Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-06-09


same state of society here that once sx;xts5 - IA
Rome where they had the plebeiau and ns,rc; an
And "foreignerp here viii become but term Of r.
proach, which shall mark the distinction thin,
which the North has been STRIVING at for MANY
years trying, while She apparently seemed to ele-
vate the negro race, to introduce white-sIavery.
Some of the know-nothing Governors have even
gone far to deny to the poor man the right of
voting, degrading him TO the same level OF the for
eigner and the free negro, whose parents, from
poverty and misfortune, were unable to educate
him. The characteristic privilege which free white
men most prize in free government is that of
participation in the government Of the country in
which they live. When you deny them this privi-
ege you destroy all that they hold dear and sacred
in human affairs This is but another evidence of
the attempt to build up monarchy, at least an
oppressive aristocracy. As to the exclusion Of for
eign paupers and criminals agree with them, for
there is no good reason why our government should
be made the exile home of foreign criminals the
asylum for idiots, unatics, and cripples This is
something we should not submit to for a moment
The fourth section, which advocates an amended
form of oath to support the Constitution, do not
understand, and leave it 10 the gentleman to ex-
plain The tenth says that we shall maintain the
Constitution as it now stands, ths Union as it ex-
lists, DC. Now if they are determined to preserve
the Constitution it is, of course they cannot dis
them our enemies2 Why this unholy crusade against
them2 Have men lest their senses, and reason
fed to british beasts, that we should in this en-
hghtened day prosecute withouta just cause poor
weak, inohensive denomination, who are unable to
raise their feeble voice to repel the calumnious
charges made against them-unable to defend their
sacred temples from the rude hand Of the lswless
mob who dare desecrate them2 Such a course
would be worthy and well calculated TO inspire the
smiles, would spill their brothers blood What
then, can possibly be their otiectsa Do these
Southern gentlemen hope, by exciting this preju-
dice, to be elevated to Officer The North, for the
purpose of Introducing their accursed prejudice
against slavery? And England to save Cuba? If
this be true, then we should all oppose it.
The eleventh section says, 1--WE shall oppose all
who oppose our doctrines" If they do it with
reason and argument It's right II with prejudices
pledges and oaths, It's wrong
And lastly, tile twelfth, which says "Americans
must rule America" is patriotic, and must agree
with il. Americans must rule America, and
America the world. If not directly Amercanism
shall 1t is fast inflsng itself into every bosom,
and we occasionally bursts of it IN the most re-
mote portions of the globe Yes, fellow-country-
men, its missionaries tonight fast vending their
way around the world, whilst the kings of the earth
60 forth to meet their coming. ,l-l . rf
strained to discaim this as being the American
platform; and to these most nozzle and worthy
patriots, who dare insinuste that all who oppose
this platform are not Americans, to them | say
| am an American, and in the true spirit OF an
American fear neither men or measures. carry
not my principles in my pocket hide nothing
from the eyes of the world, but aun willing that
my countrymen should see and know all | use
not the word American for any vile purpose |
kv lie nbo To ba oil pd tn
Office but in its pure and patriotic sense; and IS
an American, Acknowledged American platform
but the great constitution of our country. Upon
that stand tonight a NATIONAL republican, invlt-
ing every true patriot to stand there with me. |
extend the invitation to the true hearted democrat
to the adopted child, to the know nothing, to the
Catholic and to the Protestant IT'S broad enough
for all to stand rpon, and strong enough to protect
each, and every one in our riglts both social pc
litical and religious. And while we say to all re-
ligionsts that you shall not NEEDLE with politics
we shall oppose ell political meddling with reh-
gon And then we viii extend the invitation 10
the hardy sons of the Emerald Isle, whose SYM
pathes have ever been with rs; to the honest
German, and to the oppressed Of all nations, TO
come and dwell with us-we will notdegrade you,
but elevate you; and if you possess merit and
genids, we will not grind it in the dust, but open
to you that great field, where they meet with
their true and just rewards.
Lastly appeal to the old wing heart OF Ten
nessee, those old, true, patriotic wings who love
the doctrine of Clay, who beheld, in 80, with
proud satisfaction, the banner of our cause tri-
umphantly waving over our Capitol. When al
most every State had surrendered, and almost
every banner struck to democracy Tennessee stood,
the Sevastopol of whiggery. But in the dark hour
of midnight, some steathy hand has stolen that
banner down, and fear have placed stain upon
it; and tonight, in the name of the few old wings
who are left / ask that it be returned that we
may quietly fold it, unstained, in the grave with
Clay.
I will not dispute that if it was even possible for
the Catholics ever to get the power in this eoun-
try, they would prefer seeing in Office Catholics,
and doubtless vote for no one else and 50 would
all other denominations, if they had the power.
And lastly and worse than all, the know nothings
do the same thing: worse, because they make their
members come up and, with horrid jesuitical oaths,
upon the sacred Bible, surrender the right of sIf-
frage. Yet they call themselves freemen and Amer
leans. Go, if you be Americans, and discard the
accused oath, which rests a stain upon you
which compes you to vote, not only against for
eigners and Catholics, bat n4tives-your personal
friend-brother father and son, if they should not
happen to belong to this order Vote as you please
When you shall do this then you viii have proven
yourselves Americans. Then, and not till then,
can you do it.