New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-23
THE LAST PLATFORM.

The Know Nothing party, which arose so
mysteriously and absurdly about the time Of the
passage of the Kansas-N Nebraska bill, has ever
since been exercised aud torn by various internal
conflicts, and still remains in state Of violent
fermentation. OF course, the principal cause
of difficulty is the Slavery question. This is
the chief source of oil their woes. Last Spring
they held National Convention and took po-
siton on the side of the Slavery extensoniSts.
1t lie found in the famous Twelfth Section of
their platform, and is as follows:
"The American party, having risen upon the ruins
and in spite OF the opposition of the Wing and Demo-
cratic parties cannot be held in any manner RESPONSE
bic for the obnoxious acts violated pledges of either.
And the systematic agitation of the Slavery question
by thoe parties having eevatedse hostility into
positive element of political power and brought
institutions into peril II has therefore become the m
peritve duty of the American party to interfere for
the purpose of giving peace to the country and perpe
tuiy to the Union. And as experience has shown u
impossible TO reconcile opinions extreme as those
which separate the dSputants and as there can be no
dshOnOr in submitting 70 the laws, the National COun
Gil has deemed it the best guaranty of common justice
and of future peace to abide by and maintain the
existing laws upon the subject of Slavery, as final
and conclusive settlement of that subject IN spirit and
in substance.
"And regarding it the highest duty TO ayow tn cir
a H.,
unequivoca terms, it is hereby declared, the
Of this National Council, that Congress possesses no
power under the Constitution, to legisste upon the
subject of Slavery in the States where il does may
exist or to exclude any State from admission into the
Union because its Constitution does or does not recog-
nizc the institution Of Slavery as part of its social
system; and expressly pretermting any expression Of
opinion upon the power of Congress to establish or
prohibit Slavery in any Territory 1t is the sense of the
National Council that Congress ought not To egislate
upon the subject of Slavery within the Territories OF
the United States, and that any interference by Con-
gress with Slavery as exists in the District of Colurn
ba would be violation of the spirit and intention of
the compact by which the State of Maryland ceded
the District to the United States, and breach of the
national iaith.'
This was entirely distasteful to large body of
the Northern members who opposed it and re-
volted against it. On Thursday night the sd-
vanced guard of new National Convention COM
pleted stormy session of several days, during
which they threw overheard the Twelfth Section
and adopted the following articles of faith instead.
To agree upon these two sections, which alone in
the new platform refer TO Slavery and the Terri
tories, will probably be the chief object Of the
main Convention which yesterday opened its
sessions at Philadelphia. Indeed, the contest
on this very point is developed in the opening pro-
ceedings, which are reported in another column.
~. The recognition of the night of the natiye-born
and naturazed citizens of the United States, perma
nenty residing in any Territory thereof frame their
constitution and laws, and TO regulate their domestic
and social affairs in their own mode, subject only 10
the provisions of the Federal Constitution, with the
privilege of admission into the Union whenever they
have the requisite population for representative
in Congress. Provided always, that none but those
who citizens of the United Stote under the Con-
stitution and laws thereof and who have fixed resi-
deuce in any such Territory, ought TO participate in
the formation of the Constitution in the enactment
of laws for said Territory or State"
"l3. Opposition TO the reckless and unwise policy of
the present Administration in the general
OF our national affairs and more especially shown in
removing Americans 10y designation and conserve-
tves in principe from office and placing foreigners
and ultraists their places, sas shown in trucking
subSel Viency TO the stronger and in an insoent and
cowardly bravado toward the weaker powers, as
shown IN Ieopenlng sectional agitation by the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise; as shown in granting to
unnatuTahzed foreigners the right TO suffrage in Kan
sas and Nebraska as shown in its vaclating course
on the Kansas and Nebraska question; as shown in
the corruptions which peryade some Of the Depart
ments OF the Government; az shown in disgracing
meItorious naval officers through prejudice caprice;
and as shown in the laundering acknowledgement OF
foreign relations"
II will be seen that these declarations indorse
the Nebraska bill, and agree to admit Kansas
with or without Slavery. They are phrased in the
sollest terms possible, out NnoeVer reads them
carefully will that they fully adopt everything
Objectionable in the Kansas Nebraska bill. and
condemn the only feature Of that measure which
favored Freedem-namey, the right of the free
emigrant to have a voice against Slavery in the
Territories. Such is the new National Know
Nothing platform.
Is there any need to 60 further in the way of er.
posing the position of the Know-Nothing party on
the Slavery question We have seen great ado
made over the Twelfth Section at Philadelphia, and
beheld ii Indignantly repudiated yet only to be fol-
lowed by the above substitute. What choice is
there between the Twelfth Section and the new
creed Does not everybody see, WHO wishes to see,
that the one position is essentially as Pro-Slavery
the other, and that the Know Nothngs are acting
directly in the interest of the Slave-traders What
odds does make that they do not say so in so many
words By the necessity Of the case they must
be for or against the spread Of Slavery, for this is