Daily American organ., 1856-03-22
WHOLE NO. 4a7.
From the Richmond whig.

American flatfOTm. - MlsfepTesentatiOng.
Before his nomination was made, we declared
our entire willingness TO support Mr. Fillmore, with
or without platform, because the acts of his sd-
ninistration and the thoroughly conservative ard
national character OF the constituted of them
selves platform sound enough for any. one intent
only upon protecting the just rights Of the South
and desirous Of preserving the Union. We aycrred,
over and over again, even in the very midst of tho
controversy In regard TO the 18th section that we
were welded to no particular form of phraseoloay
In the matter OF securing what Southern men of all
parties contended for and insisted upon-that wo
went for the substance, not caring groat in what
shape it should be obtained. We confess that it
hardly occurred to as possible that Mr. Fillmore,
or any such welLtested, conservative and acceptt
bic man, could obtain the nomination under circun-
stances which seemed to US so entirely unEivora-
BILE for such an auspcious resultthat H. consider
ing the excited condition of the public mind Of the
North in respect to the issues growing out Of tie
long-vexed subject of slavery. But we are fee 10
say that we never saw the moment when we were
not perfectly willing to take Millard Fillmore
man in whom the whole South has Unlimited conf
dencc and whose administration, go Washing
ton-like in all its acts and policy commanded til
warm and unhestatng approval of men Of all pars
ties and OF all sections OF the country.
And in him and his administration we maintain
that we have gotten the substance of what was
embraced in the 18th section--the substance Of
what the South has been so ostrenuously contepdiDg
for during the controversy that has existed be-
tween her and the North since the passage of Tic
Kansas Nebraska bill that is, we have in him, as
our candidate, the man who both signed and en-
forced the Fugitive Slave Law, and who is opposed
10 all further agitation of the slavery question
who, with equal readiness, will sign bills for the
admission of slave free States ast as the people
of the TER tories, when they come to form their
State constitutions, shall fit to determine. And
these two questionable execution Of the Fugiti,
Slave Law, and the right of the Territories, with
or without slavery, to admission into the Union
constitute the sum and substance of the points IL
sisted upon by the South. With these points
granted, there is an end of the controversy be-
tween the two sections of the Union, aud an ip,me
date restoration of harmony and good feeiing--a
complete cessation of that mischieyous and ruiz
GUS agitation which has so long disturbed the peace
of the country, and filed the minds of good men
and patriots, North and South, with the gloomiest
forebodngs as to the longer preservation Of the
Union.
But the Democratic press and their correspor-
dents are making great ado about the new plat
form adopted at Philadelphia by the conyen-g
ton that nominated Fillmore and Donelson, but
by the National Council Of the American party
held several days before They argue that said {
platform is literally good for nothing 50 fr as the
South IS concerned, because the 18th section of
the old platform is not incorporat in 1t, word for
word Well, it is not, in all respects, such plat
form as purely Southern man would have made
if the thing had been left entirely to himself nor
is the national platform of any party always such
an one-in regard TO savery--as a purely South
ern man would WISH In other words, IL South
ern men alone were to meet in convention with n
view to lay down platform WHICH should fully and
conclusivey embrace their own views and opinions
upon the question of slavery and Southern rights,
we presume no one viii doubt that they would
cons n from tb.o1
put forth by conventions composed of both South
ern and Northern men, That is the Southern
view of slavery in all its length and BREADTH would
find full and complete expression in the one; but
would i fnd--has it ever found expression
in the national platforms Of any of the great par
ties Of the country? So, too, in the formation OF
the constitution itself &aeB EsaiA
n We suppose if that instrument had been framed
by Southern men alone, and without reference to
the sentiments or the scruples of Northern men,
we should have had a much more definite and dis
tinct declaration upon the subject of slavery and
Southern rights than we have. In other words,
nothing would have been left to influence or con-
jecture-- -nothingin doubt-butit would have been
purely and essentially Southern document en-
bracing an exposition Of the Southern view Of sla
very, as clear as the noon-day sun. And thus
in regard to party platforms-neither the NORTH
nor the South ever get, and in the precise shape
they desire, exactly what each section would like
to have. At least, we know Of no platform of any
party-have never known of any and never expect
to know OF any---which corresponds in all respects
to our own notions as Southern man. u III
NJ But we suboin the two sections of the late Phil
adelphia platform, which have reference to the
question Of State and Southern rights in order to
show that the doctrine of the right of admission OF
any new State, with or without slavery, is clearly
and expressly recognised, almost in the very Ian
rguage of the Kansas-N Nebraska net
n W. .E-l - s.-
nance of the reserved rights of the several States
and the cultivation of harmony and faternal good
WILL between the citizens ofthe several States, and
to this end noninterference by Congress with
questions appertaining solely to the individual 8
States, and non-intervention by each State with
the affairs of any other State. ..a. NJ.
eth. The recognition Of the right OF the native
born and naturaized citizens of the United States
permanently residing in any Territory thereof, to
frame their constitution and laws, and to regulate
their domestic and social affairs in their own mode
subject only to the provisions of the Federal Con.
stitution, with the privilege of admission into the
Union whenever they have the requisite popula
ton forone Representativein Congress. PfoS7deei
satsoays, that none but those who are citizens of
the United States, under the constitution aud Laws
thereof, and who have a fixed residence in any
such Territory, ought to participate In the forna
ton of the constitution or in the enactment OF
laws for said Territory State.'sn1ss H5}4snsr1
These are the doctrines of the late Philsdelphia
platform-"the unqualified recognition and naints-
nance Of the reserved rights of the several Statss
!" non-interference by Congress with questions APP
pertaining solely to the individual States and non
intervention by each State With the affairs Of any
other State "--and the right Of the people OF the
Territories to frame their constitution and lava
and to regulate their domestic and social affairs in
their own mode, subject only to the provisions Of
the Federal Constitution, with the privilege OF adj
mission into the Union whenever they have the
requisite population for one representative IN Con.