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

he other hand, can point to hosts OF sorthyrs-
!, III, national in their feelings and sent a1tts,
Elevated to Office by the wing aud demo cf1tic
narties am honestly persuaded tonight, fellow
rountrvrnen, that these psTties have beer one of
The greatest blessings the country ever experInced
am satisfied of this simply from the fact that by
the excitement and political discussion that accom-
panied them, every man has been made familiar
with his government, ifs structure its laws, and its
administration that they have preserved that
equilibrium so essential 10 all Republics; that they
have served as checks upon each other, and watch
ed with jealous eye the usurpation of power,
causing each other TO observe strictly the constu.
tion and publishing TO the world the misdeeds of
each other, so that when they return again. asking
ftr office their countrymen they might know whom
toselect Are not these advantages highly essential
to the purity of all republican governments? Have
not these two parties hitherto by their national prin-
cples, preservedfhe Union? Have they not, instead
ofdrawiog line from East TO West, separating the
North from the South, drawn line from North
to South, throwing part of the North with the
South, and part of the South with the North.
thereby preserving that great equilibrium, and
forcing out all sectional issues Yet we are told
by these gentlemen that there is SO much dangerous
excitement and political jugglery, that they ought
and mnst be done away with. We are all, fellow
countrymen, familiar with this political excitement
we know that il amounts to no more than hurra
ing for our party and political speaking, which is
an advantage to the little boys, who freely enter
into political discussions upon every street and
corner and when the day of election arrived, and
the question had been settled it was then that
we shook hands in harmonious friendship; for we
were all Americans; we had opposed each other,
not upon grounds of unworthiness to be trusted or
unftness to hold Offices but it was simply an hon
est difference of opinion as to the policy which
was best calculated to promote the general welfare
and interest OF our common country.
/ have shown you, fellow countrymen, that !
am wing, and have given you my reason for be-
ing an independent candidate and also have spok-
en- in this connection of the two old parties, and
their influence upon the country. will now ex-
plain the balance of my card | stated that was
a national man. and some have been very curious
to know what meant by this. hope to be able
TO answer this satisfactorily. / meant simply by
this, that opposed all seetariansm, all factions,
and all leaders of factions; that held one sub
ject OF this government, politically, as dear to me
as another; that | knew no distinction among
Them whether rich or poor, the adopted child or the
native born, for we are all Americans; and that
regard every attempt to array the one against the
other, to create disse nsons and enmites among the
children of this great household, as treason to her
welfare and happiness, and inhicting wound
lieving it to be the peculiar duty either of the
wing or democratic perty, call upon national re-
publicans to oppose all such influences and I'M
hallowed attempts. stated that held civil and
religious liberty sacred. This do hold to be one
of the great and inalienahle rights of man, to
worship God according to-the dictates of his own
conscience. 1t is one of the great fundamental
principles of our goyernment-ts the great basis
upon which all republican institutions must stand.
H.. Al. s.xtz lad
It's but mockery TO call US freemen. | stated fur
Their, that was an advocate of universal freedom
of political opinion. | take it for granted, that
every man is capable of selfgovernment, and
that he should be free to express bis opinions up
on every subject, and / regard every attempt TO
stihe him in this, as conflicting with this great
constitutional principle; that oppose all resiric-
the laws that are notindispensabiy necessary.
also take it for granted felIow-couftrym that
1t not the object of forefathers, when they
united themselves under republican form of gov
erhment, to see how much they could Cypress each
other, but rather how free they could be. There
fore, | hold it to be our duty as we progress in
enlightenment and civilization, instead of accu-
mulating laws, to abolish them, for laws are made
to control the ignorant and savage, and not the
enlightened man. | would be proud to see the
day when men shall possess such a high sense of
justice and morality, as 10 require no law to re-
strain their actions. | fear this day will never
come; yet it is our duty to see how near we can
approach it. There is no doubt but that we can
Cypress each other, by puritancal laws, monopo-
lies and taxations, until we will have created a
despotism worse than that of Russia or France
Lastly, oppose ali secrecy in political measures;
and this brings to the consideration of the So
called knOw-nothing party, alias Sam.
| am not here tonight, as before stated, fell
ow-countrymen, to denounce or impugn the mo-
tives of those who have joined this party. Ihave
come simply 10 reason with you-to reason as
men should who desire nothing but the ntere st of
their country. knew that this THING found not
its origin with you. know that you all have done
what you honestly believe to be to the interest of
your country; that it was your intention that your
acts should rebound to its welfare and happiness;
and whilst many of you did not approve of the
secresy, yet you thought if it was the only and
the best means of accomplishing the desired end,
you were willing to adopt it for that purpose
But, fellow-eountrymen, is the danger SO immi-
nent as to warrant secresyl Have we all turned
Spanards, Are we surrounded by an enemy who
mngle among u.s. and We know them not! Has
the time come when mans patriotism is suspect
ed, when every man is regarded with distrust,
when every man is looked upon as traitor until
his patriotism is tested by an oath! If this be
true, then secrecy is right.
l am no alarmist, fellow countrymen. | fear
no such danger presume there is not man
here tonight, who is not an American, in whose
bosom there does not palptate an American heart,
and who is not ready and willing, that, ere the
flag OF his Country, which has triumphantly wav-
ed over every sea, and proudly foated from every
battlement, from the heights of Abraham to the
halls of Montezuma, should strike to any power,
his hearts blood should stain its colors
Let US now, fellow-countrymen, look to the
influences and effects of this party. We have
seen from the recent elections at the North that
the abolitionists have triumphed. These are facts
which, If disputed, am prepared to prove. BY
the attempt to destroy the wing and democratic
parties, they have nationazed as far as the North
Is concerned, the abolition party. How did the
elections stand before the new party came into
existence? The wing and democratic parties have
alternately triumphed, the abolition party voting
as faction. Now how does it stand! The dem
ocrats in minority, the know-nothngs triumph
ant, and the wing party voting as faction. So,
where is the abolition party! Look to the halls
OF Congress, and you'll see there the embodiment
OF it in such men Wilson and others, elected
over Gen. SHIELDS and others, who were tried
patriots, by the know nothing party who anxious
~ await another election, to cast overheard the
lew conservative wings and democrats that re-
man. Look to the Massachusetts legislature, |
with her fifty dvines where foreigners are exclud-
ed from voting and holding office, and fugitive
slaves from the South are permitted to vote in one
year; where resolution was moved and voted, |
the removal of Judge LoRING, because,
as United States Commissioner ha dared eyerute