The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-13
DEFINING POSITIONS

ments. He would accept no other name than
that cf Wing, act with no other than the Wing
Party. Even the adoption by the Baltimore
Convention in 1852 of the resolves in favor OF
the Fugitive Slave Act, and the Compromise,
and against any further agitation of the Slavery
Question, did not sunder his parties ties: he
continued to act with the Party, and support
its nominees.
After its disorganization, he Joined the Know
Nothing Order, which arose on its ruins, and we
have seen no evidence that would lead us to
infer that he does not continue to subordinate
his Anti-Slavery sentiments to the principles
and aims of this Order. We are not contesting
his right to do so, or denouncing him for it: he
is a free man, and entitled to choose his own
Party, and determine what with him shall be
the controlling question. From time to time,
pending the struggle for the Speakership, he
announced himself as an American" never,
as Republican," nor do we understand him
as claiming to be Republican. He is bold
man, and when he avows himself to be men,
Der of one Party, he does not pretend to belong
to another.
Saturday night, February 25th, the Know
Nothings of Georgetown held meeting, at
which were present Houston of Texas, Kilgour
of Maryland, and Campbell of Ohio. The ora
tory of the evening was all American" A
sketch of the speeches is given in the American
Organ of this place, mo. 1857 and Mr.. Camp
bell is thus reported:
Hon. l.. d. Campbell, of Ohio, now took the
stand. Although he had spent much of his
time for the past five years in the adjoining
city, this was his fourth visit to Georgetown.
The last time he was there, he had been invited
to address an American meeting, and had done
so. One of the Administration Stars had
taken occasion from that to say that the Amer
lean party had humiliated itself by inviting an
Abolitionist to address them. He hurled the
imputation back with scorn. He was an Amer
lean. He had entered the ranks of the Wings
under glorious Henry Clay, and had cast his
last vote for Winfield Scott-two of tie best
Americans that ever lived. Now, times and
parties had changed. The Wing party he con-
sidered defunct in the abstract. Laughter.
The Democratic party he had always been op-
posed to. He could stand independent of any
party; but on the inception of the American
movement, he saw there the germ of principles
that would be the safeguard Of the nation, and
on those principles he had planted himself.
His opinions on the question of Slavery were
an outside issue. He was brought up in Ohio,
and educated in Anti-Slavery principles, and
had never seen reason to change those opin-
to define his position"
He then proceeded to discuss Americanism
generally. Mr.. Campbell, as politician, plants
himself SON american principles" These are
his basis of party action-his opinions on the
question Of Stauery are an outside issue, not
a basis of party action. If reported correctly
by the Organ, this is his position as defined by
himself Is it the position of the majority of
the members of the House who voted for him
when candidate for the Speakersbip, or the
position of a majority of his constituents? Is
the Slavery Question with them an outside
ISSUE" or the real, inside, controlling issue?
Again: A meeting of the American Order
of the District of Columbia was held Friday
evening, February 29th, to rat!fy the nomina-
tons Of Fillmore and Donelson. Mayor Tow
ers, on taking the chair, stated the object of
the meeting to be to ratity the nominations, on
the part Of the american party, of Millard
Fillmore for President and Andrew Jackson
Donelson for Vice President of the United
States-mominations, lie pas sure, ,ohich had
been received by erery member Of the party pith
feelings of the lireliest qualification.
The meeting was then addressed by Mr.. Ten
10y ~r aovrgcJown, Messrs. nrCOalI;l, Anurew
Stuart, and Horton. We proceed to copy from
the account of the meeting given in the Nation
al Intelligencer of the 1st of March
"The Hon. Lewis d. Campbell, of Ohio, here
entered the hall, and was received with much
enthusiasm. Being vociferously called for, he
remarked that if the cause of the meeting was
to preserve and perpetuate the Union of these
States, and to assert the great principle that
Americans ought to rule America, he was with
them, heart and soul. AS to men, he had moth
ing to say tonight. They were insignificant,
in comparison with the great principles of the
party. He ridiculed the Administration in a
strain of humor that produced great merriment,
warmly defended the principles of the Ameri-
can party, and earnestly urged the maintenance
of the Union"
The meeting was called to ratify the nomina-
tions of Fillmore and Donelson. Mr.. Camp
bell, knowing this, attended it, took part in it,
and, although declining to say anything about
the nominees, did what he could, by his pres
ence, his participation in the proceedings, and
his advocacy of American principles" to
strengthen the feeling in favor of the nomina-
tons chosen to represent those principles
thus demonstrating that, despite the Pro-Sla-
very platform and nominations, he still adheres
to the Order.
This is not position we manufacture for
him, or rejoice in seeing him occupy-but it is
the position he himself has chosen, and he can
not blame us for recognising the fact. We could
wish that he were Republican-that he would
make the Slavery question, as now presented,
the inside, not "outsde issue" paramount over
all other questions-but he must Judge and act
for himself; and, if he believe it is of more i'm.
portance to organize against Foreignism and
Catholicism, than to establish Freedom as the
Fundamental Law of United States Territory,
and the controlling Element in our Federal
Councils, let him be an american" and sus.
tain not only the Order, but its nominees.
He is not alone. Other members of Con.
gress, of Anti-Slavery sentiments, occupy, in
fact, the same position. Let them be as open
and unreserved as he is-for the sooner the
lines are drawn between those who regard the
Slavery Question as paramount and those who
regard Americanism as paramouns the better
for the Cause of Truth.
CHARTER ELECTIONS IN NEW YORK.