Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-05-27
The Richmond Enquirer VS.. The American
PLATFORM.

The Richmond Enquirer VS.. The American
Platform. a5a
The Richmond Enquirer no doubt imagines
it has made wonderful discovery, in the
supposed fact, that the American platform was
prepared by the Rev French S. Evans" Of
this city, and that its author " vas the candi-
date of the Republican caucus for Sergeant-at
Arms of the present House of Representa-
tives." Men ofequal candor might consider
quite immaterial aoho " prepared" the Anne
rican platform, the only important question in
this connexion being, aotether the platform is
one that conservative men Of all parties and
sections can stand upon and vindicate The
most important section Of this platform, as it
regards the issues between the North and
South, now pending before the country, is the
7th section, which refers to the question Of
power in the Territories and over them, and
this section the Richmond Enquirer itself but
a few days ago, informed the country was "a
plagiarism from the Kansas Nebraska act'--
that press solemnly asserting, that the princi-
pies of this 18th section are Identical with
those of the Kansas Nebraska act If then,
the Enquirer has any credit with its own par
ty, the pseudo Democracy will require no fur
ther proof Of the soundness Of the American
platform on the points embraced in that sec
ton s I 49, .f .f4 assg ts 8-ro 53l-
So, if it were true, that ''the candidate of
the Republican caucus for Sergeant at Arms
was, in truth, the author OF the American plat
form, and had borrowed its principles, on a
vital question, from the Kansas act, which is
now, for the time being, the test of democratic
orthodoxy, the Enquirer should rejoice, in hav-
ing SO valuable convert to its present filth,
rather than seek to disparage the supposed
author of a platform, which on the, Test, is
identical with the platform of the Enquirer,
in sentiment and meaning. M sait Htae
But, unfortunately for the argument of the
Enquirer, it 50 happens that the Rev. Mr.
Evans, albeit he is worthy, talented and elo-
quent champion of American doctrines, and a
man who need not, and will not shrink from
discussion of American principles, with the
ablest man the Foreign party can produce, did
not prepare the Anaerican p lastorm nor write
one line Of III He presented it to the National
Council, under Instructions from the chief
council of this District. sp
Nor is Mr.. Evans Republican, according
to the present party distinctions. He is Vir-
gilman by birth, allied to the most respectable
names in that honored Commonwealth, enter
tains the general sentiments Of her sons, and
is second to none of them in devotion to the
doctrines Of her most distinguished men, The
shafts ofenvy and malice fall harmless at his feet
But the Enquirer thinks it a g singular omis-
sion" in the late Virginia Convention, held at
Staunton, that it did not endorse the Philadel-
phia Platform. Ii the Enquirer ever had any
powers of discrimination, it has, in its mad
ness, lost them. 1t neither understands the
difference between State Council of the Amer
lean party and a State Convention Of its mem
bers, nor has it any knowledge Of the relations
between the National and the State Councils. Fl
The National Council, under its constitutions
is the proper and only body authorized to set
tie political principles and decide political ques-
tons affecting the organization. That Council
met on the 18th day of February last and
adopted a political platform for the American
party unpublished it. That platform requires
no State endorsement NJ 1900 s.ts lts
The National Council, under its constitution,
-f44t 4 = y
had also the power expressly vested in it, to
nominate candidates for President and Vice
President, for the support of the organized
party but at its June session, 1866, it, by re-
solve, transferred the performance of that duty
to a National Convention, which it then Gre
ated and called into existence, and which was
held on the 22d February last. That National
Convention had single duty to perform, I'M
der the resolve which gave it existence, and it
performed that duty by nominating Messrs.
Fillmore and Donelson, and then adjourned,
There were it is true, some few individuals in
that Convention, who, not adverting to the
limited power conferred upon it, essayed to get
rid of all platforms; but they were not needed
Ii may bcseep, by reference to the published
constitution Of the National Council, that we
have simply assigned to it The powers express
ly vested in that body, as the highest tribunal
known to the organization as political PARTY
Those who recognise the organization have NO
more occasion to endorse its action, by anv
formal declaration of acquiescence, than have
the State Legislatures to ratify and approve an
act Of Congress, which has been duly enacted
by the Federal authorities n 49, n.
Indeed, unlike the separate State authori.
ties under our complex system of government
the State Councils hold their charters directly
: from the National Council, and the action o,
the latter is law to the former so long as these
relations are maintained II any State Coun.
cal chooses to repudiate the action Of the Ma.
tional Council, it should surrender it's charter
n