Newspaper Page Text
(Timxs avfo Sentinel
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.
SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 30, 1855.
FOR GOVERNOR.
IIUISMIIFIj V. JOHNSON.
* FOR CONGRESS-
Ivt District--James G. Seward, of Thomas.
3*|, Jamies M. Smith, ol‘Upson*
4th “ Hiram Warner.
sili “ Jno. If. l.umpkin.
iitli “ Howell Cobh, ol Clarke.
Congressional Convention, 2d District.
We suggest that the Democratic Congressional Conven
tion for the Second District be held at Americus, on Wed’
nesday, 11th July next. The Supreme Court will be in
session at that time in Americu?. What say our Demo
cratic cotemporaries to this suggestion ? The time and
place ought to be agreed upon at once. wtwld.
Democratic Hally !
There will he a Mass Meeting of the Democratic Party
of Muscogee county at Columbus, on Saturday 7th July.
Gov. Johnson has consented tube present and ad
dress the people. Other distinguished gentlemen will be
invited and are expected to attend. The citizens of Mus
cogee and the adjoining counties, without distinction of
parties, arc respectfully invited to be present.
WILLIAM TEN NELL,')
J. F. BOZEMAN,
M. .1. WELLBORN,
ALFRED IVERSON, f Committee.
M. J CRAWFORD,
TENNANT LOMAX, .
Columbus, June 20,4,854.
The Action of the Georgia Know Nothings.
When wo heard that the Georgia Know Nothings
were in Convention at Macon on tho 27th, we
hoped they had met together for tho purposo of
disbanding their organization. It never oceurred
to us that any respectable body of men in the
State of Georgia would attempt to build up a party on
tho Philadelphia Platform, There is no accounting,
however, for the actions of desperate men intent on the
acquisition of the spoils. Tho ellort to dissolve the
Democratic party having failed ; tho responses to the
Columbus movement having shown the irreooneileable
elements composing the American party ; the desperate
political gamesters who met in Macon on the 27th inst.,
resolved, as a last chance to retrieve their desperate
fourtunes, to stake them nil upon the Know Nothing
card. Wo have a meagre account of tho proceedings
of the Council in an extra from the office of tho Jour
nal ij- Messenger. We publish it in full in another
column. “The Platform and Principles of tho Ameri
can Party of the State of Georgia/’ is a curious piece
of mosaic work. The first resolution “ratifies and ap
proves the Platform of Principles adopted by tho lato
National Council , of the American party, at Philadel
phia ’’ This precious document has already appeared
in our columns. It declares that tho “Union of the
United States is tho paramount political good;” that
the Supreme Court is tho only tribunal to ascertain
and expound constitutional questions ; and pretermits
any expression of opinion as to the constitutional power
of Congress over the subject of slavery in the Territo
ries. These high federal doctrines wero no doubt dis
tasteful to the Georgia Council and to avoid them, they
have tacked on to them eight more resolutions, some of
which are in tho teeth of the Philadelphia Platform,
in the 4th resolve, they re-aflirm tho Georgia Platform
of 1850 and pledgo themselves to stand by and carry
out its principles. Now it is well known that the
Georgia Platform expressly asserts that tho Union is
secondary to the rights and principles it was designed
to porpetualo ; and that in tho solemn resolve to resist
tho notion af Congress upon four specified points, the
Georgia Convention took the responsibility of inter
preting tho constitution for itself in utter disregard of
the decisions of tho Supremo Court of the United
Slates. Thus it will be seen that tho two Platforms are
wholy irieeoncileable and that no party can stand on
both. The one is founded upon State Rights and looks
to State remedies. The other is old Federalism revived
and pledges the people of Georgia to submission to any
outrage Congress may perpetrate upon Southern Rights,
which the Supremo Court may sanction. Such du
plicity as this is beneath contempt. It is a wretched at
tempt to run wiih tho hare and hunt with the hounds.
It can fool nobody who is not determined to be bam
boozled.
But this is hut one of many of the attempts made
by this wretched council to deceive the people. In
their seventh resolution they concur in the opinion ex
pressed in the meeting of the citizens of Columbus, held
on the 2Gth May, “that the tiino has arrived when
our fellow citizens should cease from their dissensions
and forgot the differences which have separated them”
and pledge tho Know Nothings to 1 cheerfully eo
operate with nil who may unite with (them) in tho en
deavor to accomplish so noblo and patriotic an object.”
