Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1856-09-20
TIE coNsERvAr1sm OF THE AMERICAN PARTY.

We were much edited on Monday last, in
regard to the position which the leaders of the
Know Nothing party claim for it in the present
canvass.
Tn Democratic, says Gov. Wise, is the
white mans party, the Black Republican is the
black mans party, and the Know Nothing is
the mu!Yto party. That is, it sides neither
with the white man or the negro, but is strict
~ impartial between the two. This position
was rightly assigned to the party by Gov.
Wise, and fully confirmed by Mr. BoteIer, the
EIector for this District, on Monday. The
Democra ic, said he, occupies ultra Southern
ground, while the Republicans occupy extreme
Northern ground; the American party occu-
pies middle ground between the two; they are
both sectional and 1t alone is conssrUdtiue.-
Now, although no body of course, expects Mr..
Boteler TO descend 10 plain matters Of fact, yet
it would have been exceedingly gratifying TO
the thinking portion Of bis audience, had he
stated vhat the middle ground is, between the
Democracy and Black RepublicaniSna. Is ii
ground which Southern men can safely &C.
cupyl LIT us see The issues between the
Democratic and Republican parties are the
following: LIST. Abolition of the interstate slave
trade. I'd. Abolition of slavery in the District
of Columbia. Sd. Restoration of the Missouri
Compromise. 4th. No more slave territory.
9Th. Repeal OF the Fugitiv"-save law. Upon
all oflhese questions, the issue is directly made
up between the Democratic and Republican
parties; the latter advocating them all, and
the former resisting each, and all of them rs
violent inffactions of the Constitu ion. Now
where is the middle ground upon these issues,
which the Know Nothing party occupies i?
Which of these measures d. the Southern
Americans propose to yield? Do they favor
therestoration of the Missouri ne2 Or would
they abolish slavery in TIE District, or the
slave trade, or repeal the Fugitive Slave law |!
Which ofthese principles can Southern men
consistently yield We are aware that Bolts
and Maupiu, and few such old hr llen down
party hscks, favor the restoration Of the Mis-
souri, line; but we do not conceds they occupy
any middle ground at all. Though Mr.. Bou~
Ter declined answering the question when pro
pounded to him by Mr.. Hoge, yet we cannot
persuade ourselves that hs is not at heart OPP.
posed to this ultra abolition measure His
motives of concealment on the subject are
common to the party, South, who are afraid 70
make up the issue with Mr.. Fillmore ard his
handful of Northern supporters. And while
we regret that any politician should be obliged
to do violence TO his better nature, yet we
reprehend such i'll timed prudence, more than
We pity him, who is forced to resort to it.
The Know Nothing party not only do not
+, occupy middle ground between the Democrats
and Black Republicans, but hey do not evea
occupy common ground at all. They are as
far apart on this subject as the poles. The
Northern Know Nothings stand on. exactly the
same platform in relation to slavery as the Re-
,puHicans, while the Southern Know Nothings
occupy the same platform with the National
Democracy, always excepting Bolts and his
tally What better proof do we want of this
assertion than the record of the last Cougrvss9
We defy Mr.. Boteltr TO select sig Northern
Know Nothiugs in Congress, and say, 1--WE
- 10
occupy G mrnon conservative ground on tile
question of slavery No one knows better
than he, that there Is no such thing as a con-
sergatiye Northern American party, and yet he
presumes to speak of = national, conservative
American party occupying middle ground be
tween the Democrats and Republicans. The
conservatism Of the Moth Americans is aboli
fonism; the conservatism of the South Amer
leans is a studisa SILENCE, aad dishoncrable-
non Communication
The latter party neither knows, nor reeog
nizes any other principle Of action than hatred
of the Democracy. Their love of The Union,
and every other consideration fails 20 kick the
beam against this anti Democratic pisdness -
Northern Democracy, than on the Southern
Know Nothings. The latter adopt Ne. l'oteler's
principle Of action sacrifice every thing 10
party ran cor, and let the responsibility rest on
shese Tho, they pretend, brought About the