White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-10-06
Platforms,

We find in the National Intelligence
the following remarks on political plat
forms. together with the comments Of Q
Democratic candidate in Georgia, on that
subiect-fully according with the view,
we have repeatedly expressed
Men like Washington, and Jefferson
and Madison did not need this nroderr
continuance to liit them into conspicuor,
elevation before the people. Their titlt
to popular confidence was read in prov.
ell capacity for civil affairs. and not in
the passive facility with which candidate.
in modern times are expected to adjust
their proportions to the ProcrusteaE bed
Of a nominating convention.
But experience has proved that plat
forms are as worthless in practice as they
are anomalous in theory. However in
geniously constructed. they soon betray
symptoms of dilapidation. Whether
from the haste with which they are patch.
ed together. or the unseasoned and hetero.
geneous timber which generally enter in.
to their composition. certain it is that they
are never expected to last longer than foul
years. and even before the expiration o.
that period ga general flavor Of mild de.
cay" is perceptible in all its parts. Such
for instance. is the present condition oi
the Cincinnati platform, if we should
judge from the reports Of the political
artisans who may be presumed most
competent to pronounce a scientific iudg-
ment in the premises. Among those who
regard it as too insecure to afford any
longer a safe foundation for the Democ.
racy. is Mr.. A. B. Wright. candidate
for Congress in the eigth District of Geor-
gia. and who. being recently placed in
nomination on the basis of some merits
more personal than his acceptance of a
ready-msde confession of political faith.
accompanied his acceptance Of the honor
with the following criticism on the utility
of these political structures
IL think. gentlemen. your Convention
acted wisely in ignoring those political
man-traps. yclept platforms The peo-
pie have been so often deceived and delu-
ded by the promises held ont to them in
these paper shuttle boards that they
have come to look with suspicion and dis
trust upon all who advocate them. They
are generally fair to look upon. but, like
dead sea fruit. they turn to ashes upon
the lips Take. il you please. that great
piece Of master-carpentery. constructed at
Cincinnati in 1856. by the great MASTER
builder Of modern Democracy. with tim.
Der furnished and brought from the differ
snt sections Of the Union. The South
palmetto. cotton and slavery !;
The North. oak. commerce and abolition
sm; the East. pine, manufacturers and
rec soil the West, ash. internal i'm
and squatter sovereignty; the
Atlantic and Middle States. poplar. free
rade and non-intervention. All dove
allied harmoniously together. and to the
casual observer-the masses Of the people
exceedingly fair to look upon but
within It is 'whited sepulcher, filed
With dead mems bones The filling of
he seams in the structure indicates the
master talents. The internal improve
nents' opening is filed with the Pacific
Railroad;' the 'squatter sovereignty join
ng is made smooth by 'non-intervention;'
he slavery plank is covered with On
"a ; the 'free-soip seam is covered with
unfriendly legislation : while the 'Abo-
ition' panel is garnished with 'isothermal
ines Thus. all uniting in one harmo-
hons and symmetrical structure. we'll
calculated to catch the popular gaze and
'siole "a nation Of freemen'"