Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-07-19

tue eaIety OF tue Union lLeei, Dut close IL now, anu
it would be closed forever. Was it desirable
again to have the Missouri question brought home
to the people, to goad them to fary? The great
question between the two great interests of our
country had been discussed and decided lin the
Mis- o1ri Compromise and from that moment be
had sat down his foot on the solid ground then
tablished, and there he reoLd let the question stand
foreper Who could complain Of that comprom-
Use ~
He spoke Of Mr. Buchanan in the year 1854
the last year Of his service in Congress-; and it is
well known that his sentiments continued the same
until that solid foundation on which he meant to
stand forever, and on which be held the harmony
and the existence of the Union TO rest, taken
from under his feet; snstched from under him BY
the hands of others during his absence from the
country, and when he had no power to raise his
voice against the parrcida destruction. Being de
stroyed, be takes the part of wisdom and modera
ton. He lets bad enough alone He will not make
bad worse by attempting to restore what has been
destroyed. To heal existing wounds. and not to
open ones, is his policy TO reconcile exasperat-
ed brethren and not increase their evaporation
is his aim; and 10 this benignaDt aim every good
citizen should join. The re enactment of the Mis-
souri, Compromise at the admission OF Texas was
and resting point in our Slavery legisla-
tion and as such was often referred to and relied
observance. 1t was called the TEXAS Compro-
MISE" and was considered a confirmation of the
first one, and new one within itself. In that
light il treated, a solemn occasion, by Pres
ident Polk Ia his message approving the Ore
gon Territorial Act in lS48-the last year of his ad
ministraton, and which act prohibited Slavery in
0regon-he took occasion to refer to the "Fexas
Compromise" and TO present it as an independent
measure, growing out OF the same circumstances
Il -. k,lv al
souri, Compromise, and like it, not to be violated
without endaugering the Union. In that message
he said:
"When Texas was admitted into our Union, the
same spirit of compromise which guided our pre-
decessors in the admission of Missouri quarter OF
a century before, prevailed without any serious
opposition. The Joint Resolution for annexing
Texas to the United States, approved March l,
lS45 provides That such States as may be form
ed out of that portion of said Territory lying south
of SO deg 80 min. north latitude, commonly known
as the Missouri Compromise line, shall be admit
ted into the Union with or without Slavery as the
people Of each State asking admission may deJire.
And in such State or States>Rs shall be formed out
of the Territory north Of the said Compromise line,
Slavery or involuntary serVitude Except for crime
shall be prohibited"
And having thus quoted the act, and shown that
the Texas Compromise, like its great predecessor,
also settled a great Slavery agitation. Mr.. Polk
goes on TO class the two compromises together, to
invoke equal perpetuity to each, and to foretelI
equal dangers to the Union from the violation Of
either-sayng:
fought we now to disturb the Missouri and Tex
as Compromises? Ought we, at this late day, in
attempting to annul what has been so long estab.
lished and acquesced in to excite sectional diVis-
ions and jealouSies-to ALLEVIATE the people of the
different portions OF the Union from each other
and to endsnger the existence of the Union itsef?"
To this impressive appeal, /, as your representa-
tive, when the portentous question legislative.
" put in the session Of Congress 1853, answer
ed No! but majority in Congress answered Yes!
and with that answer of the majority has come
every evil deprecated by Mr.. Polk-jeaousies, di.
visions, animosities, sectional hate danger to the
Union; and the country rapidly separating into two
geographical parties, enraged against each other.
For that answer lost the faYpr Of my State, and
regretted it-regretted the loss of favor had so
long enjoyed, but not the vote. OF that am proud
and would not revoke it this day for the honOrs OF
the earth. lGreat spplause-loud cries of mol
mol you do not lose their favor ~ But lost the
office, which was the sign OF the favor | know
the scheme Of those who cOntrved the deed, and
the hard work they had in bringing Of its sub.
sequent champions up to the sticking point. 1t
was plot of political power hatched by politicians
UNLAWFUL " pcOpl6, duu lHlslucu u MAKE
Presidents, by welding Slave States into a unit up
on the Slavery question, governing the nomination
by the two thirds rule, and procuring from the free
States by dint of federal patronage, the twenty
nine votes which were necessary to carry the eec-
ton. This was the plot and hard the work to
get it along The bill was reported without the re-
peaing section; the fault of the omission was laid
upon copying clerk, although the report which
accompanied the bill declared the omission, and
stated the reason for it-and although one OF the
party declares he forced the author to put it in
Then bard work to pass it-menacing the aspiring,
coaxing the weak, seduciDg the venal. Indemnity
in public Offices was openly promised to those who
would betray their constituencies promise which
has been faithfully kepd and the only one of all
that it made, which has been kept by this admins
traton-witness the violated pledges about the
Pacific Railroad, the reduction OF duties, and long
list Of others. Finally, the deed done-the
deed from which Mr.. Calhoun recoiled; but the har
vest has not been resped. The President and bis
file leader took the field for the reward; they both
entered the list at the Cincinnati Convention, and
we're both miserably deieated-repudiated by their
own party-the first instance of President so re-
pudisted in the history of our country. / went to
Cincinnati TO be near that Convention-the first
one ever approached. went to see how things
went and TO assist little at safe nomination.
found garrison OF Office holders inside of the Con-
ventiOn, aud besieging army of the same gentry
on the outside OF it. Packed delegates We're there
sent TO betray the people. Straw delegates we're
there, coming from the States which could give no
democratic vote. Members of Congress were there,
although forbid by their duties from being at such
place. A cohort of Office holders from Washing.
ton City were there political eunuchs 10 the feder.
al SYSTEM incapable of voting for the smallest fed
eral Office, vet sent there by the Administration to
imnOaa President the nanDla II a
scanduous collection, excluded by the Constitution
from being even electors of the President. and yet
sent by him here to vote for the Admnistration-snd
10 vote upon the principle of the OK that knOweth
his masters crib-upOn the principle Of the ass
that knoWeth the hand that feedeth him. Bullies
were there from the Custom. House and the Five
Points in New York-all with the appreciation of
the Administration; for the otiice-holders would
not be there (absent from their duties, aud draw
ing their pay without the consent of their EN-.
ployers. Ii was a scandalous collection. The
members OF Congress were in the double breach of
their duties. They were neglecting their egisa-
tive duties, and doing what they had been inter-
dicted from doing.
Thirty years ago, the nomination OF Presidential
candidates was taken from Congress, on account of
the corruption which il engendered, aud given to
delegates intended to be fresh from the people, and
to obey their will; aud the nomination removed from
Washington TO Baltimore, to get out of the reach
of President. making members. But these mems
bers followed to Baltimore, getting proxies from
some delegate when they could get no appoint
ment from the people; and to get rid of them-to
get entirely beyond their reach-the Convention
itself was removed from Baltimore to Cincinnati
Vain effort to escape them. They followed On to
Cincinnati. They broke up Congress to get to this
forbidden place. Surely the new President will be
very hard hearted if he does not remember them
when he comes to the distribution Of office. From
Washington City came a new corps never before
put upon such servce-the Office holders in the
city-clerks in the departments-heads Of bureaus
men who have no vote in any Federal election
political hybrids, Unable TO act mans part in any
election, but sent to Cincinnati, as life guard to