Now it will be remembered that tho Columbus move
ment looked to a dissolution of all connection with exist
ing organizations and the formation of a party upon the
Georgia Flatforin of 1850. We havo already shown
how irreconcilcablo are the Georgia and Philadelphia
Platforms. If wo aro right in our interpretation, then
tho glaring insincerity of this 7th resolution is palpable.
T 1 to truth of this position was felt and acknowledged by
the citizens of Columbus who started the Columbus
movement. They expressly advised the Know Nothing
Skate Council to make no nomination for Governor.—
They did so because the American party was an exist
ing national organization, formed for other objects and
purposes than the union of the South to resist “a com -
mon danger and common enemy.”
The second resolution of the Platform is equally insin
cere and deceptive. It “utterly disclaims any intention
to prescribe a religious test as a qualification for ofilce
yet it is known that the members of the American party
mo sworn not to vote for a Catholic for any oihee : nay,
mot e ; the Catholic Know Nothings were excluded
from scats in tho Philadelphia Grand Council solely on
account of their religion.
The sixth resolution denounces “all opposition to tho
principles of the Nebraska-Kansas act, in relation to
slavery, ns hostility to the constitutional rights of the
South; anil all persons who partake in such opposi
tiou as unfit to be recognized as members of the
American party.” This all sounds very well. But
what power has the Georgia Csunoil to road even such
Southern traitors as Rayner, of N. C , and Stewart, of
Ala., out of the party. They denounce the Nebraska-
Kansas net as “an outrage upon the North” and yet
tlmy are members of the National Grand Council
which gives tin? law to the Council.
But the most deceptive of all the series of resolutions
embraced in the Platform of the Georgia Know Noth
>ngs is tho 9th. “In the favor of the acquisition of Cuba
M hat ? Add Foreigners and Catholics to
t! e voting population of u.e United States by a dash of
tie pen? It cannot be poWp* y ? Yet such is the!
meaning of the resolution; 3
The denunciations of the Federal and State admin
istrations are a matter of course. It is Buflioient that
they were Democratio to secure Know Nothing hostili
ty. In the last canvass fur Governor the appointments
of the President were passed upon by the people of
Georgia,and in the main approved. lie has done nothing
since to outrage public sentiment. Would it not have
been more patriotic to approve the great measure of
the administration by which the Missouri restriction
was repealed and the South enabled to appropriate
Kansas to her own use ? Could they see nothing in
tho enforcement of the Fugitive Sla law in Boston
to approve ? Were not his vetoes worthy of commen
dation ? Why then “unqualified condemn” the admin
istration ? Even admitting that some objectionable men
have been appointed to office, is not this a small matter
when compared with the great measures of the admin
istration ? Without wasting further space upon this
matter, we affirm that under tho present adrnistration
the South occupies a more controlling position than she
has enjoyed under any other since Andrew Jackson
sat in tho Presidential chair.
The attack upon Governor Johnson’s administration
is not made in direct terms : we presume, however,
that the resolution about the State Road was intended
to reflect upon him. The only objection we ever heard
made to the management of the State Road is that
freights were too high. Is it the purposo of tho Know
Nothings to reduce them and thus mako this great
work a charge upon jhe people ? Wo would like to
meet that issue.
We have now gone through with this Georgia Know
Nothing Platform, and our judgment is, that it is a
poor, weak, sickly concern, which must break down be
fore the canvass is half over. Every body can see that
it is a botch, constructed of all sorts of timber, and erec
ted by ’prentice hands. It is a miserable effort to
unite all persons, factions, cliques, orders and parties
in opposition to tho Democracy, and is but another evi
dence of “the wild hunt after office’’ that characterizes
jhe age. With one breath they propose to check for
eign immigration; with the next to add 1,000,000
foreigners to our population. With one breath they de
nounce tho Catholics ; with the next they are anxious
to add a-State to the Union in which the whole popula
tion are Catholics. With one breath they assert that
the Supreme Court of the United States is the only le
gitimate tribunal to decido upon the constitutionality of
laws ; with the next they adopt the Georgia Platform
by which Georgia assumes the right to judge for her
self of infractions of her constitutional rights. With
one breath they declare “the Union to be the paramount
political good ;’’ with the next they pledgo themselves
to the Columbus Movement the princpal object of which
was to preparo the people of Georgia for dissoluton un
der certain contingencies.
