Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1855-12-04
The Presidential Election.

1t must now be obvious to all, that the American
party holds the Presidential election in its hands.
If our party is wise and prudent, it will triumph in
1856; if it becomes divided into factions upon sec
tonal issues or upon favorite local candidates, it
will be defeated, and it will deserve to be defeated
The battles between Americanism and Foreignism
have been fought in different sections OF the coun>
try and though victory has not always perched
upou our standard, the enemy has been routed in
many of its former strong holds, and weakened in
all OF them. The strength of the American party
is rapidly and universally increasing. Our princi
plies have taken firm hold upon the hearts Of the
people throughout the Union.
! The removal of the secrecy formerly observed in
our Councils-the disuse of forms and ceremonies
of admission therein-and of oaths and signs of re-
cogntion-the open and undsguised avowal and
advocacy of our principles and objects, all tend to
obviate the objections made to our organization,
and when our party is freed from these objections
throughout the whole country, we shall stand forth
the strongest and most powerful party that has ever
existed. In the origin Of our organization, when
we were drawing recruits from the then existing
parties who kept vgilant police over their mem
bers, the secrecy and forms adopted to shelter its
recruits from anathemas and denunciatiOns were, 4
not necessary, at least excusable
These measures were indeed justihable on the
grounds named; nor is there anything III their con
tinuance inconsistent with honor, prOprety, or law;
but there is now longer any necessity for their
continuance, except perhaps in few localities,
where, as in Washington, one. third of the pOpula
ton are directly or indirectly connected with, OF
dependent upon, the dispensation of government
patronage, and where TO be an American" is an
objectionable sin in the eyes Of corrupt and ty
rannica administration.
We repeat that our party will soon become the
strongest and most powerful party that has ever
existed in this country, if guard against the dan
gers which beset Us.
We have indicated the principal dangers in oul
path-lst division upon sectional questions which
are not egitimately embraced within the scope o
our purposes; I'd, local preferences for Presiden
tial aspirants. These dangers apparent, and
can be readily avoided with discretion, frmness
aud patriotism in our prominent men, One OF ou
car 1nal doctrines is that preserve the Union
We need not discuss this point. We all, who arr
Americans" appreciate the value of the Union
and the necessity of avoiding those issues which
would endanger it. AUoid, then, sectional agitation
But the dangers to party from local preferences
for Presidential candidates, we think, not prop
erly seen aud appreciated Let our friends 'oatci
themselves on this question.
" mus present a united front 10 the enemy il
1856. We must cheerfuliy submit to such selec
ton as the combined wisdom of the party sha
make to a properly organized convention. Ind
vidual preferences and local preferences must b
placed upon the altar of sacrifice, to harmony am
Union. Washington American Organ.