Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-01-10
Agi,ation Of slaveryl

W
;nos of the "combined councils OF the city OF
Richmond Virginia" of which the following
resolution formed part, to wit
Rssolved, As the opinion Of this Council, that
the agitation Of slavery should cease. The rights
OF the South are plain, palpable, well defined and
understood, and we believe they should not longer
be treated as open questions. We will maintain
our guaranteed constitutional rights, and our right
OF property in slaves We believe the continuous
agitation OF this subject is made by selfish polti-
clans for personal and party promotion, ana Is
hurtfu TO the South, the institution OF slavery ana
the permanency fthe Union; and, therefore, we
are opposed to the introduction into the National
American Platform OF this, or any other agitating
question calculated TO distract the harmony OF our
party, or endanger the success of our principles"
The Richmond Wing Of the 9th instant CO
pies the resolutions, and thcrcupon bursts out
in language of flaming denunciation of the
action" Of the councils ss follows:
eve have hut one word to say in reference TO
this action of the combined councils of the Ma
tonal American party of the city Of Richmond
And that ia, that il is clear, unequivocal, and
shameful Misrepresentation OF the opinions, senti-
ments, and principles of more than nineteen-twen-
tieths of the thirty-fve hundred American voters
of this city. And what is more, it is palpable
Misrepresentation OF the voice of the entire Amer
lean party of the State as interpreted by the Amer
lean press of the State, with single exception,
and as expressed in the resolutions of the Ameri-
can members OF the Legislature, which were pub
lshed in this paper awcek or two ago. Ina word,
the reported action 'of the combined councils Of
The National american party Of the csty Of htci,-
,aond,' is a deliberate and unmitigated fraud upon
the vast majority Of the American voters of the
CITY and contrary to the wel-ascertained and tho
roughly-understood sentiments of the whole Amer
lean party of the State"
We are sorry to see 1t announced by one Of
the leading presses in Virginia, that the Amer
leans of Richmond, "ninetcen-twentieths' of
them, disapprove Of the resolution above CO
pied. 1t follows by necessary consequence
that nineteen twentieths of the Americans of
Richmond are not willing that the agitation of
slavery should cease; that is, IF the Rich
mond Wing is right. 1t follows, too, that this
proportion of the Americans Of Richmond do
not think "thc rights of the South are plain,
palpable well defined and understood"
AS we understand the Whg in denouncing
the action Of the combined Councils" that
press denies the truth of the positions taken in
the above resolution. If this be so, then the
people of Richmond desire agitation. And
if the action of the combined Councils misrep-
sents the voice ofthe American party ofthe State,
then the Americans of the State desire ag itation
But tho Wing inserts a saIDo in saying !" as in
terpreted by the American press of the State,
with single exception, and as expressed in
the resolutions of the American members OF
the Legislature" 1t may be that the press and
the politicians of Virginia do not reflect the
popular will.
Now we assume, that the Americans" Of
Rockingham and the "Americans" of Rich
mond, know their own opinions little better
than politicians know them, whether editors |
or legislators. And we assume moreover that |
the I" americans" of these places have right |
TO express their own opinions, without asking
the advice or consent of politicians. The |
" American party has grown up in spite of |
the opposition of the politicians No one
knows this better than the Richmond Wing,
for that press opposed the nomination of can
didates for State offices by the american
party of Virginia, until late period, and in
sisted upon nominations being made by the
Wing party.
And fit be true, as we have been informed,
that the editors of the Wing are not members
of the American Councils in Richmond, we in
members of the Councils as well as members
themselves know themS
But the purpose for which we advert to |
these matters now, is to show, what we have
frequently stated, that there are Southern aoi- |
tators, as well as Northern, and that the peo-
pie of both ends of the country are conserva-
tive. The people of Rockingham county |
and Of Richmond city have openly avowed
conservative doctrines, and manifested an ear
nest desire to put an end to slavery agitation,
whilst some of the presses and politicians of /
Virginia, denounce the efforts of the people to
put down agitation.
1t isnot for US to say who will triumph, the |
people or the politicians, on this question, but
we may be permitted to hope that the people |
will discard all agitators, be they editors,
legislators or stump orators, and adopt that |
conservative course Of action which, in it's re-
suits, will preserve peace, harmony, and the
Union.
p. S. Since writing the above we have re-
ceved the back mails from Richmond and with
Lilen TIC Naliohai hlheTicab, from WHICH we I
learn (what had escaped our memory that the
above resolution, which the Wing opposes,
was copied from the proceedings of the Amer
lean party of Georgia The Wing, doubtless,
had forgotten it, if it ever knew it, or it would
hardly have opposed it The resolution con-
tains sound Southern American conservative
doctrines, but the Wing opposed it because il
is conservative