The statue at Rhodes strided tho harbor ; but this
modern divinity like the American Eagle of 4th July
orators, dips one wing in the Atlantic and tho other in
the Paeifio, drinks out of the lakes, and flaps its tail in
tho Gulf of Mexico. It plants one foot in Federalism,
and the other on States Rights. It’s as double faced as
Janus. It is all things to all men. We are ashamed
of it. There is nothing in it to admire.
The Chronicle & Sentinel on the Columbus
Movement.
In this connexion, it may not be improper to notice a
very puerile effort of the Columbus Times to misrepie>
sent the objects and purposes of the advocates of the
movement, by publishing an extract from the Columbus
Corner Stone , an open and avowed disunion, for the sake
of disunion, organ, which declares it a sectional move
ment, atid therefore favors it. If that was the purpose of
the editor of the Corner Stone in participating in the
meeting at Columbus, he will find when the convention
meets, that he reckoned without his host, and was entire*
ly out of place in that meeting. Else there is no judging
of public sentiment, by the avowals of the people in their
primary assemblies.— Chronicle Sentinel.
Without stopping to rcpell tho charge of “misresenta
tion,” which is false, contained in the foregoing extract-,
we pass on to say that if the Columbus movement is not
sectional it is utterly contemptible and cannot carry a
county in the second congressional district. We de
nounced it from the first because we believed it to be in
attempt to perpetrate a fraud upon the people of til's dis
trict by pretending to be sectional while in fact it was a
mere reconstruction of tho old Whig parly under anew
name. That our denunciations were well founded, the
above extract from tho Chronicle Sentinel conclusive
ly proves. The nmi-Knovv Nothing Democrats who
joined the Columbus movement and made it respectable
t
were, and are, violent Southern Rights men, with strong
Failings towards disunion. That their object and pur
pose was the formation of a sectional party, we know, and
respect them accordingly. Once prove to them tlmt the
movement is national and not sectional, and they would
ily Irom it as quick as from the plague. While wo dif’
for from these patriotic men as to the policy of the for
mation of a sectional party at this time, wo have warned
them against being carried off by the Columbus move
ment into a national organization out side of the. Demo
cratic party. Instead, therefore, of misrepresenting the
Columbus movement as charged by the Chronicle
Sentinel, our effort has been to kill it by showing that it
was national and not sectional. If tho change of nation
ality is established, there is an end of the Columbus move
ment in this section, and we tender our thanks to the
Chronicle Sentinel for its valuable aid in sustaining
our charge. _
The Know Nothings and the Columbus
Movement.
Our readers will bear as witness that we have constant
ly urged the Democrats of Muscogee county to insist as
a preliminary to cot operating with Know Nothings in the
Columbus movement that they come out of the order.—
The wisdom of our advice is vindicated by the event.
Many o! the leading members of the order, who participated
! in the Columbus movement, were delegates to the late
Know Nothing convention at Macon and are ccmmittcd
thereby to the support of the Philadelphia Platform und
1 the nominee of the party.
Will the Bth August Convention be Held ?
it was understood that if the Columbus movement fail
ed to unite the people ts Georgia, the leading Democrats
who participated in it were pledged to fall back upon the
Democratic party. The object of the movement has fail
ed, The light in Georgia will be between the Democ
racy and the Know Nothings. It now becomes the duty
of those men to take sides between these two parties.
The body of tho people are on one side or the other. A
third party will be crushed in the colisiou of these oppos
ing hosts. We therefore hope that the Convention of the
Bth of August will not be held, and that our fiiends who
have gone off from us w ill come back and aid us in sus
taining the Platform of Georgia Democracy against the
Philadelphia reform pf the Know .Nothings.
The Vote upon the Nebraska-Kansas Bill.
