Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-02-22
d be 1lallp Spp.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY ~, 1856.
The PAiladsIphia X. n. ConventIon.


admitted for the FIRST time. Messrs. Brewster
and Ely of Massachusetts,, Joined in submit
ting the following proposition;-
Whereas, The rN elfth Section of the Plat.
form adopted by the National Council in June,
1866, was neither proposed by the South nor
sanctioned by the North Therefore said Sec
ton is hereby stricken out that, as regards
the subject of slavery, we abide by the pin
ciples and provisions of the United States
Constitution yielding no more and claiming
no less.
The first part of this proposition,it is stated,
was offered by agreement of the New Eng
landand Ohio delegates. The last clause was
added by Messrs Ely and Brewster on their
personal authority. 1t will be opposed by
lnosto the Northern Americans. The prop
osition originates with the George Law men,
and gave rise to most stormy discussion, an
account Of which is given BY Mr.. Bowles of
the Springfield Republican, who is on the
spot, and telegraphs home as follows, under
date of Wednesday evening, Feb. 20, con-
corning the doings that day. Elys mongrel
" Americanism'' is here portrayed to the life,
it consisting of pro-slavery at the South and
anti-sl slavery at the North-any way to get
power -
We have had a lively time in the Council
this afternoon, and the grand national Amer
lean party has been formally pronounced
dead as julius Caesar" by the negro pho
bists of the South. They have postponed the
burial, however, until tomorrow, and may
think better of 1t, but break up in grand
row seems inevitable. Tho George Law fac
ton are now the only bond Of union.
At the opening in the afternoon, Mr.. Ste
vens resolution to make federal representa-
ton the basis of all important voting, was I'M
expectedly Withdrawn, and debate was imme-
diately opened upon the Ely and Brewster
proposition. Ford OF Ohio made stirring
northern speech. The New York members
ouarreled as TO whether their constituents re-
pudated or embraced the twelfth section
Barker stood up for the twelfth section. G.
c. Burr made a negro-phobia speech. Others
declared that two-thirds of the New York
Americans repudiated the twelfth section, and
that the party there could not have stood up
with that on their backs.
Ely of Massachusetts expounded his propo-
sition as Americanism when we came togeth-
er, but for slavery at the South and aati-StaUery
at the North. thus he said, we have a two
legged platform in Massachusetts, American
ism and anti-slavery, and you in the South
have also atwo-legged platform, Americanism
and slavery. He defended this arrangement as
Just and proper, and as what his and Brewster's
propoition was intended to secure.
A disorderly discussion followed, but finally
the previous question was moved by Matthews
of California, and sustained by the friends of
the Ely and Brewster proposition against the
twelfth section men. The South howled and
some of them complained of gagging, but the
vote was brought On. The question was on
substituting the Ely and Brewster proposition
for a motion for committee of one from each
state to report business.
The ultra North want to divide the propos-
,sis-. - - . - .i,A st+;kinq ont mart first
North then pressed the whole, some of them
only voting for it in the assurance that they
would divide it and make the last clause
stronger on the question of final adoption
The substitution was then carried-l04 yeas
to 65 nays. The New York delegation divld-
ed about even; otherwise it was a nearly clean
sectional vote-all the free states voting yeas
and the South no.
On the announcement Of the result, Mr. Bo.
teller of Virginia, made vigorous speech
He was constrained to believe that American
ism is being fast merged into abolitionism.
Practically the Americanism of the North Is
abolitionized. l say this of the American par
ty. l watched by its cradle-I now stand by
its grave. 1t no longer exists in this land
The elements of which it was composed are
dissolved. We will go home and take our
principles and make them basis of union
Of the whole South. She will present an un-
broken front in defence of her rights.
This speech was received with great applause
by the South and intense feeling throu ghout
the Council. The greatest confusion ensued,
but finally Gov. Call of Florida was given the
floor by common consent. He spoke in a sim
liar, though milder strain than Mr.. Boteller
He said, if the twelfth section was stricken
out he should consider the American party
dead and dissolved and he should go home
The southern men all around cheered him and
said yes. He closed however by invoking
peace. He moved an adjournment till to-
morrow, which was carried at half past eight
P. NJ.
The South little while before made siren
uous effort to break up the council and nd.
journ sine die, but the northern and central
men resisted it. The former want to get the
tweth section clear out and something posi-
tive in its place, while the latter still hope to
save something from the wreck.
A great deal of speaking is promised to-
morrow. Before the final vote IS taken the
North has agreed not to pass the previous
question. SD.
The New York Heraids Philadelphia cor
respondent telegraphs, under date of Wednes-
day, IL o'clock P. NJ
The minority of the 18th section men, in.
cluding oil the Southern and part of the New
York delegates, have been caucusing the
whole evening, and after full discussion, de-
cided to accept Ely's substitute, and adopt the
Constitution of the United States for plat
form.
They will SO vote when the main question
is taken tomorrow. The decision of the 18th
section men, has thrown CONSERVATION into
the Northern camp, for such result was not
generally expected.
Too o'clock A. M.--After the action of the
18th sectionists, reported in my last despatch.
the caucus made right about face, and de.
cided if the 18th section is stricken out TO-
morrow, to bolt and form new National
Council, and upon this action they adjourned.
This change of front created considerable
excitement at the Girard House, after the ad-
iournment, where the whole subject was dis
cussed over and over again during which
Mr.. Parsons of New York, declared that ne
conld not agree to act with Gov. Ford OF Ohio;
that il the Southerners went out Of the Con-
vention, he would 60 with them.
LATER.--Philadelph Thursday, Feb. 81.
The debate on the resembling resolution con-
tinues in the National American Council, but
a more conciliatory feeling is apparent than
this morning. A new platform is proposed,
re-establishing the Missouri compromise line.