Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-07-23


gone-some Of them 10 their long and final homes
Others many Of them either disheartened, or dis
afected--some with good Intentions doubtless
and others with bad, have left Us and organized
another army who are already in the field. and
led on by him who was once the pride and boast Of
our party. We can't cit stilI-"our young men"
sciH fJht. And although We have no chosen lead.
err may We not enter the contest as volunteers,
and fight this battle under the flag of our country,
and by the banner of him who .'keeps step to
the music OF the Unionl" Whigs-true and loyal
Wings, have never marched under any other ban.
ner-nor have they ever learned any othes music
Col grant they never may. Is there any party
now in our country under whose leader We may
fight one more battle for the peace and happiness
Of our country and the preservation of the Union,
without sacrificing any important principle which
we deem necessary at this time TO sustain?
We cannot fight under the lead of Mr. Fremont
Because he is the leader of sectional party-based
entirely upon the single idea of opposition to sIAv
cry, pledged to an eternal war with us, and gov
erned aud Influenced by spirit of fanaticism, in
utter disregard of our rights as secured BY the
Constitution and protected by the laws. They are
led on in their 6endish career not by him who ap.
pears at their head the ostensibe leader but By
trained band of lawless consprators against the
peace and quiet of the South, who do not hesitate
when it suits their purposes, to trample down the
Constitution, the laws Of the land, and even the
Bible ITSELF when they conceive their enactmenGs
and teachings to conflict with the principles of a
"Higher Law" If their objects should be attain
ed-shOuld they succeed in elevatilg those to pows
er and Office who will use their authority to des.
troy the institutions of the South, why then, re.
6etltOH will be the warcry, and dissolution Of the
Union, the Inevitable result The name Wing has
always been Synonymous with loyalty to the Union,
and we cannot join ourselves to any party whose
leaders do not acknowledge the Constitution of the
country as our highe't civil and political law, and
who do not recognize the statutes passed by Con
gress thereto, as equally binding upon every secs
tiou Of our country. The gulf between US is i'm
passable-We would not cross it if we could-and
we once more implore our Northern brethren to
pause and reflect on the tendency of their course
and the direful consequences which must certainly
ensue. This party-a sectional party entirely
composed alone of Free Sellers and Abolitionists,
already in the field, and are preparing for the
contest. What shall we dOs Shall We Join the
Democracy, and fight under the lead of Mr.. Blu
chanan? We can't support Mr.. Buchanan. Mr.
Buchanan is one Of our old political enemies He
has waged a war on US and our old friends ever
since he made his celebrated Lancaster Speech
down to the present time. He has never defended
US when the North made war on US, but in every
instance, so far as we know, whenever a contest
has arisen between the North and the South, he
has invariably taken side with the former. We do
not charge that Mr. Buchanan is an abolitionist
but do charge that he has constantly acted with
party who have contributed more than any other
party, by a wrong and misguided policy, to create
and build up the present so-called Republican
Party, against which we are now defending our
selves. When Mr. Fillmore came to the Presiden-
cy, this party, under other names and under other
| leaders, already had existence at the North.
But it appeared only as a small black cloud in the
distance, disconnected and ll-de6ned and lacking
the organization necessary to make it powerful for
evil. During bis administration, the elements of
this party which had been prepared or at any rate
highly cultured by the preceding administration,
were assuming definite shape and action, and
promised very early to become a dangerous comb
nation in our country. The patriotism and wisdom,
| however, of some of the best men in the nation,
backed and supported by Mr.. Fillmore and his Cab
met originated a series OF measures, known the
Compromise Bill OF $780," which were passed by
the Congress OF the United States. For the time,
resistance to some of the measures threatened,
and actually attempted, but by the frhness and
the decided stand Of the Executive, the law was
enforced, and after some laundering and a few
stormy days in Massachusetts, and New York, the
political Heavens became bright, calm and serene,
and Mr.. Fillmore left the Presidency with our
country at peace with all the world, and people
| relying on the Compromise of 1880 a full, com
pete, and final settlement of the slavery question.
Both the old parties so declared in their National
Conventions of 1852, and both pledged themselves
the friends OF their respective parties and to the
| country neither to disturb the settlement nor to
renew the agitation Of the subject in Congress, or
out Of it. But scarcely had the ink got dry with
which the compromise was written and the settle
ment made before one of the leaders of the Dem
ocratc Party, man who was then certainly view.
ed as an asprant for the Presidency, opened the
question Of slavery again in Congress- and through
the passage Of the KansassN ebraska Bill has re-
newed the agitation and contributed mainly to the
fearful reorganization Of party which we had
| hoped were forever destroyed When Mr. Fill
morn left the Presidency we did not have foot
of Territory which was not covered by law, nor
single inch OF soil on which the slavery question
had not been settled, and finally settled as the
country believed, by old statutes and the ComprO-
mise of 1850. Why then was the question re-in
troduced in Congress- The country must decide
this question. But may be answered that the
question Of slavery is settled now-6nally settled
that the Cincinnati Convention which nominated
| Mr. Buchanan have SO declared, and that Mr.. Blu.
chanan himself in accepting the nomination, has
congratulated the country that this troublesome
and dangerous question has at last reached its If
nality." But may we not answer, what surety are
we to have on this subject We have the pledge
Of the Democratic party in convention assembled
same pledge, and in the same words by The Con.
venIion OF the same party in Baltimore in 1852
| We cannot rely on their pledges, made too often
We verify believe, io- party purposes, and by them
selves, as some of their members are reported e
have said ''as they would take dose Of lpecac,
that they may puke it up again"
But we have other objections to Mr.. Buchanan
besides bis position leader of the present Dem
ocratic Party. We object entirely to the flbus
| tofb 10 in IL ii
ton Of the principle of Territorial Legislation OF
the subject OF SiVery-tO his views in grantn,
the right of suffrage and holding Office to unnatu
rallied loreigners-and last, though not least vi
object to him because we believe that he tn,
man who originated the charge OF "bargain 10
trigue and corruption" between Messrs. Clay AnC
Adams, by which both were seriously injured, anC
from which Mr.. Clay never recovered. For these
and many other reasons, we cannot support Mr.
Buchanan for the Presidency.
There remain but two courses for Us to pursue
We may remain neutral in the contest or ma,
support Mr. Fillmore. Neutrality, under some cir
eumstances, may be good and wise policy, but
strikes US that THIS is not the time to be neutral
The contest is Of such peculiar character that VI
can scarcely avoid participation in il Of some sort
and perfect neutrality may endanger our own hap
pness and the peace Of our country. For, although
We are in the minority, and are unable 10 marshal
host OF our own, yet 10 many places We hold tn
balance Of power and occupy position to do i'm
| mense good or evil.
IL becomes US then to examine the ground aheai
Of US well, and decide promptly. Mr.. Fillmore i
a tried mamie administered the affairs of tn
Government in highly satisfactory manner-h
piloted the old ship Of State in a dark and peril
Gus vOyage-he ran her clear Of all the quieksand
aud breakers, and whea be had nearly completes
the voyage, his discretion and wisdom, his patri
otsm and hrmness, drew from many distinguish,
passengers, although they were bis political adver
sAries, their hearty approval and manly eongrat
ulations. he has had no hand Ia any OF the DO
e "a