As the soundness of parties upon the Nebraska-
Kansas bill is a matter of daily disoussion, we give be
low the votes by whioh it was carried in both houses
of Congress.
For the Bill in the Senate.
Northern Democrats. 14 votes.
Northern Whigs DO “
Southern Democrats 14 “
Southern Whigs ‘J “
—37
Against the Bill in the Senate.
Northern Democrats 4 vote3.
Northern Whigs 6 “
Democrats 1 “
tSouthern Whigs 1 “
Abolitionists 2 “
For the Bill in the House of Representatives.
Northern Democrats 41 votes.
Northern Whig* 00 “
Southern Democrats 54 “
Southern Whigs 14 “
—lO9
Against the Bill in tpe House of Representatives.
Northern Democrats 38 votes.
Northern Whigs 43 “
Southern Democrats. 1 “
Southern Whigs 6 “
—BB
In the two Houses tho Northern Democracy east 55
votes for the bill : and 42 against it: the Northern
Whigs cast 00 votes for the bill and 49 against it : the
Southern Democrats oast 68 votes for the bill and 2
against: the Southern Whigs cast 23 votes for the bill
and 7 against it.
The above record is not pleasant to contemplate, but
we think it well enough to keep it before those very
patriotic citizens of Georgia who propose to form a na
tional party out of the Northern elements opposed to
the Democracy. On the Nebraska-lvansa9 bill there
were only 00 Northern men in favor of the South out
side the Democratio party. Take all of them and add
them and their constituencies to the Columbus move
ment men and it strikes us that the party would hardly
bo “a national movement to crush seetiomd encroach
ment.”
What then do the admirers of the Columbus move
ment mean by attempting to oonvert it into a national
movement? Is not tho whole object and aim of the
movement to organize all the elements of tho opposition
to tho Democracy in Georgia into a party under a’ spe
cious name for tho sake of the spoils ? Experience
has proven that no other political organization, except
that of the Democracy, can live “in the stiff current” of
abolition excitement in tho Nothcrn States? Why
then waste time and energy in attempting to construct a
new one. There is but two ways by which tho De
mocracy can be overcome, Ist by the formation of a
submission party under the cry of Union. 2d “by a bo
na fide disunion party. Tho Savannah Republican is
evidently looking to the first alternative and the Cos
lumbus Enquirer to the last. One word of council.—
You must unite gentlemen upon one or the other line
of policy if you expect to conquer tho Democracy. Di
vided counsels will end in your utter overthrow.
*The Southern Democrat who voted against the bill is
old Sam Houston and he is now a Know Nothing.
t I’he Southorn Whig who voted against the bill is Gov.
Bell, of Tennessee, and he is now a Know Nothing.
The Know Nothing Nominee for Governor.
The lion. Garnett Andrews is n resident of Wilkes
County, Ga. lie filled the office of Judge of the Su
perior Court for some years and acquired very great
notoriety for a decision by which Universahsts were
prevented from giving evidence in a Court of justice,
on account of their religious belief. He would seem
to be a fit representative of a party which would ex
clude Catholics from office on account of their religion
and foreign born citizens from the polls, on account
of their birth place.
We are not aware that he ever held any political office.
At any rate, the fame of his political acts has never
reached us, and wo do not know where to find them.
On the 31st August, 1850, ho wrote a letter which
was published in the Columbus Enquirer, on the Bth
October ISSO. By the kindness of the conductors of
that journal, we have been favored with a re-perusal of
that remaikable State paper. In these troublous times,
when seciion is arrayed against section, and tho word
resistance is upon the tongue, we had some curiosity to
know how lion. Garnett Andrews felt during a similar
period in our history. We regret to say that tho sen
timents contained in his letter satisfy us that ho is the
last man in Georgia who ought to be trusted with pow
er in this momentous crisis in our affairs. There was
a class of Union men in that day who differed with
us as to the remedy for the evils with which the South
was threatened ; but they looked tho North sternly in
the face, and in the solemn language of the 4th resolu
tion of the Georgia Flatform, pledged the State of Geor
gia “to resist even, as a last resort, to a disruption of
every tie that bound her to the the Union,” if the Con
gress of the United States infringed certain specified
constitutional rights of the South. We thought tho
time had come for Georgia to act; we think so still ;
but Georgia decided differently, and we, as loyal citi
zens, submitted to her decision. We then took our
stand upon the fighting line of the Georgia Platform,
and are now willing to lock shields with all men, with
out regard to former divisions, and die on that line.
