Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-06-09
The American PIatform-Ihe Gamma
mise of 1850 - The Kansas Nebraska

Act.
The American Platform adopted by the National
Convention last February, in its 9TH section Med
ges the American Party TO the support and mains
tenance Of the doctrine Of non Intervention on the
subject OF slavery by recognizing he right of the
native born and naturalized citizens of the United
States, permanently residing in any territory there
Of to frame their constitution and laws and to re,
guVte their domestic and social affairs in their own
mode" with ''the privilege of admission into the
Union whenever they have the requisite population
for one Representative in Congress" Should the
American Party have a majority in Congress, and
Kansas ask for admission into the Union with a
Constitution recognizing and permitting slavery as
domestic institution in the new State, she would
be promptly sdmtted-no question would be made
by the American members as TO the propriety Of
admitting her s a slave State, because they would
represent party which acknowledges the right of
the people ofa territory, in forming State govern
ment 10 determine for themselves, without inters
ference from Others the character Of their dOmes-
tic institutions. This principle is-derived by the
American Party from the Compromise Measures of
1850, approved and made effective by Mr. Fillmore
II is to be found in the New Mexico and Utah ter.
rtoral acts. The Nuli6ers and Secessionsts of the
South and the Abolitionsts of the North opposed
and denounced il at the time, and the excitement
they got up too recent to be forgotten by the pat
riotic Union men who sustained it, aud upheld Mr.
Fillmore, and the members of Congress who accept
ed il as an olive branch of peace. But at a later
day this principle, which had quieted citation and
come TO be regarded, in the language Of Mr.. Fill
more as final settlement" of the sectional issues
between the North and the South was engrafted
upon the Kansas Nebraska Act but in connection
with the repeal Of the Missouri restriction which had
been regarded as solemn compact and covenant
between the slavehOlding and non-slaveho!ding
States, by the leading minds of the country and hy
n o1,,,,.
The criminal connection of good principle with an
act deemed by one section of the Union a fragrant
breach Of good faith, caused the former to a great
extent, to be lost sight of altogether. There has
however, been time for reflection, and discrimna-
tion is doing its work, slowly indeed, but surely.
Numbers who conceded with us in our disapproval
of the policy Of the repeal of the Missouri Compro
mise although they see in the unnatural feuds
which are disgracing Kansas and bringing reproach
upon our republican Institutions, the inevitable
sequences OF that most useless and unfortunate
piece Of legislation, are willing TO acquiesce in il.
There can be no restoration of the Missouri restrc.
ton. The deed having been consummated, il must
stand like the skull of the pirate elevated at the
fork of the roads, warning to all future evil doers
II is the bar sinister on the shield Of American
Ststesmanship-there it must remain till future
good deeds obterate the memory of its nglori-
business. Acquiesced in, Discriminating judgment
is leading tue patriotic 20 contemplate and recOg-
nize toe good principle with which it assOciat
the principle Of nOIi1intGTUeation Although this
principle, enuncated in the American PLATFORM
is identical with that in the Kansas Nebraska act
and declared in almost the language, as an OPP
ponent of the repeal Of the Missouri restriction
shall support il. We shall do so because it is the
principle Of the compromise Of 1850, and because
II is the true policy Of our government-the only
peacesble solution Of the controversies between the
North and South on th question Of slavery. Ii is
the policy which the Wing party in the South
when Andrew Ewing, in $780, declared they were
sou"der The question Of tie union, Of tie States
than he Democratic party supported with zeal and
alacrity, in company with Maj poneson, our can
didate for Vice Presidency, and thousands Of other
and loyal union democrats. 1t is the policy against
which the Nashville Disunion Convention thunder.
ed its anathemas which drew from Cheves the trea-
sonable speech wherein he denounced the consti-
tuition OF the United States as q "fptid mass OF
corruption" in the adoption of which Aaron V.
Brown declared his "heart would break sooner than
rejoice" and in which the senior Editor of the
Union & american swOre he would never sc-
quiesce." 1t is the policy which saved the Union
once, and is destined believe TO save it again, il
any thing save it from the dangers which are in
prospect. What though the political mounteDanks,
she Office hucksters, and the plotters OF dis-union
in the Democratic ranks, have seized upon il and,
for the DOnce, are endeAvOrng 20 use it to
their party from utter RnnihilatOug-Let them sup
port il if they choose but let not the Union Of
1885, the true conservatives the best reliance Of the
country DO thereby driven from their old position
1t is the part Of wisdom to cast aside that which
lie good because evil men embrace it. true chris
tian loves bis Bible all the better il others, who
have once denied its precepts accept it a Of d.
vine origin, although he may condemn the motive,
il improper, that prompts them.-Shel6yviAs Err
poster.