Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-04-22
TULIP GROVE, near Nashville,
March both 1Sb6

March 30th, 1856.
Gentlemen:-I did not receive until yesterday
your official note of the 26th OF February last in-
forming me of my nomination the Office Of Vice
President by the American party and asking my
acceptance of the same.
For the Il tttering terms in which you have com
municated this proceeding beg leave to offer you
my sincere thanks. | accept the position assigned
me by the American part, with just sense, trus
OF the responsibility belonging 60 it. | attended
the Convention with no expectation that such an
honor awaited me, aud it my oSn feelings and wish
es could have been consulted il would have fall
en- upon some other member OF the American party,
in whose rank many distng uished individuals,
better known to the country and better prepared
by experience for the high duties OF the station,
should the voice of the people be in accord with
that OF which you are the organ on this occasion.
1t acting upon the maxim lett u By the great men
OF the earlier DAYS of our Republic that public OF
fee should b. neither sought declined, Weld
TO the iudg nenJ al those WHO have thought that
my name night be Of service in advancing the ir
porlanJ objects which constitute the American
party.
Our leading ideI is that tie two old parties, Dem
ocratic and Wing have ceased TO exert their
former healthful influence in the management Of the
public interest, and that, without the Intervention
of reforms which they can never effect, the below
ed Con titution and Union, bcqueathed TO Us by
our forefathers, will not long be- preserved.
For the most of the evils with which we are
threatened at the present period the administration
of President Pierce is evidently responsible; but
instead of finding his party engaged in the prose-
cutOn of measures to avert the dangers he has
brought upon the land, We il more active than
in scattering the seeds OF sectional strife and
social anarchy.
When Gen Jackson came into the Presidency,
he acknowledged IN his Inaugural address the obi
CATION of the Executive to restrain the patronage
of the Federal Government, that it should not
be brought into conflict with the freedom of eec
tions. But modern Democracy stand, in direct
autagonism to this obligation. There is scarcely
an election precinct in the United States which has
not Witnessed the most shameful Interference with
elections by the agents OF the Federal Government
acting in the name Of Democracy.
In former times when parties were created by
patriotic and national sentiments, upon measures
of general interest TO the whole country, we never
heard that a measure could be declared Democratic
in one place aud not Drmoc attic in another b, lead
ing men protesting 10 belong TO this party. Yet We
see this enormLy exhibited daily by the party pres
in the pay Of the present Executive. The neces-
sary result Of such corruption ii not successfully
opposed must be 10 destroy all political morality,
and to continue power in uuialthiul and incompe-
tent hands by the mere influence of the money de-
rived from the xes which paid by the people
for far different purposes Ii is undenlable that
the antagoaism now prevailing between the North
and the South is mainly attributable to the political
arJihce which has enabled men holding directly Op
posite opinions on the power of Congress the
institution Of slavery in the Territories, but yet
protesting 10 belong To the same Democratic party.
The Nebraska Kansas act is constantly called by
one portion OF the Democrats law which will
prevent the extension OF slavery to the Terri
tories, and by another portion, law which will
enable the South to carry slavery TO the Terri
tories. By the same ilacy, secession, nulihcation
abolition, and all other isras have found a shelter
under the flag Of Democracy, explained as it is by
modern Interpreters.
In former times, also, our best patriots, without
distinction OF party, spoke Of the necessity of
guarding the ballot box from the dangers OF foreign
influence, and OF keeping separate the Church and
Slate; and Of the advantage TO be derived hom u
frequent recurrence to the earlier advice OF our
fathers, Which incUleatrd u tor the COM
pacts Of the Constitution, and the abstinence from
whatever tended 10 form geographical parties,
array section OF the Union against another.
Now, however, the whole power OF the Federal
Government is brought 10 bear against nv indi-
vidgal who has the independence 70 declare his
attachment To those old fashioned sentiments
Whole classes OF stand prescribed aud ostraci-
sed for Otner offence than that Of Joining an a.
ISOLATION which seeks ONLY correct the excuses
oil party spirit, and TO restore the Government u
the purity il possessed Shen received IL from
the hands Of those sages who founded and re-
formed it.
Looking, gentlemen, upon the American party
as destined 20 eradicate the evils 10 which have
thus briefly adverted | am proud 70 he called one
OF its members, aud ouly regret that in So
Letting It's flag bearers, the choice Tor the Vice
President had not fallen upon one who could bring
10 the cause higher guarantees for il success than
can be drasn from the humble services have here
toiore rendered nv country
Thanking you sgAin for the kind manner IN which
you have expressed your personal graiidcation At
the nominations,
subscribe myself
Vers respectfully,
Your ob'dt serv't
A. DONELSON
To Aessrs. Alex II. n. Stuart. OF Virginia; And'~
Stewart, OF P-nnsy lSanis; Hrsstus Brooks. Of
New York; Z. b. Bartlett. Of Kentucky; Wm.
a -