Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-09-15
To the wings of the south.


dressed TO the Wings of the South by the New
York Commercial Ad0ertiser, with the request
that it be copied into our columns. The de
mands upon them are very heavy at this time,
vet we cheerfully make room for an extract
containing every material point of the article
The AduertiSer notices the 6ockng Of the
old line conservative Wings of the North to
the standard of Fillmore, in order To defeat
the slavery agitators, and adds:
We cannot doubt that these constant acces
sious to Mr.. Fimore's strength in the free
States will open the eyes of our Southern fel.
low citizens TO the fact that the Wings of the
North and East are the true, unfinchng nss
tional party, and that there rests upon the
South double obligation to give to Mr.. Fill
more a liberal, we had almost said unanimous
support That obligation is founded upon the
past and the future The Wings, while hon
estly and strenuOusy opposing slavery propa-
gandism, have with unwayering fidelity con-
tended for the constitutionalrights ofthe slave
States. They have done this oftentimes to the
injury and finally TO the overthrow of their
party supremacy in the free States, and with
oui any equivalent in party strength in the
slave States. They have done it, simply be-
cause they believed it to be their duty as ma
iional, patriotic men. They have been taunt-
ed with subserviency to the South and South
ern institutions end Southern interests, by
those who cannot appreciate disin,erested pat
riotisnI; who DO not understand how man
can carry stern, rigid, self-denying principle
into politics; and who, having themselves cor
rupt motives and Interior aims of self"aggran-
disement in all their political action, cannot
and no aim save that of his country's good; or
that he should cheerfully sacrifice his own in
terests, and be willing to have his motives rra-
duced aud his actions misconstrued, if he can
only have the consciousness in his own breast
that he has performed his duty TO bis country
and performed it Alright.
This and much more have the wings OF the
free States suffered and borne with for the sake
of their brethren at the south, and of that
Union, which is their common and precious
heritage. And yet the wing party has never
been the strong party that it ought TO have
been at the south. Of this they do not com
plain, nor are we about to complain OF il. But
we design TO put the matter in fair and hon
est light before our southern brethren. The
whi.s of the free States are now making
another sacrifice in order to quell sectiOnasm
aud restore the spirit of Union. They are not
destroyed, not discom6tted even, by the past
but rail- ing their scattered forces, they range
themselves on the side of domestic peace and
9uietness, Of equdl rights for the North and
South, the free and tie sLdUe States, FOR nation
atty ef feeling and The unimpdired Union Of
all States Everywhere they are answering
the old cry, "once more into the breach, good
friends" and with unity of purpose and an
energy that will largely atone for the reduc-
az - 4
battle, not for a party candidate, but for a can
didate of another party, and from no other mo
tives than deep conviction that Mr. Fillmore
alone, of three candidates now in the field, can
restore to the country internal peace and quiet
ness and aintain its smicable foreign rela=
tons; that he alone stands upon the middle
ground which the North and South must alike
occupy if the Union is TO be preserved in its
spirit as well as in its letter. Under Theses
circumstances the wings Of the free States
have right TO expect corporation and sup
port from the South.
And we maintain also that Il is the policy
of the South TO unite with the wings of the
North in the support of Mr.. Fillmore a. the
compromise candidate. We adinre cur South
ern friends IL they wish to strengthen-if they
do not wish to weSken-the bonds Of Union,
70 adopt this policy. II has been repeatedly
shown, in these columns and elsewhere, that
the election OF Mr.. Buchanan cannot restore
domestic quiet. He has an odor OF slavery
propagandism that will initiate against his adj,
miDi-tration in the tree States, that will excite
ieaousies aud stimulate rather than quell agi
tation. We tell orr Southern friends honest-
IL that they must make concessions Ms we'll AS
the North, If they desire the perpetuatiun VI
peace and good will between themselves and
their Northern brethren. They must no longer
ask themselves Cannot we again triumphl"
or vaundngy boast that they can, but their
aim must be Cancellation, and the means EN-
ployed for its achievement, concession aud
compromise. The opportunity for gracefully
meeting the exigency is now before them. Tie
platforms of the Democratic aud the Isepub.
lican party alike border closely on steiionalism
-on slavery propagandlsm on the one hand,
and on abolitiOnism the other. Should either
Of the two parties succeed on continued agita-
ton, the necessary result of two great opposite
principles being placed In permanent hostility
must follow. There is no room for dispute
upon this point, and We frankly tell our South
eTn friends thst they, aud not the free states,
must be driven to the wall if the conflict Is
continued.
Now on this question Of slavery agitation,
which is the important and practical issue in.
volyed in the approaching election, M. Fillmore
stands upon the middle ground. lie Is entitled
To the confidence alike OF the North and South.
Under bis Administration they will be known
only as one country. One will not be permit
ted u enroach upon the other. Each State
will have the unqnestioned management and
Jurisdiction Of its own affairs, and lie own in.