Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-10-07
THE PRESIDENTIAL CANVASS
Speech of F. K. Zollicoffer.
Delivered at Nashville, Sept. 10th.

Delivered at Nashville, Sept. 10th.
! FELLOW CITIZENS -
l wish l had language to express to you the
strong convictions of my mind with reference to
the momentous issues involved in this Presidential
contest But it has ever been my misfortune to fall
far short of the powers requisite to impress others
with the sentiments which animate me when pub.
lie questions seem to involve the best interests of
! the Government
There has certainly never been a time when
! Presidential struggle was attended with so many
circumstances of fearful character to the harmony,
| if not the existence, of the Union. OF the three
great parties in the contest two have been strug-
Cling for months to array the American people into
great geographical organizations North and South
and to animate them with spirit of the most dan
gerous antagonsm. The Republican leaders are the
open, direct, and implacable enemies of the South.
The Democratic leaders, in seeking party success
through efforts to create the impression that they
are the peculiar defenders of the South have con-
stanty invited contests upon every thing dear to
the South and have thus brought upon us the most
imminent, deadly danger The halls of Congress
have been made by those parties, the arena for
violent collisions displaying the btterest sectional
hostity-ciyil war has been kinded in Kansas
an arming and sending on to the field of hotblooded
men has been witnessed from almost every section
Of the country, and State governments even, both
North and South, have indicated a disposition to
take part in the sanguinary struggle the border.
Leaders Of those parties, having driven the coun-
try upon such imminent dangers, are now threaten
ing, in the happening OF certain contingencies to
take the last fatal plunge into Revolution and Dis
union. Republican leaders, such as Sumner, Wade
Banks, Garrison, and others, have fomented in the
North sentiments Of disunion in preference to the
extension Of slavery and the overthrow of their ex
treme organization. Democratic leaders have equally
| committed themselves TO Revolution and Disunion
! in the event of the election Of Fremont In social
! conversation have heard much of this from South
ern members Of Congress and others of the highest
! influence in the Democratic party. Others have
spoken out openly. Hon. Preston S. Brooks, of
South Carolina, in a recent speech delivered TO his
constituents declares that in the event of the cleo
ton Of Fremont "our course is plain. We should
then, on the 4th Of March merit, march to Washtng.
tom seize the archives and the treasury of the Coz
eiYB,ent, and iedUe the consequences 10 Godn Sena-
tor Slidell of Louisiana, has just written home from
Washington that IF Fremont is elected the Union
cannot and ought not TO be preserved" Kindred
sentiments are expressed upon the stump and in the
press, in many il not all the Southern States. dis
closing the latent and strong feelings which actuate
hundreds Of thousands Of excited men. But need
not and will not, stop TO recapitnlate them.
In the meantime, the movements of the four or
FIVE millions Of foreigners in the Northern States
have produced profound sensation in the public
mind. 1t has been plainly disclosed that immense
masses OF them have gone over, in this trying time
the support Of the Republican candidate for the
| Presidency. This ought 20 have been earlier fore
seen. You viii remember that was among the
very first TO point out this very danger TO the South
This immense foreign population has settled in the
Northern States, because j, has brought with Il
from Europe pre-conceived gveNdiees against s6s
Stare States. IL has rapidly become an abolition
rass Of fearful power, and viii ultimately give TO
the South and TO the Union, more trouble and mis-.
fortune than all the Oth,r elements in politics M,
together. Democrats and Republicans have here
toioFe fought for il, element Of party success
the Republicans have more ard more prevailed. and
will ultimately absorb IL ALL If those two partiss
could once succeed in dividing the American peo-
pie into geographical organizations, whatever might
be the result OF this Present contest the Soath
would ultimately be lost in the contest Were there
no other candidates now IN the feld than the can.
didAtes Of those pariies do not hesitate 20 declare
the belief that under the present exasperafed state
Of the popular mind and the general dissatisfaction
with democratic misrule. the Republican candidate
would succeed 70 the Presidency. The Democratic
party have seen, with alarm, that al is lost 70 them
uaess they can get back the masses Of Foreign and
freesoil Democrats who helped 10 bring the present
Administration into power. l viii presently show
you how they have recently been 81 Juggling 70 win
bsck the Freesoil Democrats Bot hrst wish 10
call attention 10 the fact that the Republican party
has not only carried OF from the DemocrafIc party.
masses Of ioregness aud others swelling tbs ranks
o. their Organization, bat that most II their power.