Washington telegraph., 1856-04-23
VOL. XVI
From the Gazette & Democrat.
AMERICAN RATIFICATION MEET.
Held at Little Rock, on Saturday, April
9Th, 1856,

CeAAs 4OCOs
The meeting was called to order by Or.
Gibson upon further motion of DR. Glib
son, DIR. Solon Borland was unanimously
chosen Chairman
Upon taking the Chair, DR.. Borlaud
briefly addressed the meeting as follows:
To be called to preside over meeting of
American freemen, voluntarily assembled,
as matter of right and duty, to deliberate
for the welfare of their country, is an hon
or which any citizen should highly appreci-
ate Snch an honor. my fellow-citizens and
neighbors. you have conferred upon me, to-
day, and, as an unsought manifestation of
your kind feeling and respect. sincerely
thank you for it.
In the particular duties of the Chair, /
have very little experience; this being the
second instance, only, that can now recol-
lect. in which have occupied similar po-
sltlOn. But, though always post of hon
or. it will not, lam sure. be one of difficulty
even to inexperience such as mine, on this
occasion Composed as this meeting is, of
intelligent gentlemen. acruated alone by pa
triOtic motives, engaged in worthy cause
and incapable of pursuing their objects by
at once, a grateful privilege to participate
in your proceedings, and an easy task to see
they are conducted in due form
As set forth in the public notice which
was given of the time and place of this meet
ing. you have assembled for the purpose of
expressing your opinion in respect to the
Platform of Principles adopted, and The can
didates nominated, by the National Conven-
ton of the American Party, which met in
Philadelphia, on the 22d of February last.
As there are others present, who are bet
ter qualified and prepared to address you at
length, on these questions, and of whom
that service is expected. it is certainly not
necessary. and l do not think it would be
appropriate, for me to engage in this discus
sIcn-
But there is one consideration, the suffi-
cheney OF which l presume you will admit,
that induces me TO say something in respect
to my own position. This arises from my
recent Withdrawal from the newspaper in
this city, which advocates the American
cause, and of which, since last summer, /
have been one of the conductors.
In nv card of withdrawal from the paper.
| stated that my reasons related exclusive
y to my private business; and, further, that
the interest | felt for the success of the
American cause, remained undminished
To be more explicit-to leave no ground
whatever. for friends to misapprehend, and
nOexeuse for enemies to misrepresent, avail
myself of this occasion to add few words
IN confirmation of those statements In
deed, as afordIng me a suitable opportunity
TO DO this, the more cheerfully accepted
the call to preside over your meeting
Now, therefore, l say to you, and through
you to all others who are interested In know
ing anything about them, that the consider
atoms which induced me to withdraw from
the paper, we're not, in any sense, political
and do not, In any degree. affect my relations
towards any political party and. further
that they had arisen before the action of the
Philadelphia Convention transpired. They
relate exclusively, l repeat. to my private
busIness-business of importance to myself
and family. which, owing to circumstances
not anticipated at the time | connected my
self with the paper, requires now, more of
my time and attention than the due perform
ance of editorial duties would permit Jus
tee, therefore. alike TO the paper, to the
cause it advocates, and 20 myself, demand
ed my withdrawal from the paper-not
from TIE American party; for to that my
approval is still given, and my attachment
still continues, without change or shadow of
turning"
| adopted the principles of the American
Party, as set forth in the Platform of June,
1855, f:om conviction of their soundness
and necessity and 1 still firmly adhere
to them In the Platform of February.
1886. l recognize the same principles,
changed only in the language which express
es them And although. for myself, am
free to say that l would have retained the
words. as well as the principles of the first
Platform without the alteration of a sylable
or letter; yet, after careful consideration,
! am bound to concede that, while the lam
guage of the second one certainly gives a
more condensed expression to the same
principles, it is neither less comprehensive
in its spirit, nor less clear and unequivocal
IN its meaning. l, therefore. cheerfully ac-
cept the new Platform, as embodying every
thing that was substantially valuable in the
other, and take my stand upon it with no
less hrmness and determination.
In respect to the nominations of the con-
Tention. candOr requires me to say that. If
m5 individual choice could have prevailed,
these particular ones would not have been
made: and, in the first flush of disappoint-
ment. was inclined to consider them i'm
polite. But. it is equally due to candor
and propriety to say, now. that further OBJ
seryatlon and reflection have impressed me
With the belief that these nominations were
not only eminently judicious, at the time
'ney were made. but that in the end, they
VIII prove still more eminentIy popular than
'heir most sanguine advocates anticipated
A1d In thus yielding my own choice of can
alaafes, and acquiescing in that of the ma
Jsll'y OF our party, am not only conscious
I" having acted from proper and patriotic
motives, but have the rational satisfaction Of
HOping that my OWN judgment has been