Is llou. Garnett Andrews on that line ? Was he
ever on that line ? Can he ever get up to that line ?
We fear not. Our only means of forming an opinion
upon this interesting subject, is his aforesaid letter, from
which we cull the following extracts : 110 says : “It
has not yet been shown, or hardly attempted to be
shown, that disunion would remedy any wrong, or give
security to any right of the South. So far from it, it
would remedy no evil , and would destroy the main se
curity for slavery,”
The Georgia Platform men did not think so. Read
the 4th resolution and judge for yourselves.
But hear the Know Nothing nominee again : “But,
says rampant chivalry, shall we always submit to ag
gression, outrage and inequality ? No. When an act
of aggression shall bo committed that shall infringe our
rights, I would recommend an appropriate resistance.
IVhat appropriate resistance is, we are not so clearly
informed. It is not disunion, however, in tho opinion
of Judge Andrews. Hear him again ;
“I consider a dissolution no remedy for, or resistance
to anything. It the Wilmot Proviso were passed”—
he would resist even, as a last resort, to a disruption
of every tie that binds Georgia to the Union ? No,
Sir. “I v.ould advise/’ says Judge Andrews, “a col
onization of the country by force of arms, as a better
remedy than a dissolution of the Union.”
But we must close this sickening record. We are
sorry Garnett Andrews was nominated by oven the
Know Nothings. In the forcible language of Mr. Web
ster, “it was a nomination not fit to bo made’’ in this cri
sis of our affairs. We would be uuder many obligations
to his supporters if they would ask him “what course ho
would puisue as Governor of Georgia if Kansas were
refused admission into the Union because of slavery.”
Valedictort Address. —Dr. Win. W. Flewellen, of
this city, has been chosen to deliver the \a'edictory Ad
dress before the graduating elasj! in the Atlanta Medi
cal College.
A Southern Sectional Organization.
We do not think there is any danger to the South
or tbo Union in tho formation of a Southern sectional
organization, provided the South could bo united in the
movement. We have always contended, and now be
lieve, that tho North would yield whatever tho South
would demand with firmness and uuanmity. But tho
danger is, that if tho Southern Democracy should form
on a Southern line, tho opposition in tho South would
raise the Union standard again, and conquer them ns
they did iu ISSO. In order to avoid this calamity the
Georgia Democracy formed upon tho 4th resolution of
tho Georgia Platform, to which tho entire Union party
in Georgia is committed. We place before them tho
alternative of co-operating with us or of abandoning
their own fighting line. If they co-operate witlv us,
even in au opposing organization, all is well. If they
back out, they forfeit public confidence and give us an
easy victory.
Manufacturers’ and Mechanics’ Hank. —Wo call
the special attention of business men to tho advertise
ment of this institution. E. T. Taylor, the President,
is well known in this community as a gentleman of ca
pacity and honesty. J. 11. Fonda , Cashier, is a com
parative stranger, but brings with him the highest tes
timonials from unquestionable sources as to his qualifi
cations and character. We believe the public will be
anti rely safe in dealing with the bank with its present
! organization.
A Good Nomination. — Tho Democracy of Mobile,
Alabama, have nominate lion. E. S. Dargan as the
candidate of the party for State Senator. Judge Dnr
gan has presided over the Supreme Court of Alabama
with eminent ability. lie is a reliable man and would
adorn any position.
Garnett Andrews’ Nomination.
The intelligence of the nomination of Garnett Andrews
by the Know Nothings as their candidate for Governor of
Georgia, was received, even by the Know Nothings in Co
lumbus, with surprise and .mortification. It will probably
result in the withrawal oi a large number from the order.
It is conceded on all hands that he will be the best whipt
man that ever ran lor Governor of the State. Tho major
ity of Johnson, it is very generally conceded, will not be
less than 20,000.
University of Georgia, at Athens.
Tho Commencement exorcisei of the University begin
by a Commencement sermon on Sunday, July 2‘Jth, by the
llev. W. G. Connor, of tho Georgia Conference.
