Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-05-10

But the position of Judge WALKER is
alike singular. Till within few weeks
past be has been resident of Louisiana,
and the editor Of one of her ablest Demo
cratic journals We are compelled to in
fer, too, that he has been converted. We
do not doubt that he supported Gen. CAss
in l84S, but we have as little doubt that
be then stoutly denied the squatter sover-
eighty version Of the Nicholson letter, and
reprobated it as strongly as Mr.. BENJAMIN.
He is rejoiced at the accession" of Mr.
Benjamin to faith he once "ably assailed,"
and we are forced to conclude that he now
processes that faith himself.
These facts are eminently suggestive
To our mind they clearly shadow forth the
future. They show that the Southern De-
mocracy are yielding up principle to effect
cohesion of the elements at Cincinnati
We see Southern Senator, with we'll
earned fame as an able and consistent friend
of the rights of his section, adopting a
view of great statute, which view he
once assailed as unconstitutional, and odious
and unjust We find distinguished South
erner, but few weeks resident of a
Northern State, congratulating the coun-
try on the fact. What does it mean? What
can it mean, but that they are ready to
sacrifice Southern rights at the altar of
party success? We observed another
ominous fact on the occasion of Mr.. BEN
JAmN's going over, and conservation under
the rites and ceremonies of the Democratic
church. Gen. CAss, the Mentor of North
ern Democracy, rose in his place and well
coined the wanderer to the fold. He was
profuse in his compliments to Judge WALK
Frs convert And in addition, appointed
day on which he would preach an ordina-
ton sermon, with the beauties of Squatter
sovereignty as text Be it remembered,
too that is the same Gen. CAss which
Mr. BENJAMIN so "ably assailed" in 184S,
on account Of his squatter sovereignty
heresy.
In bordering these things, we have ask
ed ourself if it was possible that this trans
portation of Judge WALKER to Cincinnati,
and this adoption on his part of the North
ern construction of the Kansas act, could
be deliberate party manGuvre. Have the
leaders of the great national Democratic
party satisfied themselves, that in order to
preserve their nationality, it is necessary
that there should be at least partial unity
of sentiment among its members in regard
to sectional issues? Have they become
alarmed at the exposure which American
papers are making of the hideousness of
the loved idol of their Northern brethren?
Have the Southern wing concluded to sue
cumb, and is it Judge WALKERS part to
stand, as it were, on middle ground and
veil its frightful features, and reconcile the
Southern rank and file to its worship?
What will the Richmond Enquirer say to
this programme of operations? In the
fallness of its Southern heart, it recommend
ed that it should be clicked from its pc
destal." The Union and american, too, has
denounced it as 'most odious to the South,
but, as if preparing to surrender, it said on
Thursday last that "nrany in each section BE-
Hece MGt the people, as aOcH IN a territorial
condition, as aohen they form State COnsti-
tuition, hare full and and ample pO,oer either
to establish or prohibit slauery 1oitin the limits
Of the Territory aohieh they inhabit: and that
this right is dearly recognized by the Kansas
act, and not prohibited by the Constitution
of the United States"
We have reason to suspect that there is
at this time, assembled in this city, pre-
liminary meeting of the Tennessee delega-
ton to the Cincinnati Convention. We
have observed numerous familiar Demo
cratic faces from tho various portions of
the State, and can conjecture no other bu-
siness for such congregation, than to de-
termine on their position as to platform and
candidates. Are they celebrating the
policy of submission Have the general
orders been given out that the Southern
members are to come prepared to be salts
fed with general endorsement of the
Kansas bill, with no explicit construction
of its meaning, and are our friends unde-
termined how to act? Are the "many an
each section" spoken of by the Union and
american, asserting their right to rule the
remainder, and prescribe their belief? As
improbable as it may seem to some, we are
ready to believe that such questions as these
have agitated this private conclave. Such
propositions would, we know, be exceed.
ingly distasteful to some gentlemen in that
delegation, but great is Allah and Ma
homet is his prophet-great is party, and
success is its only object.
We have proposal to that delegation:
We defy any member of it to go to Gin.
cinnati, and propose in the Convention a
distinct and unequivocal Reputation of the
doctrine of Squatter Sovereignty.
The Rev. Mr.. Lewis's Expulsion.