes
and objects, should henceforth act upon the per-
suason that slavery and all other outside issues,
should be excluded from our deliberations"
1t is for the American party to decide, at the
ensuing meeting Of the National Council, on
the 18th of February, whether they will unite
on this, or attemptsome other basis, OF whether
| the party shall, as National party, be dis
solved. To ourselves Individually, it is a mat
ter of little concern, how, or by what means,
the party shall be made to harmonae. We
desire union of the party, because we desire
its triumph. Whether the " 18th plank shall
remain untouched in the platform, -whether il
shall be amended, or whether it shall be ex-
plunged, we care not, so that harmony and con-
Il oc IL, - i
principles of Americanism, be made to triumph
| in the ensuing contest
| But ii is palpable and indisputable that IN
less harmony can be soon restored to the par
ty-unless some basis of adjustment be made
between the northern and southern portions of
the party, it can accomplish no national tri-
umph in the coming election. II must either
| be defeated by the anti-American cohorts OF
the selfstyled Democracy; or if successful, il
must be a sectional triumph. 1t is our delibe-
| rate judgment that the american sentiment
can sweep the whole North and West and
elect President-aye >and that it soiU do it
with or without the South! But we desire nc
sectional triumph of the party, for it would
naturally be followed by alienation of feeling
and perhaps by sectional measures. Let al
true Americans, therefore, make whatever eff
forts they can to reorganize the party, upor
a fair, national, and honorable basis. Their,
is no time to be lost-the Presidential struggle
is near at hand, and whatever can be done
should be done quickly.
Democracy Discordant.-Benton on the
l Track.
The Sag NIGHT party of New York, is TAX
ing steps in meetings, in all parts of the State
| to organize their Cincinnati and State conyen.