Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-07-25

of Editorial, to make room LOT 'uo moet tuPo''"
aoounsn,s of the canvass. They are the Platforms
of nil the parties, with their various modincatiohs
snd additions. We insert them in a single issue OF
ENQUIRER, that they may be used with the more
Inconvenience.
EuLMoRE's POSITION DEFINED BY A
FRIEND.
TIE name of Gustavus Adolphus Scroggs, is one
which the world will not willingly let die. lmperish-
ably associated with q memorable event, 10 VIII
the Initiation Of m Ex.P President into the know-No'
thing Order; i, derives additional lustre from the sub
saoneo, eyelation of its intimate connexion with that
historic per.onaye. Like Castor aud PolluI' scrogss
.nd Fillmore will descend to p~osteri'y i'll close en-
brsoe and, the Geniui Of the political hrmamen''
xi., illuminate after ages with q blended radiance
As the individual by the imposition of whose holy
hands Willard Fillmore was accepted into the COM
,aooion of the "Order Of the Sires of 76," and con-
secrs,ed 10 the pious services of bigotry and intole.
.aues. Gus,svus A~dolphus ScroggS is supposed to be
familiar with the spiritual state OF the catechumen'
sad 10 have absolute power over bis conscience. Inc
confidential relations which subsist between these H.
~,u,;.ious individuals certainly entitle each to speak
for tbs other on oil matters Of political interest.
sc,oses' sensitive soul, touched by a treaeherou'
Blow which his friend Fillmore has received from the
u,xrsteiul hand of Livs.Osk Law. has poured forth
It.. sorrors in q copious stream OF compliment. Q i
v,o,im and indignation against the rutiian. With the
sentimental part Of the production We nave no c'p'
Germ bu. tho portion Of Mr.. Scroggs' reply 70 Law
which is devoted to q definition OF MI. filllnoreS
POLITICAL position. is altogether too interesting and 'm'
nor,.p, TO bo left without comment. These paragraphs
are peculiarly suggestive:
Your allegation that, "whea President OF the INT
ted States, no (Ir. Fillmorel was certainly suoordlI
as,e 10 the slave power betrays & recXiesshees VI
fruit, which is painful in degree with the eininence OF
i,s euurce. The ouly evidence of this broad and
sroundiess assertion il, that the Fugitive Slave law
Essar, the signature Of Willard Fillmore, a. President
II the United States" Now, everybody who has any
knowledge Of the history OF the passage o. tnaa ~
"compromise measures of lS50"-that u. the time OF
their passage a crisis existed in the country only
eouslled by the present, in danger to the saie'y ana
c .n,inuance of the Union-that those measures were
suoroyed. under the circumstances, by the greatest
nnd best men IN the land, without regard 10 section
or p%arry-that their passage restored peace ana mar
mony 10 the country, which must have been pyerPet'
usl, had Il not been for the u~nhaAored Interference
g,ts tie Missouri compromise by Northern men
,ha, ,ae Fugitive Slave Law was held to be
constitutional by the legal advisers OF PRESIDENT
Fillmore, who were the best in the land-that TINT
law nas also been held to be constitutional by hiSh
iuiicia, tribunals Of the country, and yet remains un
successfully assalled in that regard-dnd that an par.
t:r4iar i, raf the policy, nay, a edrd"ndi doctr'ns 81
a.. party w7icb nos Instrumental M mak!nc .ur: FfH'
mgre President; that it ras 1nerped'ent tor me FreS''
Gsa. Of tie UaAed States TO c1erc,se me reto poser;
the o5Ecy of the Democratic party admitting Ut ITS
uso caly when the enactment was hastily and inconsi'
dsrs;-ly done, or clearly unconstitutional. 80 jar
a. W. FSlmorc's SenL,uiGltS Tere conccTR'd, ~ Is "cn
Sao-ra that tasy rere moi IN accordance rmR some u
re PRINCIPLES OF that lar, but ne one VIII pretend
that ,h,, mere sentiments of an individual would au-
.hori2 him, as q ruler of q free peopae, 10 exercise
over The will of their representatives a Veto power
Thnt would be the cousumInaton OF tyranny. DR.
