Washington telegraph., 1856-07-30
The February Platform.

OTed 10 examine INTO tne nature and mer-
its of the platform of our party, as set
forth at the February Convention.-
Whether We have succeeded in impress
ing our readers with the belief which we
entertain of It's fitness for the peculiar ex-
igencies of the occasion which called the
American party into existence, we are una
BE to say Certain it is that at the present
time We find among the friends of Fillmore
and Donelson and the supporters of the Feb
ruary Platform, strong determination, a
fixed resolve, to give both candidates and
platform fixed, hearty and unwavering
support
The eleventh and twelfth sections of
our platform embody, the one that Demo-
cratic principle which is at the founda
tioa Of a Republican form of Government;
the other that spirit of obedience to the
Constituted and recognized authorities of
the land, a defiance of which has been at
the very root Of ell the disturbances which
have marked the political history of the
States for the past few years. An open
and armed resistance to Law, seditious
and heFetical crusade against the law,
disposition to evade or nullify the law, are
IN themselves evils which cannot be sufii-
GENTLY deplorei, evils which every good
citizen ought to endeavor to. counteract
and overcome By all legitimate means
And, providing, as our platform does, for
the recognition of the paramount author
lty in the land, it should, we humbly con
ccIve, IL that particular, recomme md itself
to every good and true member of the
glorious brotherhood of this great Union.
The scope of the thirteenth section
precludeS US from doing more than merely
TO glance at the enumeration of the evils
which it SO aptly holds up to yiew,-in-
deed We deem it superhuous to do more
than refer our readers to the language In
which it IS cOuched. The very party
against ''the reckless and unwise policy"
Of which We are arrayed in opposition,
smitten, as if by prescience of their
doom, have condemned, in far more en-
PhatIc terms, in a far more decided man
neF than we employ, the vascillating i'm
becili;y which brought about the condi-
ton Of affairs referred to in the thirteenth
section; and we, as members of the Amer
lean party, could ask no more complete
and perfect endorsement of the correct
ness of the position which we occupy in
this regard, than the action of the June
Convention at Cincinnati For when did
an Administration receive more severe
rebuke than was administered to the Pierce
aTaasty by that Convention 4 parallel
cannot be found to the action Of that
body; and the verdict there rendered
Will stand out in bold relief upon the pa
ses Of the history of all coming time, a
warming to the political trickster-'a sign
set In the political heavens, to warn men
Of the character of the quicksands of folly
and political prOhigacy, upon which the
snip OF State has been nearly wrecked by
the motley and strange crew which have
held the helm of her destiny in their
trembling hands these few years past
rs opposed to ''this reckless and un-
Wise policy" this political charlatancy,
and these inefficient leaders, the American
party present, for the endorsement of the
American people, platform guaranteeing
to all men, of whatever shades of opinion.
their equal and just rights They pre-
sent as candidates for the highest offices
In the gift of free people, men who have
been tried and found true-men of hon
esty, capacity, frmness, moderation and
Justice, into whose hands the government
Of this mighty nation-the destinies of
this great people-nay be safely commit
Ted. And the evidences that these men
Elll be selected by the people, as their
CHOSEN rulers, are becoming more and
more apparent with each successive day
ihe heart of a whole nation leaps up to
greet the names of these faithful friends
% the Union and the Constitution and
tne shout with which they hail them, as
nose IN whose keeping are to be commit
'sa the mighty trust of nations welfare,
VIII In November be heard on every hill
up In every valley, and ON every plain,
PioclaimIng them the choice of a free
ggcSple- With our platform and our can
Iuates then why should we stand idle
r1. t US to the work, and victory COM
f' r.''e' decisive and overwhelming, will
er erOSa n our efforts against the party in pow
to lne u party which has brought the Union
H. ,ng verge of civil war-to the brink of
NJ: slough of disunion-to condition in
n-n-- q