Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-01-08
TUESDAY. JANUARY 8. 1855.
rae weEnoeratfc Members of the Lexi..
Iature-Efe Principles of the Nebras.
ka-Kansas Act, &C., DC.

iature-Fhe Principles OF the NeBras.
ka-kansas Act, &c, &c.
The Democratic members of the LegisIa-
ture of Tennessee held a meeting in the
Hall Of the House last Friday evening, and
adopted the following resolutions
ResolOed, That we fully endorse and approve
the platform of principles embraced in tie reso-
Iutions adopted by the democratic members Of
the Congress of the United States. at the OPEN
ing OF the present session Of Congress; that they
commend themselves to all national, conserve
tive, and constitution loving men, who believe
in those pnrely democratic doctrines of ''civil
and religious liberty" and in the principles
contained 10 the Nebraska Kansas act.
ReS0toed, That those national members of
the House of Representatives of the United
States, who have constantly supported the
Hon. WIN. A. Richardson for Speaker, on
broad, national grounds, have in this emer-
gency taken q wise and patriotic course: one
that commends itself to oil lovers of their couu-
try who desire to see it still prosper under the
guarantees Of the Constitution.
ResotUed, That as Representatives of the
State of Tennessee, the Hons Geo. W. Jones
Saml A. Smith, John V. Wright. Jno. n, Saw.
age, and a. G. Watkins, have, by their action
in Congress, deserved the hearty appreciation
of their constituents, which we feel that we
ere at liberty to express to them.
We would most respectfully inquire of
the honorable gentlemen who adopted these
resolutions, what they mean by the "prin-
ciples contained in the Nebraska-K anSas
act?" We desire to know exactly where
to find them-whether they "approve anil
endorse the Northern or the Southern
construction Of the Nebraska Kansas act
They have not been sufficiently explicit /;
but this may have been the result of a
hasty" preparation of their resolutions
Let them, therefore, try again probably
they may do better until they do so, we
may ask Are we to take the endorsement
of Hon. Csc: W. JONES as the key to the
solution of the question as to their inter-
probation Of the Nebraska ansas Oracle.
which presents one face to the North and
another face to the South In the course
OF the debate in the House of Representa-
tives, on the 28th of December, Mr.. JONES
declared:
'ln his opinion the Kansas and Nebraska act
recognized the full force and power, in all its
vigor, of the right Of the people Of tile Terrific
ries 10 tegistate ODer this subject PRIOR TO
THEIR ORGANIZATION AS A STATE
GOVERNM ENT, as fully and as completely as
was recognized the power of the people of the
States over tie subject of all domestic ques-
tons not delegated to the Government. Cen
tlemen might call it what they pleased, nom
intervention, squatter sovereignty, or popular
sovereignty-it was a power of the people,
which they had never delegated to the Gov
eminent; and, in his opinion, thev, and they
Alone should exercise it, AS WELL WHILE
IN A TERRITORIAL CONDITION AS IN A
STATE GOVERNMENT.
Here we have Mr.. JONES, whose faction
in Congress" the resolutions declare de-
serves hearty appreciation" giving his un-
conditional assent to the doctrine of squat
ter sovereignty" as repudiated by the South
ern Democracy in l84S, and repudiated by
large portion of their leaders of the pres
ent day. This doctrine yields to the peo-
pie of the territory of Kansas, the minions
of the Abolition emigration societies Of
the North, and unnaturalized foreigners
fresh from Europe, reeking with sentiments
of deadly hostility to Southern Institutions,
the right of driving slavery from the terri
tory by act Of the Territorial Legislature.
The assent of Mr.. JONES to this anti-south-
ern doctrine-held as anti-Southern by lead
ing men of his own party, and pronounc-
ed as dangerous in principle as the Wilmot
ProViso-iS portion of his faction in Con-
greSs" which the Democratic members of
the Legislature say deserves hearty appro-
baton" Under the circumstances the
South has right to hold them responsible
as supporters OF the doctrine of "squatter
sovereignty" in its most dangerous form,
unless some explanation shall be made. If
they really intend TO maintain and defend"
the principle as enunciated by Mr.. JONES,
they have progressed rapidly in a direction
which, further pursued, will open an i'm
passable channel between them and that
branch of the party which holds the con-
trary doctrine that the people of territory
in the formation of State constitution, and
then only, have the power to determine
whether they will allow slavery or not;
that is, if any division of sentiment upon
questions Of grave import, can separate
them in the wild hunt after Office"
We can understand and appreciate the
sacrifice made in the second resolution; al
though we could not resist the inclination
TO hearty laugh when we came to the
mirth provoking terms "broad, national
grounds !" Broad, national grounds !"
That is cutting it rather too fat. 1t won't
do, gentlemen; positively it won't do, unless
upon the principle that broad is the way
that leadeth to destruction !" Perhaps it
was so meant, inasmuch as the tendency of
making the "Kansas-Nebraska act" test
of nationality is to beget agitation, and
open up anew the "broad way" to a dissO-
luton of the Union on slavery issues.
The appreciation of the course of Hon.
A G. WATKINS, in the third resolution, is
certainly. al.aritablc lie is in need of coun-
tenance from some quarter is in position
TO receive thankfully the smallest favors
and will, no doubt congratulate himself
upon his good fortune in having deserved
your hearty appreciation.