The Portland daily press., 1874-04-23

congressional nominations should be of the
was found that the Democratic party had
been Frustrated III nearly all the Northern
States. that the Wing party had been COM
pletely disorganized aid disrupted, and that
seventy-five anti-s!avery men had been elect
ed to Congress.
Previous to those elections the new party
had been power in the South. But the an
ti-5lavery successes in the North opened the
eyes of Southern politicians, and an aitenp'
was Immediately made to ''nationallze" the
party. In those DAYS to ''nationalize" meant
to make neutral in the great hght oeI"eon
feedom and slavery. In the Natohai oouh-
ell of the Order in November 1904, union
deoreev was adopted, binding the members
under the most solemn pledges to maintain the
Union of the States against any and all as
saults. The degree was conferred on all pres
ent. Nor.herners and Southerners. 1t did
not have the effect desired, for aIti-slaVery
men continued to be sent from the North to
the House and the Senate The looked-for
result followed. In the spring of 1855, the
Virginia Democracy under the lead Of Henry
A Wise, achieved a victory which virtually
ex1inguished the hopes Of the Order in the
South. Some of the Southern members how
| ever continued blind to the inevitable, and
did not appreciate the significance OF the pop
ular uprising in the North. A National Coun
Gil was called, avowedly with the purpose OF
| ~ f,or tha cti of haip0
an anti-slavery party in disguise. The North
ern members looked forward to the approach
ing Council with quite as much solicitude as
their Southern brethren. The party had an
swered itspurpose in awakeningand consolida
ting the anti-slavery sentiment. 1t was now
quite apparent that anti-savery principles
| must be imposed upon the organization,
which would drive off the Southern men, OF
that the party must be broken up.
Under these circumstances theCouncil met
at Philadelphia, on the 9Th of June, 1855
Most OF the States were represented, the
Southern by men in deadly fear lest their ia
vorite institution should be menaced. They
opened the convention with fierce onslaught
upon the Massachusetts delegation, for the
| Americans of that State had chosen a legis
lature that called for the repeal of the fugi
tive slave act and passed the personal liberty
bill. The contest thus begun continued fol
more than week. 1t soon became eviden
that the South with the aid of its Northern
sympathizers, held control of the convention
The minority report, calling tor restora
ton of the Missouri compromise and fol
the admission of Kansas and Nebraska a
free States was rejected, and the majority
report, pledging the party to slavery, wa
adopted by a vote Of eighty to fifty-nine. TIL
vote was taken near midnight, at the close O
a session ofeight days, and the National Coun
Gil was rent in twain.
The next morning meeting of the North
ern delegates was held, and an address to tn
American people adopted, declaring in favo
of the restoration of the Missouri compromise
the repeal of the fugitive slave law, and tn
admission of Kansas and Nebraska as fire
States. Upon these issues the Republican
party was formed the next spring. and tn
political campaign of 1856 fought. The Re
publican party went into that fight with al
the advantages of the discipline gained by it
preliminary training in the camps of tn
American Order.