New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-18
THE AMERICAN PARTY IN NATIONAL
CONTENTION

From Our Special Reporter
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. II, 1856.
Tomorrow there opens in this city meeting of
the National Council OF the American or Know
Nothing party. 1t is the first attempt OF that
marty to meet in National Convention since the
famous session of last June, whose history is so
familiar to the readers of THE TRIBUNE. AT that
session there was wide difference of opinion on
the Slavery question. The National Council was
then composed of seven delegates from each State,
and the Pro-Slavery party, by the help OF the Dis
trict of Columbia, which counted In representa-
ton as a State, New-York, California and parts OF
the PENNSYLVANIA, New-Jersey and Delaware dele
cations had large majority in the Council and
thoroughly controlled its declarations on the para
mount issue. Thus the body adopted the follow
ing as the platform of its party on Slavery:
HThe American party, having risen upon the ruins
and in spite of the opposition OF the wing ana Demo
cratic parties cannot be held in any manner RESPONSE
bic for the obnoxious acts violated pledges OF either
And the systematic agitation of the Slavery question
by those parties having elevated sectional hostility INTO
positive element Of political power and brought our
institutions into peril it has therefore become the Inn
perative duty Of the American party 10 interfere Tor
the purpose of giving peace to the country ana perpe
tuity TO the Union. And as experience mas SHOWN II
impossibe 10 reconcile opinions so extreme az those
which separate the dsputants and as there can De no
dishonor in submitting to the laws the National Conn
ell has deemed the best guaranty OF common Justice
and of future peace To abide by and maintain the
existing laws upon the subject of Slavery, as maj
and conclusive settlement of that subject IN spnt ana
in substance. -
And regarding it the highest duty to avow their
opinions upon subject so important, IN ostihcI anu
upequy oca terms is hereby declared as the sense o.
this National Council that Congress possesses no
power Under the Constitution to legsate upon tue
subject of Slavery in the States where It does or may
exist or 10 exclude any State from admission into the
Union because its Constitution does does not recog-
nze the institution of Slavery as part OF It's social
system and expressly pretermttng any expression Oh
opinion upon the power OF Congress 10 es'aOnsh or
nrobibit Slavery in any Territory, II Is the sense OF the
National Council that Congress ought not to egsaie
! rpon the subject Of Slavery within the Territories OF
the United States and that any interference oy Soh-
gr,ss with Slavery il exists IN the Dstnct OF Cou-
Ria would be a violation of the sput and intention OF
| IL comnsct by which the State Of Maryland ceded
~ District 10 the United States, and breach OF the
Tbisis the famous twelfth section 1t was
| adopted BY vote OF 90 TO 20. The opposing .
minority proposition was the following suomltted
by the Massachusetts, members, and sustained oy
ali the Free State delegates, with the exceptions
named. who had united with the extreme South;
Resolred That the repeal of the Missouri Com-
promise was an inf. action of the pghted alth OF tne
nation, and that It should be restored ana Il enor's 70
that end shall fail Congress should refuse 10 sil any
State oeratng slavery, which shall be formed Oui OF
any portion Of the territory from which that institution
was excluded by that Compromise
The vote on the adoption Of this was 81 to W
Kenneth Raynor, of North Carolina, submitted
a compromise or peace proposition, substantially
saying that the American party will wholly ignore
| the Slavery and Kansas questions This though
urged by some who voted for the extreme Pro-
| Slavery proposition which was adopted, apdiby
more whose votes are recorded for the rejected
resolution, was earnestly opposed BY the positive
men ON both sides. II failed, as TO ".
Upon the conclusion of these proceedings. the
most of the delegates who voted for the Masss-