Fillmore could not do otherElse, uHdfr me cEct6ar
ac aces, than sign that bill. And as an evidence that
the country generally approved that law, and still ap-
proves IL, although it has features which are ooJec'
ilona5ie TO many, yet no effort has been since lts EN-
ec,msp, 10 repeal It. II wal not a serious issue III the
Presidential election in 1852, aud to whatever extent
|, was, it was efectually ignored as such by the r..
cult of that election. Aud its repeal. or even rnodit-
carton does not now enter anywhere INTO lie present
conres, ss the policy of even the republican party.
III s5soking of those compromise measures II IS reH
70 remember that they embraced the adn'ssiono OF Ca
,;fornia as a free State, ,rhereGy a majority 81 free
STATE. pas secured. So much for Mr.. Fillmore's 'en-'
,i:s subservisncy'' to the slave power.
'.As 10 Mr.. Fillmore Alnericaniem, you and l have
come knowledge" I am happy to cay. l know that
n. voted for the nominees on the American State
;icke in 1854, and for those designated as Americans
on the county ticket here. iknor tha. NJ. Fillmore
b<cans a member OF the American order IN January,
1855, und that he stall Is a member Of that Order, and
zoa kaceRaorn IL, too, for you have been informed OF
il by those who knew it. Mr.. Fillmore, by his votes,
be acts. and ia bis interviews with his friends, gave
proof Of his attachment to, and identification with the
American party and is principles, previous to his
leaving for Europe, and Siarc his return he has nnc.
ousroca4y arorcd ia pu6lic lis connection rnh tie
Oydr, and has adherence to the purty.'
4, i. true! the slavery question is the paramount
Issue OF the canvass; but other matters involved are
Of 60 great consequence, that the people should not
loco sight OF them for q single moment. Twelve
months sgo the principles Of the Know-Sothiug party
provoked controversy Of the deepest and most perva.
dig Interest. Now, these principles have lost nothing
Of their vitality and their nischievous energy. They
orc struggling a. desperately for power to-day, as
voen they threatened to reduce the country to their
away. They are az much involved in the present
oaoysss. a. in the contest In which they were the only
oe,eu,ible issues. The Know.Nothing Order alone
oppose, any resistance to the Democratic party in
ths South. 1t 10 against its principles and its csndi'
date that We have especially to contend. fet, We
observe q disposition 10 ignore KnoT-Nothing'emN
aud 70 make the canvass turn exclusively on the
slavery question. It is obviously unwise for the
Democratic party to pursue this policy. We kno"
how repuguant the principles Of kuow-Nothingism
ore to the people of Virginia; aud we should not suffer
the Order and its candidate to escape the ignominy
OF ,hsir odious and condemned creed. That Fillmore
psr,ekes the i~n,olerant spirit and is implicated in the
mischievous measures Of the party, is established by
hi, own words aud tho conclusive testimony of his
associates. So that. in addition to the opposition
provoked by bis in6delity to the rights Of tue South,
he labors under the load Of obloquy which attaches to
the Know. Nothing party. Thousands Of true and
independent Wings will refuse to supporthim because
Of his connection with the Order.
The above paragraphs from Mr.. ScrogSs' Yindica'
,loa Of Fillmore are interesting aud significant in
another view: they confirm the truth Of our repre-.
sel;stoos Of Fillmore attitude towards tho South.
They Show with what reservation Of conscience, with
what strong repuguance to Its principles, and for
what purpose Of abolition advantage, he finally cou.
scented to Sign the fugitive slave law. From the
statements of Mr.. Fillnore's own friends and ssse
oia,es. his hostility to the South 10 established beyone
question:
'serogr' letter Is published IN tho New York Herald 0
the 23d July.
THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
lue paragraph 10 tho enquirer Nnlcu uin"fiSo
tiveiy announces that the Democratic Convention il
the First Congressional District will be held Of
Matthews Court House, is not asseuted to by tht
party in the District. In the diversity Of opinion a
to tie time aud p.sce for this Convention. would i
not bs we'll for tine Central Committee here to arbi
trate the dispute, aud d. the time and place which tn.
majority seem to desire' There is ample time. be,
fore tie day Of election, for 8 perfect agreement il
the matter. We trust our friends will not bs imprac
t;c.S be. Il 1. important that the Convention should