The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-10
AN ABSURD MOVEMENT.

York Herald says, Judge Ruggles of New
York and Charles Allen of Massachusetts (not
Judge Allen) were in this city on the 4th and
9Th, comforting with some of the Republicans,
with view to the withdrawal of Dayton, and
the substitution of Mr.. Johnston.
The Peoples Convention at Philadel phia,
assembled in pursuance of a call, recognising
no Parties and no distinctions of Party, put in
nomination Fremont and Dayton. Numerous
meetings throughout the free States have rati.
fed the nomination, and the Opposition Press
generally has ranged itself under that flag.
All the elements of Opposition, if we read
Alright, in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin,
and Iowa, stand pledged to this nomination.
In Massachusetts, the Anti. Fillmore Know
Nothings have led off in kind of separate
movement, ratifying the nomination of Fremont
and Johnston, made at the Know Nothing
Convention in New York and it is supposed
that it may be followed by the Anti Fillmore
Know Eothings of Connecticut, Rhode Island,
and New Jersey. If this party movement be
persisted in, it may result in giving the Presi-
dency to Buchanan. Messrs. Ruggles and
Allen are here, we learn, for the purpose of
Inducing members of Congress to sign letter
to Mr.. Dayton, urging him to withdraw The
effect Of this would be, to constitute coalition,
between the People opposed to the Admins
tration, on the one side, and the Know Nothing
Order, on the other, and to transfer the socalled
Republicans of the country from the simple
ground of opposition to the extension of Slavery
and the Slave Power, to the composite plat
form of opposition to the extension of Slavery
and support of Know nottingham. Wings and
Democrats have generally consented to ignore
their peculiar doctrines, and affiliate in support
of this Peoples Movement-but, as the Know
Nothings will not exercise similar forbearance,
the demand is made upon the People to with.
draw Dayton and support Johnston, so as to
sustain the Know Nothing Party
Messrs. Ruggles and Allen must see that
such demand cannot be complied with. To
say nothing of the sacrifice of principle implied
in yielding to it, the policy would be destruc.
tive; it would be confession of weakness in
distrust, and abate the growing enthusiasm :;
it would drive off the naturalzed citizens now
rushing to the support of Fremont, and hazard
the loss of the Western States. We must be-
heve that the Anti-Pillmore Americans are
men of common sense-that they are unwilling,
from party motives, to hazard the defeat of the
Peoples Movement, and give victory to Bu-
chanan-snd therefore infer that they will ere
long see the sxpediency of Withdrawing the
name Of Mr.. JOB ,ston, and cordially uniting
in support of nomination and movement
representing simply sntsgonism to the Slave
Power, and therefore involving none of its sup
porters in the concession of single principle
on other questions,
SOUTHERN SENTIMENT is not all one way in
relation to the late assault on Mr.. Sumner.
There are newspapers in the slaveholding
States that rebuke it with great boldness and
Independence. The Charlottesville (va.) I'D.
rocdte, commenting upon the conduct of the
students of the University there, in presenting
9 silver goblet to Mr.. Brooks, remarks:
eve regard the whole affair, as shown BY
| the examination of the Senstes Committee. to
be an outrage of all propriety of conduct,
whether regarded as public act, or simply as
a Personal assault by private citizen. We
can never endorse by our voice, much less by
a formal presentation Of silver plate, any one
who would SO outrage the dignity of official
position, or SO disregard fair play, as to make
violent assault With cane upon an unarmed
nan, whilst sitting at his desk, totally unpre.
pared to defend himself, and pnwafned of the
meditsted attack. We cannot believe that the
South, when they come to reflect upon the cir
cumstances, will do otherwise than condemn
the act. If Mr.. Brooks had been Northern
man, and Mr.. Sumner from slave State, no,