Delaware State reporter. [volume] (Dover, Del.) 1853-1859, 1856-08-15


Clay, Webster and Sergeant What is he now3
He has been initiated into the Order OF Know
Nothings, taken upon himself its secret oaths
and obligations, and this at q time when his
friends were presenting his claims to be elected
President Of the United States. He has since be.
come the candidate and accepted the nomina.
ton of the American or Know Nothing National
Convention. In a correspondence between the
Order of United Americans of the State Of New
York and him, under the date Of July 25th,
1856, they say:
Both from your past official acts, and from
the assurances and views expressed by you on
many occasions, as having similar sentiments in
reference to these subjects, to them Of so much
seeming importance, the successful establish
ment of these principles, as the fundamental
rules of our Government, they believe essential
for its tranquility, and q continued progress in
the Development of all its greatness.
Mr. Fillmore in his answer, dated 29th of
July, 1856, acquiesces in this statement and
replies
"My position before the country is well
known, admitting neither Of disguise nor equiv
ocation. / am the candidate of the American
party"
Mr.. Fillmore proclaims himself the American
candidate, and adopts the creed, oaths and OBJ
legations of that party, without " disguise or
equiyocation." In the secret lodge of the Or
der of Know Nothings he has sworn that he will
neither vote for or appoint Roman Catholic to
office. If elected and inaugurated President of
the United States, he would be compelled to
swear that he would require "no religious test
as qua hfication to any Office or public trust
under the United States" / ask under such
circumstances, which oath would he keep and
which oath would he violate Are the Old
Line Wings prepared to endorse Mr.. Fillmore,
thus presented for their suffrages by himself2-
| know no difference between an individual
joining the Order and giving his vote to sustain
its candidate, except that the latter course is
more effective in carrying out the tenets of this
party.
The friends of Mr. Fillmore have assailed Mr..
Buchanan for his Ostend communication, with
out admitting or denying the soundness of the
doctrine therein contained. | would remark
that the correspondence of Mr.. Everett as Secre-
tary Of State under Mr.. Fillmore, after the death
OF MIR. Webster, relative to Cuba, is more offen-
siye, and ought to be more obnoxious to the
criticism of conservative men than the Ostend
letter; and it should be remembered that the
diplomatic manifesto of Mr.. Everett was issued
under the immediate supervision of Mr.. Fillmore
and his Cabinet.
Mr.. Everett is probably the best educated
statesman now living-he is as erudite scholar
and a sound patriot. When in Congress, he
took higher ground in favor Of the South on the
subject of slavery than any other Northern
statesman had ever done before, or has ever done
since. One thing is certain, any opinion upon
International Law promulgated by him, Is en-.
titled TO respect. Mr.. Buchanan has uesn IN
, public life upwards Of forty years-he has filed
the highest offices which his own State couId
confer upon him. He has occupied the highest
seat in the Cabinet, during a most eventful
epoch and he has twice represented his country
at the two first nations in Europe. His private
character stands without blot or blemish, and
, beyond rebuke or reproach and it is high
eulogium upon his public life that the g Ostend
, Letter" is the only act which is designated by
his opponents as the ground of attack.
t There are many Old Line Wings who are at
e tached to their cognomen, and dislike changing
r lt--thls is an over scrupulous nicely. They
e must change their name-they must recognize
) the title of an American, Know Nothing, Re-
publican or Democrat. If they refuse to se-
ect either of these names, they must retire from
G all participation in public affairs. Gov. Seward
is reported to have said during the present ses-
sion OF Congress, in caucus, that he cared moth
ing for names, but that he looked to principles
I alone. The remark showed he had clear head
and sound Judgment, and was worthy of a
better cause.
Time will not permit me to discuss at large
the question of the Territories. I hold that the
Territory ceded to us by Mexico was purchased
, by common treasure. The fifteen slave States
contributed their portion of the fund as well as
the then fifteen free States. Territory should
stand on the same footing as admitted States,
and the right Of the people to hold slaves or not,
as they please, in the Territory, ought to be
commensurate with the rights of the people as
they exist in the thirty-one States. There can
be no just ground for any discrimination be-
/, : tween the two cases. New Territory is surely
not more sacred than the old thirteen States, or
y or the present thirtyone States. The will of
!, majority prevails in the cases last enumerated,
:. and the same orthodox principle should prevail
! !. in the newly acquired Territory.
:, q What is the doctrine of the Wilmot Proviso
1t is the sixteen free States declaring to the fif-
# teen slave States-you are part owners Of this
. Territory; you have shed your blood and ex-
. pended your treasure in acquiring it, but you
shall have no share in its enjoyments or profits.
Strip it of its trappngs, and it amounts to this:
! there are thiFty-oAe stockholders in a corpora
r tion and sixteen say to fifteen-it is true, you
are part owners and have contributed to the
e purchase of our common property, but you shall
have no share in the enjoyment of its privileges
/ or the receipts of its profits. Such doctrine
is subversive of every principle of justice and
equality, and cannot be sustained.
am not the advocate of opinions that are
> new to the Wing party Of Pennsylvania. At a
I Wing meeting held in September, 1850, at the
e Chinese Museum, in Philadelphia, offered
: resolution congratulating the nation upon the
0 restoration Of peace and quetude to the country
S by the passage of the Compromise acts of that
year. 1t was unanimously adopted. and then
: laid down the same principles which am now
: endeavoring to inculcate.
S In November, 1850, the great Union meeting
e was held at the same place, and over which John
Sergeant presided. Among others. again en-
forced the same principles. At a later period,
during the session of the Legislature of this
+ State, in 1851, pure Wing meeting was called
10 request the repeal of the act of the Legisla-
f ture Of 1S47. which closed the jails of this COM
a monwealth against the custody of fugitive
|! slaves. At that meeting, Samuel Breck k-second
: to no man in the country in intelligence and
+ patriotism presided. again promulgated tn,
It same doctrine, and they We're again endorsed
bx,t