The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-02-28
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 90, SO.

Monday next. The military of this city are
making some display in observance Of the day.
bus there is no general celebration of the citi-
zens. A very large number of the members
Of Congress have gone to Philadelphia. to at
tend the Amefican Convention. which meets
there to-day. The platform agreed upon in
the Executive Council. which has been in sss- !
zion some days. appears in this mornings pa
per.. and is evidently dictated BY the e1plo- I
ded humbug zeal to ''save the Union." when
there i, no danger. / symPathiss with the
American sentiment that Americans shall
rule America" bu. am disposed to meet the
South Americans upon their platform-"at
tend to the slavery question FIRST. and then
lake Of the Irish" The pretended zeal
81 the South for Americsnism. is all moon
shine. They care no more about it than a
thousand other questions in comparison with
their peculiar institution. Eusry other ques-
ton is subservient to slavery with them
Wings. Democrats and Americans have all
fused upon that one issue. and in the late cleo
ton for Speaker chose for their leader. Mr.
Aiken. who is said to be the largest Slave
holder in the United States, owning some
1900 negroes.
In the resolution relative to the repeal Of the
Missouri Compromise, there is timidness
shat docs not bespeak party that is dstermin
ed to maintain the right" No friend of
freedom and free institutions can endure such
hmidity. The times and circumstances call
for free and outspoken assertions of the rights
,,f h I'll IL.
been perpctrated in Kansas demand that the
opinions thus asserted shall be maintained at
every hazard. This is no time for equivoca-
ton; bat If the contest is ever to be fought,
now is the time to meet it. To fal;er now,
would be 10 surrender a Territory which. by
the acts of our fathers. had been consecrated
to Freedom. To this, the North will never
consent and all platforms which indicate such
consent. will be "spt upon by all who
prefer freedom to slavery
To many Of the resolutions in this new /
platform of the American party. we give our
hearty assent. but upon the Kansas question
we want no lodging under senselcss aud
equiyocasing resolutions. We are no advo-
cate for s4uatter sovereignty, believing. as we
do. that Congress has the power to legislate
for the Territories, and particularly opposed
to it when the friends of slavery. by their ma
jority. can establish slavery in any Terri
tory.
days proceedings at Philadelphia. and if the
platform adopted by the Couacil shall be re-
affirmed by the Convention. We shall have &C.
casion to speak Of it more in detail Perhaps
before close this letter. we shall hear the re-
sult of the Convention.
The proceedings Of the Senate during the
past week. have been highly interesting. SO
far as the Kansas question is concerned The
speech Of Mr., Wilson was one Of the most
iruth-teling rebukes ever given to an Execu-
tive. He. with great minuteness, described
the long list of ou.rsges which had been
committed by the BORDER rufiians" upon the
people Of Kansas. and officers Of the general
government He showed up in true colors,
she hollow hearted professions of the admin
'stration upon squatter sovereignty. stultifying
their professions by every act Of which they
were guilty. l hope tho speech will have a
very general circulation.
On the 18th. Gen. Lane. Of Oregon. intro
duced bill to enable the people of that ter
ritory to form constitution for State Gov
eminent. and for her admission into the Union
have not learned its provisions On the
same day. Mr.. Dunn. Of Indiana. introduced
bill establishing the boundaries. and re-
organizing the territory Of kansas-prohibit-
ing slavery or involuntary servitude therein
for the reservation of certain quantities of
land to aid in the promotion Of general educs-
ron-for the endowment Of universities of
learning. and mechanical and agricultural pro-
fossorships therein-grantingp pre- emptions and
reducing the price of the lands TO Ave cents
per acre TO actual settlers. Mr.. Dunn gave as
reason for the introduction of the bill tina,
we had gone wrong in the organization of
that territory. aud the best way to correct the
EVIL vas to resrace our steps and take new
start. The bill was referred to the committee
on territories.
spirited debate was got up in the House
on the ls:h inst. upon a resolution from the
committee Of elections, empowering said COM
mittee to send for persons and papers in the
case of the Kansas contested election Mr..
Phelps. of Missouri. made An inflammatory
speech, and was answered by NJ. Washburn,
Of Maine. Several other members participa-
Ted in the debate. and the resolution was final
ly referred back to the committee. with in
s;ruc;ions to report the grounds on which
they ask the power to send for persons and
papers. aud further to consider the proposition
OF Mr.. Dunn to appoint two man com .,ienion.