New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-11
BALTIMORE.

first time it has been called to go through the for
malities in question, We take pleasure in saying
that it is entitled to all the credit of smooth and
successful debut.
The National Union party have nominated for
President JOHN BELL Of Tennessee, and for Vice.
President EDWARD EVERETT of Massachusetts.
Their platform is as follows brief if not expressive;
Wbereas Experience has demonstrated that oil platforms
adopted by political parties have the effect TO misle.d and 70
political divisions by encouraging geographical and sec
R,oircd That both patriotism and daty require tina. we
should rccnze policy principles but tno5e resting on ne
broad foundation Of the Constitution OF the country the Union
of the States the enforcement Of the laws and that Is we
representatives. Of the Contuona Union party and 81 the
thus saoTdng security at home and abroad and 80
Curing the blessings liberty to ourselves and poori'y
First word as to this platform: We object
to it that it is composed of mere generaiies, ana
is intended to be ambiguous and delusiye. 1t VIII
bear one Interpretation in quarter, and another
in another and that is the very purpose for which
it was contryed.
But this is not its worst fault. Like some of its
authors, il il fossil dug up irom the remains of
past age II belongs to the year 1880, and not the
times in which we live. 1t ignores all that has
transpired in the most animated and pregnant
period of our history. The contests, the trumph',
tie principles the convictions, the interests thepas
sons, the still papating and unsettled questions OF
n ouarter of n century are all carefully shut out of
sight by this platform, if they had never existed
and had no right to exist. In this point of view the
nlatfcrm il almost comieal Who can seriously
propose TO shove aside and ignore the questions OF
the power and duty of Congress as regards the
Territories. of the nature and rights of property
in slaves. of the bred Scott decision,
of reopening the African slayetrade, OF acquiring
new slave States in West India, Mexico and
Central America The people of this country have
done very much and suffered very much III order
to bring these questions to hnal settlement.
There is a very earnest and almost universal desire
for decision respecting them. But here comes
the Old Gentlemen's party with this mild sugges-
ton that the case shall be abandoned and oil the
record wiped out, leaving the controversy to be
renewed at future day, under aggravated eircum-
stances. We think the decision of all sensible
people, belonging to the present geological epoch,
will be that the matter had better be adjudlcated
and settled now, so that we can aterward attend
to other business without danger of being inter-
rupted and disturbed by this. The Old Gentle
mems platform, then, Ill never do.
Now for the candidates:
John BELL Of TeDl.sssee wac born scar Nash-
vile, in February, 1871, and is now, there
fore, in the sixty fourth year of his age. HE
entered political life when only twenty years old
as a member of the Legislature of his native
State, but retired, after serving single session,
and for the next nine years devoted himself to the
practice of his profession-the law. In 1877, he
was elected to Congress in opposition to
Felix Grundy, and continued member of that
body for fourteen successive years. He was III
those days Frec-trader and so late az 1882 made
a speech against the Protective system. He sub
sequently changed his views upon that subject
and has ever since been an advocate OF Protec-
Bell was a member Of the Democratic
party, but difference arose between him
and his friends the question of the United States
Bank. He opposed the removal of the deposits,
and the breach thus made between him and Gen.
Jackson was widened when he was chosen Speaker
Polk, who was the Jackson candidate, and made
irreconcilable year later, when Mr.. Bell adyo-
Gated the election of Judge White to the Presiden
cy, in preference to that of Mr.. Van Buren,. From
that time he was member Of the Wing party as
long as that party had an existence. When the
question of receiving petitions for the abolition Of
Slavery in the District of Columbia waS first ag
tated in the House of Representatives in 1896, he
was in favor of their reception and two years
later he voted against the infamous "gag resou-
ton" of Atherton Of New Hampshire. NOtthat Mr..
Bell was in favor of the object of the petitioners,
but he considered they were simply exercising n
constitutional right, though he had no intention Of
giving favorable hearing to their prayer. He
abandoned the Tyler Administration in which he
was Secretary of War under an appointment by
Gen. Harrison, notwithstanding the step was not
approved by that large portion of the Wing party
of which Mr.. Webster was the leader. During
that short term of office, however, he did not show
any remarkable aptitude for the details of business.
lii 1853 he was returned to the L. S. Senate by his
native State, where he remained till March 1859,
being succeeded by Mr.. Nicholson, a Democrat.
His course in the Senate was marked by the same
political integrity which has distinguished his
whole political career, and with some
thing of the same vacillation OF judg-
ment He approved of the compromises of 1850,
while he voted against the passage Of the Kansas
Nebraska bill; against the admission of Kansas
under the Lecompton Constitution he also took de :
d.l 10 ia ui ,f lesa
character, public and private, and Of eminent
ability and lofty patriotism; though his capacity
for usefulness is somewhat diminished by dispo-