On Monday afternoon, (30th) the Sophomore Prize Ex
hibition, in which are appointed the lollowing aspirants:
Thus. E. Blaekshear, W. W. Belcher,!
J. 11. Blount, Barna MeKinnie,
A. D. Burns, W. A. McTycr,
J. L. Couper, B. B. Parrot,
T. W. Harris, George Striven,
George Hill. Wm. Ward,
B. L. Jones, K. A. Quarterman,
J. P. C. Whitehead.
On Tuesduay Uhe3lst) the Junior Exhibition—Speakers
E. D. Betnan, James M. Hull,
William Chase, John Lamar,
vv . O. Flemming, J. W. Moure,
John S. Hardee, Joseph Bou,
Charles S. Hart, L. C. Wilson,
After which the (.delivery of jthe Brize Medals with an ad
dress by the lion. J. McPherson Berrien. Jn the ailer
noon, meeting of the Alumni, and Literary Address.
On Wednesday, August Ist, Commencement Exercises.
Andley Maxwell, Ist Honor,
W. A. Clark, Ist Honor,
Geo. W. Philpott, 2d Honor,
J. H Person, 3d “
W. S. Chisholm, 3d “
Alexander Atkinson, 4th “
SPEAKERS.
K. G. Baxter, J. J. Norton,
E. K. Bozeman, D. Scott,
E. B. Brown, J. A. Stanley,
It. 11. Fudge, 1). A. Walker,
R.C. MeGough,’ W.D. Wash,
J. 11. Neal, E 11. Wells,
In the afternoon, Annual Celebration of the Demos then-*
ian and Phi Kappa Societies.
On Thursday, an address before tho two Societies, in the
Chapel, closes the week’s Literary Carnival.— Athens
Banner.
New Hampshiro Legislature,
Concord, N. 11. June 20.
In the House today, addresses for the removal of Joshua
Attwood, Sherifi’of Hillsboro county, and Adjutant Gen
eral Wadleigh, were pased by large majorities.
Mr. Tappan, of Bradford, gave notice that he should
shortly introduce a personal liberty bill.
Know Nothing Defeat in Norfolk.
Norfolk, June 25.
By a fusion of all parties, Hunter Woodis, Anti-Know
Nothing, was elected Mayor to-day. The rest ol the tick
ets are in doubt
Repudiates the Secret, Order. —True to their spirit ol
misrepresentation, the Know Nothings ot New York have
recently stated that Hon. Daniel S. Dickinson was a mem
ber of the order. Tho National Democrat lias been “autho
rized to say he is not and never has been, and never will
be, a member of the Know Nothing order. Those who
make such an assertion either do not know the man or are
hired to misrepresent him.”
Later from Mexico.
New York, June 25.
The Steamer George Law has arrived here from Aspin
vvall with later dates fiom California.
She is now in quarantine. She lias onboard 81,052,000
in specie.
From Washington—Wilson and Clayton certainly to
bo Removed.
Washington, June 22.
The Bresidont has finally determined to remove Mr.
Wilson, Commissioner of the General Land Office. Ex-
Governor Shannon, of Ohio, who is now here, will be ten
dered the appointment.
Judge Young, of Illinois, I was informed this evening,
will supersede Mr. Clayton as Second Auditor.
Mr. M’Cleland, Secretary of tho Interior, told a friend 1
that if Wilson was removed, he would send in his resigna
tion to the I‘re.sident.
Hon. Jesse D. Bright arrived this evening.
Princeton College Commencement.
Princeton, June 22, 1355.
The Commencement at Princeton College occurs on
Wednesday next. The day previous, Itev. Dr. James \V.
Alexander, of New Yotk, will deliver an address before
the Literary Society.
Departure of tho Africa from Halifax.
Halifax, June 22,1855.
The royal mail steamship Africa arrived at this port from
Boston between twelve and one o’clock tin's morning, and
sailed again for Liverpool at ihree. Weather fine.
The[.Nicaragua Expedition.
Washington, June 23,1855.
The Consul Fabens and Fletcher Webster came hither
for the purpose of getting a clearance for Colonel Kinney’s
steamer is generally believed, but in the conferences with
certain executive officers they did not bioach the subject.
