Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-11-10

dent trust of rousing the people of Mary
land to the true dangers ahead ere they
deposit their ballots to-morrow-we point
to it as the most lowering, and present it in
its most atrocious and alarming aspect.
This alarming disclosure of its hideous
imminence is found in the columns of the
Charleston Mercury, one of the most trust
ed and potent opponents of the designs and
policy of the Democratic party in the whole
South. That journal, in its issue of We'd
nesday last, has leading editorial headed
Form of the Southern Confederacy," be-
ginning in these omnibus words, which
should fasten themselves in the memory of
the American patriot as matter for detesta-
ton forever"
''Next in Importance TO what we have con-
sidered as fixed fact-th speedy dissolution
of the Union-must be ranked the question of
the terms on which the Southern States should
unite in a confederate government"
The writer then deliberately proceeds to
lay down the foreign and domestic policy
of the new confederacy, and, after having
disposed of these matters, proceeds as fol-
lows upon the question of the Presidency:
"The people of the United States have no
conscientious conviction that the Presidency,
in itself, is an Office necessary to their well be
ing. They make it rather point of universal
contest, than a centre of universal agreement.
Parties, rs such, care not what puppet they
choose, so be it that they choose a puppet that
they can place in power. If the puppet of
the moment is rejected, he is cast into the rub
Dish Of the political past; and, at the recur-'
renee of the Presidential election, another is
selected, equally contemplate and equally con-
temned, to be treated in the same manner, If
he meets the same fortune.
"The conclusion we draw is, that, with ref
erence to permanent structure of Govern
ment, the Presidency is an unnatural excres
ceDce upon our system of ConfederGcy OF
States From the close of the Administra-
ton of Washington to the present time. it has
been the centre ard source of bitter contrO-
versy among the entire people of the country.
II has been q source of hateful union among
the States, who without this bond, might pos
sibly have lived in peace. They have many
X cut ltiutbNl uutOH. llui1 u anu cOuiCSo VI
sympathy. But the Presidency has never fail
ed to stir up every element Of disoord, to bring
into fierce contest all the armies of the spoil
OrS, and TO make itself a representative of all
the plundering aud contentious principles that
had open or covert existence in the Confedera-
cy.
believing, therefore, that this mighty Gle
ment OF disoord. of corruption, and OF central,
iza;ion, might be perfectly well dispensed with,
as far as the just and efficient operations OF
the government are concerned, we would pro-
pose that, in Southern Confederation, the
Presidency should he dispensed with. 1t is
not necessary for any legitimate action of a
confederate government. II is absurd to sup
pose that it is necessary to the sanction of the
laws of such a government, and equally alb
surd to suppose it necessary for the conduct
of its relations with foreign powers. All these
matters are easily arranged, and the change
would not produce even q passing shock in
the progress ofevents. We might gain great
good, without mourning the least reasonable
chance Of small evil"