The true Democrat., 1856-03-04
Unstable as Water-thou Shalt
 not Excel"

The curse of Reuben is upon the heteroge- -"unstable as water--thou shalt not excel''
 The recent action of the grand council at Philadelphia shows that the order has within itself the seeds of is destruction. Less than one short year ago grand council was held at the same place, Philadelphia, and platform, with ant-catholic and pro--slavery articles, adopted. The same grand council is again in session, and the anti.catholic and pro-slavery articles have not only been eIpunged, but "ignor- ng' articles adopted in their stead. The non- comnaittaI doctrine is boldly avowed and pro- claimed as the policy of the great American party upon the question of slavery Here is the decree:
 "And now what are American principles?' For what purpose was the American party form ed? What IS the ultimate scope of its objects? Has It anything to do with the tariff question? No--it neither demands horizontal nor pro- tectlve tariff. Has it any creed on the question of banks? No--it neither advocates national bank, state banks, nor a sub-treasury. Has It any creed on the questions of roads, canals, harbors or public lands? None whatever.- It leaves these questions to the free action of the representatives of the people, or to the States Was the American party formed to enslave the African race? Certainly not. It is, then, as C party neither pro- bank nor ants- bank, pro- tariff nor anti-taritf, pr0-internal m- provement nor anti-internal improvement, pro- slavery nor anti-sIavery, but it is party form ed to carry into effect the maxim that 'Ameri- cans shall rule America'"
 Non-commttal on all questions-ignoring every thing! Look at their principles, you de- mocrats! Look at their policy, you southern CTS! Suppose we had Know Nothing can- didate before us and were disposed to ask him few questions before casting our vote.
 Voter-Are you for or against the establish ment of a national bank?
 Candidate-I am not tor bank. I am not against bank.
 Toter-Are you for or against a high protect i've tariff?
 Ca's-I am not .tor-I am not against high protective tariff?
 VOter-Are you for internal improvement by the government, or against 1t? Can-I am not in favor of internal inn provement by the general governmental am not opposed to it.
 Ioter-Are you for slavery in Kansas or are you opposed to slavery in Kansas
 Can-I am not for slavery in Kansas nor am opposed to it.
 Toter-Should either of these subjects-a i bop toriH informal a1 very in karsas-be brought up before Congress, how would you vote upon them? | Can-I should not vote at all. The plat form of the American party is non. committa, and to be honest, l must be non-committal too. | These are plain questions, and such as every freeman would like to have answered before casting his vote. But can he get an answer from Know Nothing who ndorses the Know Nothing platform? No--he cannot, for that | platform is n-committal-it ignores all these subjects.
 | If an answer was to be got out of a Know Nothing at all, it would be in this wise: To democrat he would say |" 1 am not for a nation al bank or q tariff''--to whig he would say, am not against bank or tariff In the south, he would say, in the language of his platform, "I am not opposed to slavery in the territories"--In the north, he would say, II am not in favor of slavery in the territories"
 Thus is selectoneerng reduced to system of deception. Thus are the people to be imposed upon by the "Americans." All things to all men" is their policy, Americans must rule America" is their motto-and they hope to ap- propriate the spells of office to themselves.
 We are weary of chroniclng the weekly and monthly changes of Know Nothing tactics and doctrines. The great feature of the order is its insinc erity-its instability. It has, to use nautical phrase, boxed the compass upon all questions. What it puts forward to-day as its policy and belief-it denounces tomorrow as wrong and impolitic. It is every thing and any thing, or nothing, just which ever it believes po- pular and taking with the people. IsracPs curse against his son Reuben is upon the order, unstable Uoter-t]ioU s'lah not ercel'