Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-20
SPLITTING ON THE PLATFORM.

The resolution in the Staunton Platform, which COM
nits the Nothing party in this State against the
Kansas Nebraska Act, is palpaby antagonistic 10
the interests of the South that no true Southern man
can hesitate to protest cgainst it, There are true
Southern men in the Know-Nothins party; and from
them we were prepared to expect ar Indignant re-
probation of the obuoxiops article. Indeed q men,
Der of the Conyelton had lhe courage to oppose the
passage CT the resolution. This was his argument:
"When the third resolution was read John II. Nc
Cue, Esq arose. and in few forcible and well con-
ceived remarks, opposed it. He urged the impor-
tance of leaving the Nebraska bill alone for the pre-
sent. We were not in condition to agitste the
slavery question, and this resolution .coIld nor be
construed i'll any other way than as GStatnS 1t. Tic
had objections to that ILL., but these objections were
not nsuperatle. The great contest now about to be
fought WAS upon that issue. 1t was the touchs.one.
IN The issue was involved fidelity to the Constitution
and laws and rs patriot he should deplore reopen.
ing the question which It settled, and thus give ad-
vantage to our common enemy
This sensible speech had no effect: and Mr.. McCues
was the solitary vote asainat the resolution.
The Lyncbburg ttrginiaa records its dissent from
the Euow.Notbing Platform, with even more en-
pbsss and force Of argument. Here is its article:
We regret seriously that the Staunton Convention
admitted, by implication, that the kanaas bill EN-.
hraced an assertion OF the Odous principle OF squnt-
ter sovereignty. The admission was not only
not warranted by fact, but wac on many ac-
counts most injudcious and iinpotic. If squatter
soTSro;gn;y is Established by the kausas bilI then
sQuatter Sovereignty is constitutional, because the
Kansas bill is expressly made "su9ject to the proyi-
sions of the constitution" Unless it can be shown
that this doctrine, properly characterised by South
ern Democrats to be as odous in practice and as in
defensible in principle tho Wilmot prnVso, is in
accordance with the provisions of tue constitution 1t
is egregieus and fatal blaudes 10 adInlt that It Is
contained in the Kansas bil Hr the effect OF such
admission is to acknowledges tho right Of the yankees
and Foreigners who rushing to Kansas TO put THIS
grant of the Kansas law into execution, by at once
proceeding to legslae the South out OF Kansas
are necessary results of the admission that the kansas
OIL countenances the heresy Of squatter sovereignty
We confess our surprise that the intelligent gentlemen
who met at Staunton could have come 10 such con-
illusions. For our part, wo 10 not hesitate TO say
that it we had construed the Kansas bill rs establish
ing squatter sovereignty, wo should have opposed it
the most fatal legislation to the South that had
been attempted in Congress. The repesl of the Mis-
souri, Compromise, had it been doubly as unjust and
wrong as it was, could never have reconcilrd us to
the assertion of doctrine subversive of order,
destructive to equality, SO skukny promotve Of free
soiisin so vile in theory, and 80 monstrous in prac-
tcs as souattsr sovereignty 1t is poor relief from
the error of the admission to have protested against