The true Democrat., 1856-06-10
Documents for the Canvass.

Documents for the Canvass.
We have commenced publishing documents
for the people to refer to during the campaign.
We publish, this morning, on our title page, the
"June PLATFORM and the February Platform
of the Know Nothing party, apd, between
them, few resolutions of the Hartford con-
vention, with appropriate remarks by an able
journalist, showing that they are the parents Of
Know Nothingism. -
To these documents we invite the serious
consideration of the people. The question be-
fore the people is a momentous one-It is de-
mocracy or Know Nothingsm-it is the policy
and principles that have raised our government
to its present pitch of prosperity. or the policy
and principles that were Matched at Hartford
during the war of 1812-it is openness and
strict accountability in politics, or secrecy and
darkness. The people are called upon to de-
eide the issue.
In considering the two platforms, there is one
other point to which we desire to call attention
1t is to the wide difference between the one Of
June and the one of February last The one
of June is bitter against the Roman Catholic
church. The February platform says nothing
at all about the Roman Catholics. The June
platform is only tolerable on the slavery ques.
ton; though it prete,maits the main question
the power of Congress over slavery-it pledges
r o rorfv m oh;do hv ov;et;,,r Io,,c anal, q,
the fugitive slave law, etc. The February
platform does not even mention the word 'sla.
very" 1t ignores the whole question. Itdoes
not guarantee to the south the fugitive slave
law; it does not guarantee the south against
the abolition of the trade in slaves between the
states; it does not guarantee the south against
the abolition of slavery in the District of Co.
lumbia; it does not guarantee to new States
the "rght"-it uses the word "privilege"-oI
admission into the Union.
In reference to the all-absorbing question Of
slavery, we entreat the people to examine fol
themselves the February platform of the Know
Nothing party, upon which Fillmore is now
standing Can the south endorse it? Can the
southern people, for one moment, tolerate it!
We publish the platform in full that the people
may judge for themselves. 1t guarantees none
of the rights of the south-it does not even
mention the word "slavery!"
Take it, too, upon the Kansas ebraska bill
1t denounces Mr.. Perce's administration fol-
repeating the Missouri compromise? What is
the Missouri compromise? 1t is nothing more
than the Wilmot proviso-it is a restriction
upon slavery-it is prohibition against slavery
going into any territory north of sc deg 80 min
north latitude. Was not its repeal then a
blessing? Was not its repeal simple act OF
justice to the south? Did not its repeal sim
ply place the southern States upon an equal
footing with the northern States?
But the Know Nothing platform denounces
President Pierce's administration for repeating
the Missouri compromise! How southerners
can unite in the denunciations of a man who.
in the hour of the south's need, reached out his
hand to assist it in Notwithstanding al.
odious, an oppressive, an unconstitutional law,
we cannot understand.
The Missouri compromise" prohibited south
erners from emigratiag with their slaves into
either Kansas or Nebraska The Kansas Ne
braska bill repealed the Missouri compromise
and now not only allows southerners TO emil
CRATE to Kansas and Nebraska and to any other
territory owned by the United States. but pro-
tects and defends them and their slaves while
there. And yet against this wise, just and be-
nef cent law-ths simple act of justice to the
south, Know Nothings cry out against the pre-
sent democratic administration.
Let every southerner read the February plat
form for himself. We present it this week in
full. We direct especial attention to section
13, where opposition to the present adminstra-
ton is openly avowed because of the repeal of
the Missouri compromise.
We shall continue to treat Of this subject
during the canvass Much is yet to be said
upon it,