The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-20

single bond of action, without respect to party.
1t made no issue upon any other question than
that of Slavery: it assailed no other evil than
that of Slavery-aggression Its platform and
address show this, nothing more. The Ma
tional Executive Committee appointed, consists
of men who have been Wings, Democrats, Free
Sellers, Americans, but now accept the name
Republican" as the most convenient designa-
ton of their position. The Convention agreed
to resolution recommending National Con-
vention at Philadelphia, on the 18th Of June,
to nominate candidates for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency, on the great issue-the Con-
vention to be composed of delegates from the
several States, equal in number to three times
the representation in Congress to which each
State is entitled.
The proceedings of this meeting have been
hailed with joy by large portion of the Anti
Nebraska Press of the Country, and by the
Anti Nebraska Party in majority of the free
States. 1t is impossible to ignore them, or to
supersede the movement initiated by them.
Any serious effort to do so will only add to the
embarrassments OF the free States, and e6mpi-
cate the relations of Anti Nebraska voters. A
call by members of Congress for another Con-
vention to nominate candidates on the same
issue, would arouse distrust, dissension, and
discord, and give offence to the great body of
honest People who recognise in the proceed
ings of the Pittsburgh Convention a legitimate
beginning of the union so much desired, of the
friends of Freedom. Members, in their anxi-
ETY. to conciliate in one quarter, win beware of
of producing disgust in another quarter.
The crisis is by far too grave to be treated
lightly, and a movement endorsed by seven
State Committees, all the distinctive Anti
Nebraska Press, and the great body of the
Anti-Nebraska voters of the country, cappot
be superseded, ought to be recognised by Anti
Nebraska members of Congress.
But the question recurs, says a representa-
tive, "What shall we do in certain localities
where unfortunate feuds have sprung up, rash
committals have been made?" We have but
but one suggestion to offer, and that may be
taken for what it is worth. A call for the
Philadelphia Convention, we suppose, is to be
issued by the Executive Committee appointed
at Pittsburgh. 1t cannot change time, place,
or proportion of representation, and nobody
desires any change here; but it can frame the
terms of tie call in the spirit of the Convention,
so as to meet every reasonable demand. II can
determined to make the Question of Freedom
to the Territories the one, great issue of the
canvass, Uithout distinction of Purity, to
meet in Conventions in the several States to
elect the numbers of delegates designated, to
meet in the Convention at Philadelphia on the
18th of June, to make nominations on that
issue. What honest Anti ebraska man, what
ever his relations or prejudices, could not re-
spond to such a call? All questions and con-
tiicts about different or warning organizations,
would thus be avoided. The People of New
Hampshire, where they have no Republican
organization in form; the People of Maine,
where the Republican organization in form has
absorbed and harmonized all classes of Anti
Nebraska voters the People of Massachusetts,
divided against each other on modes of policy;
naturalized citizens, who are ready to support
an Anti-Nebraska nomination, provided it in
cling to old memories, but wish to see the Pro.
Slavery Party overthrow, and Democrats, who
intend to bolt from their Party when its Con.
xsns!on At sh eeiAalpaht a Gould all respond
to such call as this. The difficulty in the
way of union would be removed The Con-
vention would be the Peoples; and, for one,
we are willing to trust the movement in their
hands. Should they be true to Principle, it
would triumph; should they prove otherwise it
will only show that they are not yet equal to
the task of asserting their just rights.
AS one, never trammelled by party rela-
tions, holding ourselves always free to support
or oppose any movement or party, as our own
judgment shall dictate, we merely throw out
these suggestions for those more Immediately
concerned. Of course they are not specially
applicable to the States of Iowa and Connect
cut, in which delegates to the Nominating
Convention have already been chosen