The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-06-19
KNOW NOTHING CONVENTION AT NEW
YORK

Thursday, 18th instant, the object being to pre-
serve their distinctive organization, and nomi
nate candidates for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency, on the platform of its principles.
We present summary of proceedings, as
we find them reported in the New York papers
Delegates were present as follows: Maine, g.
New Hampshire, 5; Rhode Island, 4; Connec
ticut, 6; Massachusetts, II; New York, 80;
Pennsylvania, "a; New Jersey, Z; Michigan,
81 Ohio, Z; Indiana, l. Wisconsin, i; Cali
fornia, / Delaware, l ; Kansas, Minnesota,
l 4; Oregon, Total, ll6.
The Western States, it will be noticed, took
little interest in the concern.
Judge Conrad, of Philadelphia, was chosen
President, and the permanent organization OF
the Convention was soon completed.
Speeches full of Americanism, as it is called,
and quite Anti-Slavery, abounded. The pre-
vaiing sentiment was, the perpetuation of the
Order, with the Anti-Slavery sentiment super
added.
In the forenoon of the second day, f. d.
Morgan, Chairman of the National Republican
Convention, smbodying the substance of the
call issued by said Committee and of a circu-
lar sent out March 2Sth, and closing as follows
"The circumstances which induced the ap-
peal to all patriotic citizens on the 18th of
March, have been greatly augmented by ag-
gressions since perpetrated in Kansas and in
the Senate of the United States.
"The central power at Cincinnati having
decided TO elOngate substantially the present
Administration, and to propitiate its policy, we
can only hope to arrest these aggressions and to
avenge these outrages by installing new and
just Administration.
"Nor can this object be accomplished, unless
all who agree in sentiment can be brought to
act for common object. Impressed deeply
with sense of our responsibility in regard to
the approaching election, / ha-o .,.-..-i,>,...-
proper, at the earliest mo- 1--we deemed 1t
nent organization, f. . eeh'ent alter ITS perma-
-e'hrisrfanitTS Convention to the sentiments and
objects of the National Committee, as express
cd in their circular at the period of their call
ng Peoples Convention, the wisdom and i'm
portance of which being in no sense diminished
1t this time.
every respectfully, your obedient servant,
"E. ID. MORGAN,
Chairman National Ear. Conn.,"
is as follows:
Circular of the National Committee appointed
at Pittsburgh on the 18th Of February 1866.
ave solicit your attention to the call which
has preceded this paper. 1t is not only to rec
ommend to the people the immediate selection
of delegates from the several States, equal in
number to three times the Representatives in
Congress to which each State is entitled, to
meet on the 18th of June, at Philadelphia, to
present such individuals as they may think best
suited to uphold the cause to which they are
devoted, as candidates for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency, but also to invite the mem
bers of all parties, who feel it to be the domi
nant issue, which should control the election, to
meet at the same time and place, to confer with
he Convention as to the best course to crown
heir common wishes with success. One of the
parties which will be represented at Phladel-
pha has taken the name of Repubican, because
t was given to that founded by Mr.. Jefferson,
10 embrace all who love the Republic. There
IS no Democrat who does not love the Republic
There is no Wing who does not love the Repub-
ic. There is no American who does not love
he Republic. And we fondly hope, there is no
naturalized citizen who does not love the Re-
public.
"Hut, it is not 30 important that the great
movement which we desire to see successfully
shall be designated by any partic-
llar name, as it is that it shall be strong, uni
ted, and effective. Why may not all those
classes who are hostile to the introduction of Sa
very into free territory, unite, at this crisis of i'm
pending danger, to vote for common ticket,
which will be nominated to assert the grand
principle of depressing the extension of the
slaveholding monopoly. and to viDdicate the
rights of the people in all sections of the Union,
who labor with their own hands a ticket which
will not agitate with a view to detract from the
rights of the States to dispose of the subject
within their limits according to the popular will,
yet hold its influence to destroy the freedom of
white laborers-a fit subject of investigation,
with view to repress the aggressive power in
every constitutional way"
We have to remark Oh this communication
the National Committee was not authorized by
the Convention that appointed it to make any
such communication, or to adopt any measures
looking to coalition between distinct parties.
We do not believe the members of said COM
mittee authorized Mr.. Morgan, the Chairman,
to make any such communication; certainly
the members in this District were not consulted
in regard to it. AS an individual, Mr.. Morgan
had right to do as he pleased; he had no
right to commit the Committee, or the people
by it, to his course of policy.
We remark again: The language of that
circular is Unauthorized by any act or word, or
intent of the Pittsburgh Convention, or by the
language of the call for the Philadelphia Con.
vention.
The call was for delegates to be elected by
the People, pithou distinction Of party. The
circular goes beyond this, and invites the mem
beers of other parties to meet at the same time
and place, to confer with that Convention on
the proper course to be pursued. The call and
the circular are at variance: the former disre.
garding the distinctions of party, the latter,
recognising them, and making provision for
their perpetuation; the former appealing to the
People, without distinction of party, to make a
nomination, the latter appealing to parties, to
be represented as such, and, by conference,
agree upon a nomination. BY whose authority
was the circular issued7 If by the Committee,
it nullified its own call if by Mr.. Morgan, he
nulliGed the Committees call, and substituted
ore of his own.
We speak plainly; for one, we are not to be
set down and taken up; placed here, transfer.
red yonder; bought, sold, traded off; without
having a word to say in the matter.
We write, without knowing what is the &C.
ton of the Philadelphia Convention if right,
we shall support it if wrong, oppose it: but,
right or wrong, the communication of Mr..
Morgan and the circular referred to, are acts
of gross usurpation, and we call attention to