Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1855-12-22

OF Andrew Jackson, it is hardly necessary to
speak to Tennesseans. The Pickering taper Of his
life, has but recently gone out. His history-alr
most every incident connected therewithis fresh
in our remembrance. And now, that the public
mind il freed from that prejudice and passion, once
existing in it, in consequence of his connection
with of the great political parties of the cOun-
try, and which are certain to mislead and pre-
vent the formation of a dispassonate and impartial
Judgment the claim OF Jackson TO a position among
the great men of the world, is not questioned All
men, everywhere throughout our country, whether
IN the North or in the South, proud of the
and fame OF jackson. Whether. we consider him
an officer in the camp marshaling the hardy. rus
tic into veteran, and supplying by discipline the
absence Of experiences; as the hero of the bloody
feld, the midnight leader and guard. the morning
sentinel and the gallant chieftain, in whose bright
eye and steady nerves. all were to read theic duty,
contemplate him in the civil walks Of life the
leader OF great party, in the politics, not merely OF
his own State but of the nation, eau bat accord
to him the highest order Of talents. lie was not
only an ornament, sir, to Tennessee, but reflected
honor upon the nation at large.
%~But does some gentlemen say, "we will have no
argument with you to the merits of these men.
But, should we expend the money OF our constitu-
ents in the purchase OF statues in honor of their
memory" To such person, would for a moment,
address myself. l would remind him that the con-
forming customs of the wsest nations, springng al
ways from the same noble promptings of the human
heart, have consecrated the usage Of doing honor
to public benefactors by some sensible token of
tional approval. Wherever, sir, love Of country
has been ruling principle, there the achievements
of the good and great have b. en- commemorated by
statues paintings, medals, inscriptions and monu-
ments. Pure democracies, republics, and monar
ches, have, sometimes, proved ungrateful yet, by
an enlightened, vrtuOns and patriotic people, it
has been said, wisdom and virtue aud valCr, have
rarely, 1t ever, gone uRTewarded. Men have not
only thought it proper that their gratitude for dis
tinguished public services should be thus pdblicly
expressed, but they have seen, sir, what shOuld
not forget, that these evidences of public approba
ton, have quckened the spirit of patriotism i'll
which those services had their birth; inspiring men
with generous rivalry in works of public utility,
But is the question still pressed, "what gco1
will these statues do?" | answer, great good
They will be far from mere ornamental additions TO
this building, destitute of practical value. Yes,
sir, far from it. As well might the splendid
varieties OF botanical garden, be considered as
intended merely for the bouquets OF fashion, I'M
min dful of their healing medical qualities. To sue
cessve generations as they rise up, and walk through
the halls OF this elegant and magnificent structure
and stand before these statues they shall speak in
mute but thrilling and inspiring eloquenee, Of cour
age and OF patriotism, of civil liberty, and of free
government-of our country, its Union and its Con,
stituton, their gores and their blessings and Of the
cOnsummate folly and shame of a surrender of the
one, or an infraction OF the other. They will speak
only of the Father of his Country but of us who
would be thought worthy to be called his children,
not only OF him who shed so much glory upon
Tennessee, but OF Us who feel proud of being Ten
nesseans. they will not only be eloquent in praise
OF these worthy men, to whom we so much in
hutth OF . ii,
of iDgrattude.
Another Office they will perform. They viii
set the seal OF our appreciation to the great car
dnal features in their principles and their poll
cy. They will imprint afresh upon minds,
and to the millions who shall come after
they will continually repeat the lessons Of wis.
dom and Of patriotism which they taught during
life. | would ask gentlemen upon this floor, no.
partizans, but American Citizens if at this period
in the history of our country, it is not emiuenty
important that the great national maxms and doc
trines, to which throughout their lives, they seemed
so much devoted, and upon the strict observance
of which, they taught US that the success of our
form Of government depended, should be strictly
observed.
Washington taught US to abstain from inveter-
ate antpathies, and to avoid characterzing parties
by geographical distinctions What are the feel
iIgs, Sir entertained by the great mass of the PEG
pie, North and South, towards each other? Are
there any inVeterate antipathies? Alas, for the
peace and the hapiness-the honor OF our country,
there are too many. How common for the two
great sections of the country, to heap abusive cpl
thets upon each other and to discover in their
most indifferent actions, treachery and inveterae
hostility. Is not public opinion approaching to
that point, where the man OF the North or of the
South, who refuses TO join in this indiscriminste
invective, shall incur odium and subject his patro
tism-nO not his patriotism, but his SectiOaGiiSDs,
TO suspicion?
"The Union the palladium Of our liberties,
neUer surrender it" said he whose ashes lie, at
Mount Vernon. The Federal Union, it must be
preserved, was the sentiment of him, who sleeps
near US at the Hermitage. Are Americans taking
proper heed 20 this advice of Washington? 10 this
sentiment Of jackson? 1t is greatly to be feared
that they are not In paragraph which read,
few days since, in one OF our Southern papers, it
was stated that more than half the papers publish
ed in the Southern States, were discussing the
probabilities Of dissolution OF the Union, and
speaking of it, as desirable, in q certain event.
Yes Sir, it is a melancholy truth, that there are
many persons in both Sections of our country, who
in their madness and their folly would sacrifice up
the altar of tteir passions, the dearest interests
and brightest hopes of our countrywide declare
unblushingy, that the Union is no longer worth
preserving, and that if certain ends, which they
have, respectfully much at heart cannot be attain
ed its dissolution is alike inevitable and desirable
Sir, there men, even in Tennessee, who will
talk to you fippantiy of Secession and peace
able dissolution, if it were a matter of no con-
sderatiOn.
Yes in this day Of almost unparalleled prosperi-
ty-after more than a half Century's most happy
experience of the blessings of our Union, when
our Constitution has SO amply falsi6ed the predic-
tons OF it's enemies and fulfilled every reasonable
expectation OF its iriends;-when we have become,
either the admiration envy OF all the nations OF
the earth, TO the amazement OF every well wsher OF
human liberty, throughout the world, there are
those, who dare to write and speak OF throwing
away this priceless jewel-our Union--ot demol-
ishing this foundation stone, upon whish rests
every national blessing, OF cutting the cable, that
attaches us, 10 this anchor of all our hopesl
With those VINO are thus careless OF their coun-
try's glory aud perpetuity, whether they be
fanatical Northerners or hot blooded South.
erners, let Us by every means in our power, show
70 the world, that we will have neither sympathy
or association. Let our prayer be the language OF
one Of old, "may their swords enternto their own
hearts'-" may their bows be broken"
These statues Sir, will associate US, and those
who come alter us, with those who have gone be-
fore us, rendering brighter their virtues, re
calling their services, awakening the gratitude and
appealing TO the best feelings of the human heart
Who has not experinced this power of association
If there is such au one he is not TO be enyied. lie
could stand unmoved upon the common at Lexing'
toa He could sail along the shores OF Erie ard
Champlain, unmindfu Of the gallant tars that sleep
beneath their waves. And he, who shall visit this
Capitol aud look upon these statues, and not feel
his bosom warm, and his heart expand, With the
holy fire Of PATRIOTISM shall be destitute of nll thai
is admirable and ennobng In the human charac
ter.
But am trespassing upon the time of the House
Other gentlemen, no doubt, desire to be heard up
op<ihis bill
IN have assigned some Of the reasons. why
/shal iavor the passage Of that part Of il, which
provides for statues OF Washington and Jackson