The present temper of the administration is decidedly
against such action.
The Ohio Republican State Convention.
Cincinnati, June 23, 1855.
A large convention was held hero to-day to nominate
delegates to the lb-publican State Convention to be he'd
at Columbus on the 13th July. Owing to the fact that
two calls had been published—one for to-day, and another
tor the 7th July -a good deal of excitement prevailed; but
a compromise was finally eIF-cted, and it was finally agreed
that there should be only one convention, and the Know
Nothings, anti slavery men, and outsiders all united, and
the list ol delegates reported by the compromise committee
was confirmed almost unanimously.
The Georgia Platform—State Action.
The Georgia Democratic Convention, when it incor
porated into its declaration of principles the solemn re
solves of the Convention of the Sovereign People of the
State in ISSO, struck a key note which has already awa
kened the spirit of the Southern people, and is destined
to give character and form to the contest now impending.
The “Georgia Platform” is now the rallying ground ot
the South. Tho New Orleans Bulletin, in a brief and
pithy editorial, which we copy, refuses to acknowledge
that this platform is Democratic property,and proudly and
fairly claims that it belongs to the w hole South, —to all
who acknowledge that our country is worth defending.—
This feeling of brotherhood in the day of peril is so life
thing to cherish ; it is in fact all that is needed to give us
invincible strength, and save us from the very perils which
the lovers of the Union are so fond of dwelling on, its a
means of paralyzing all bo’d action of the South.
Even tho Albany Argus, the organ of a division of
the Democratic parly of Now York, tiuds in ti e resolu
tions of the Georgia Convention, nothing adverse to
sound. Democratic principles—nothing that tho true nun
of tho whole Confederacy could not unite upon. And
the Argus is right, for these principles aie based upon
a lair interpretation of the Constitution, and contemplate
no resistance except to a violation of the equal lights of
the members of the Confederacy. This at least ought
to be common ground.
But wo take especial \ U nsure in presenting our read
ers the following letter of Governor Johnson, of Georgia,
written in reply to inquiries as to bis official course in a
certain specified case. The Savanuah Georgian praises
highly, but not too highly, the explicit, manly and bold po
sition taken by the Governor, who is the candidate ol the
Democratic party for re-election, and therefore writes
with the strongest probability that he may be called on
to redeem his pledges by his official acts.
There is no evasion in this letter. It meets the threat
ened issue in the face, and leaves no possibility of doubt
as to the course the Governor will pursue, if the exigen
cy occurs during his official term. The Georgia Platform
was laid down, not by a party gathering, but by the high
est power of the State ; a Constitutional Convention of
the people. The Governor justly regards it ns a part of
the organic law, equal in binding Ibrce to the State Consti
tution. If its conditions shall be broken, he will ‘feel bound
at once to convoke this supreme power to resist or avenge
the violation. We seem to see before us now, firm ground,
on which the South may hopefully and fearlessly take her
stand. Let us put aside vain strifes about trifles, and
with Georgia as our leader, wo may with perfect confi
dence count upon passing through this trial without loss
and without dishonor.— Charleston Mercury.
Tho Democratic Platform.
The Democratic Convention, which met at Baton
Rouge in the beginning of the week, adopted a series of
resolutions, which will be found in another place, and
which may be considered as a formal and official profes
sion of the political faith of the Democratic party of Lou
isiana.
The first resolution is what is called, and well known
as, the “Georgia Platform the principal authorl which
was Mr. Stephens, the then recognised leader of the Uni.
on party of Georgia, in contradistinction from the Nulli
fying or Secession party. The Georgia Blatfomi is wide
and deep, and strong enough for every good patriot and
Union man to stand upon, whether he livis on the Ken.,
m bee or on the Mirsifs ppi. It asks fur nothing um ea
j siidable, or what is unconstitutional. It makes no ex
travagant or novel exactions ; it simply declares that tho
,8 mill requires the faithful e.v euiii ii of already existing
laws. She advances no new el unis, nor wishes to extort
any eo!Mcssi>n*trom the North which is not warranted
by the Constitution, and the !. v\already passed by Con
gress. The South only asks of her Northern brethren to
bo let alone ; non-intervention in ai! mallets relating to
our peculiar instituting,so. far as it has 1> on recognized by
the action of tile Na ioiial is what the South
demands, ainl what she will and must have.
