Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-02-21
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 81, 1856.
4Our Banner.n

AHeIiCdu dl y " iSiNS F $500
question as a party test" was first breach
ed in this community, we studiolsly avoid
ed saying anything about it. We were
opposed to it, but wished to avoid any ex-
preston of opinion, which might engage
US in controversy with party friends, IN
less absolutely necessary. We main
tanned an unbroken silence, until we began
to be suspected of lending a willing ear to
the proposition, and members of the Amer
lean organization had declared to us that
if we acquieSced in the proposition, as our
silence was presumed to Indicate, they
would regard it as the settled determine
ton Of the Party leaders to abandon the
positions taken at Philadelphia, and to en-
list the rank and file in a selfish struggle
for their own advancement, regardless Of
the dearest interests and rights of the
South, and that they would fold their arms
and fight no more. Thus appealed to, we
broke Our silence; and, acting upon the
principle, whatsoever you do, do it with
all your might" we made known our views
with all the vigor and energy we could
command.
Subsequently, as a measure of Selfjusti-
fcation, and not as a reflection on the
course of any one, we republished extracts
from presses of all parties in the South,
showing how the proposition was received
by Southern men, irrespective of party.
We think we were amply warranted in this,
as among three American papers here, the
Patri0t alone opposed the measure Ameri-
cans, unthinkingly regarding it as simply
the manifestation of patriotic desire to
put an end to the agitation of the slavery
question, instead of a proposition to col
lect together allwho might coincide in opin-
ion on the isolated question of American
ism regardless Of their opinions and views
on the slavery question, or of their diSpo-
Sition to agitate it, asked of US "why
do you decline to go with them?" 1t be-
came necessary for us to satisfy them also.
In the first place said we, cit IS NOT
RIGHT" and our next endeavor was to show
that Southern people of all shades and
hues of politics, viewing the proposition as
one that jeoparded their most vital inter-
ests, were with US.
For doing these things we have brought
the Banner down upon us. "The very
head and front Of our offending had this
extent, no more"
Having thus set ourselves right, we pro-
coed to respond to the singular editorial Of
the Banner of Tuesday.
We are at a loss whether to regard that
article as a specimen of satirical bombast,
or of unmixed egotism and sublime and
unapproachable presumption, or story
told in serious truth and expected to be
received as such From the antecedents
of that journal we are more disposed to 10
cate it in the second class, and regard it as
an unrivalled effort of presumption. In
most cases, and to most persons, presump-
ton is excessively annoying, but it can
reach height which renders it amusing
To that pitch has the veteran and able
editor" not by easy gradations, but, by
single bound, attained If after a despe-
rate and doubtful, and, at last, unsuccesS-
full engagement, while an army was recruit
ing for another contest while the generals
of divisions were selecting for the difficult
and important posts, captains of tried and
truSty valor one should present himself and
insoIently claim the post of honor, and de-
mand that his standard should head the
column, aye, tell his brother captains that
the post was his by right of merit, that he
had won it-that he would lead-and if
they fought at all, they must follow-it
would surely be regarded ali extraordinary
assumption. But if on enquiry it were
found that in the first battle this aspirant
had Jagged ingloriously in the rear that
his Banner" instead of Haunting in the
van and flaming the enemy cold" dropped
in idle indifference around its staff that at
roll-call he had never answered to his name
nor loas II TO be found among the enlisted ::
that this pretentious and Selfimportant
parsonage who claimed precedence of all
others, was only camp-follOwer, ready to
reap the fruits of victory, but 10th to lend
his aid to win it if they did not esteem
him mad and shave his head and secure
him in the baggage-wagon, they would at
least laugh at his presumptuous weakness,
and tolerate him only as a source of sport
to relieve the tedium of life in camp.
But the army figure merely by the way.
That paper thinks it marvellous that we
should be surprised at Democratic papers
attacking its positions We think it none
the less marvellous that one claiming 10 be
the head, embodiment and tail of the Ame-
rican party should subject itselfto the criti-
ciSms of American papers. 1t is indeed a
surprising fact that one who presumes on
the leadership Of a party should know so
little of the sentiments of that party as to
find himself and his positions almost uni.
versally repudiated by that party. We
are not so blind as not to see that the poll
cy of the enemy is to divide our counsels,
but we are not so welded to platform
making and "presideut-making as 20