So far as this first, res- hit on is concurred, it is not
merely a standard or basis of I)timeiatie faith, but it is
the cardinal doctrine of till parties in slave Slates. There
is no party at the South that could exist a day that would
dare renounce, repudiate or disclaim it ; or that would
even give it the go by. It would be a fatal casus omissus,
should any party omit to give it a forma) and mm served
imprimatur. If our Dunocratic friends for a moment
suppose, that they alone are going to nppr< priatc this
platform b> thornseives, interposing on the rooiv of priori
ty or pre-emption right to it,th*-y are much mist. ken.—
It is common property in which we all have a common
interest, and we are very sure to assert our right, and
have it too, in and to it.—’ New Orleans Commercial
Bulletin.
Tho Massachusetts Know Nothings.*
Host >n, June 23, 1855.
A meeting of Know Nothings in the Eleventh ward of
this city, 1: st night, was nddr s.-ed by St nab r Wilson and
Governor Gardner. The’* former confined his speech to
| the subject of theThii.-uh Iphia National Convention, as
serting that it was the aim and desire of the Massachu
setts delegation to avoid the question of slavery, which
w.-is forced upon them by the South, and they were obliged
to meet it then and there.
In the Convention, Mr. Bowlin, of Virginia, said he in
tended t > whip some Massachusetts man, and Judge
Cow, of Georgia demanded, and would have a declare*
tion from the North in favor of slavery; otherwise her
delegates would leave. Mr. Wilson said that seventeen
of the platform committee supported the majority resolu
tions, principally corning from States where the American
party had been defeated, and they were opposed by fuur <
teen delegates, representing one hundred and twenty-six
electoral votes in those States where the American party
had triumphed. r lbe delegates from Georgia went in
for George Law for President; also six from Pennsylva
nia. Mr. Wilson said that G overnor Gardner told the
South that not a city nor a town in Masnchusetts would
support tho majority platform, and that Mr. Brooks, of
the New York Express , had said that the whole North
would spurn tho platform. It was attempted in the
Council to put him (Wilson) down—to turn him out —
when Governor Gardner declared that if such was the
result he. too, would leave. Mr. Wilson was very severe
• on the “doughfaced” New York delegation, whom lie
j charged with keeping the Massachusetts delegation from
the Council for twenty-four houis after the proceedings
commenced.
Suicide in Taylor County. —We regret to learn
through a friend that Mr. William Lewis of Taylor coun
ty, committed suicide by shooting himself with a pistol on
24th hist. It is said that domestic misunderstanding was
the moving cause of the fatal act. The deceased was 53
years of age.— Col. Eny.
British Consul Held to Bail.
New York, June 27.
The British Consul at New York has been held to bail,
on the charge of enlisting troops for the Crimea.
Know Nothing Defeat.
Norfolk, June 28.
V ood the Anti-Know No hing candidate for Mayor has
been elected in Norfolk.
[Flournoy’s majority in that city over Wise was 395
votes.]
Death of Ez-Governor Collier. —The Selma (Ala ]
Reporter regrets to learn that Ex-Gev. Collier died a
few days since, in Tuscaloosa county. He had been pre
viously ill from an attack of jaundice, and had started to
Blount Springs and died on the road from a sudden and
violent attack of I lie disease. (Gov. Culler is not dead,
but dangerously ill.)—Eds.
State 1 empcrance Convention. —We are requested
to say that the State Temperance Convention will inert
iu Marietta on the second Wednesday in July.—Atlan
ta Intelligencer.
Tho Contrast.
Democratic. Platform. —Ist. Resolved, In the lan
guage of theGGeorgia. Cove. Convention of 1850, that we h"’d
the American Union secondary in importance only to the
f'giits and principles it was d< signed to j*erpetuafe : that
past associations, present fruition, and luiure prospects,
will bind us to it so long as it continues to be the safe-*
guild of those rights and principles.
Know Nothing Platfonn—\\l. —The mfiu’enanee
of the Union of these United States as the paramount
political good.