Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-09-16
TUESDAY, SEPT. Is, 1855.
Maj. DoneIsOn and Mr.. Buchanan.

mnJs DOnelson ana Mr. buchanan
The annuls of political discussion afford
scarcely parallel to the misrepresenta-
ton and abuse which appear in the jour
mails of the Buchanan Democracy against
the American candidate for the Vice Pres
idency.
The Washington Union first set the ex-
ample which has since been followed by all
the party scavengerS employed to support
the ambitious projects of Mr. Buchanan.
A brief reference to facts of undisputed
authority will explain the cause Of the feel
ing, which thus vents the hatred and re-
venge of disappointed ambition.
When Mr. Buchanan was Secretary of
State under Mr. Polk, there was no Ian
guage to express respect and admiration
which he did not put in requisition to win
the favor Of Major Donelson.
The subtle and cunning Secretary had
found out that in the Texas negotiation,
nothing could tempt Major Donelson from
his duty to his country, and that no sug-
gestion from the State Department could
prevent the annexation of Texas on princi-
pies that were safe and honorable to the
country.
When that negotiation was finished and
Mr. Buchanan saw that his extraVagant
praise of the negotiator failed to enlist him
as political advocate, his next step was
to win him over by tender of the Wash
ington Union, established, as Mr.. Blair has
conclusively proved, by money drawn out
of the public treasury, in accordance with
the advice of Mr. Buchanan. Bat here too,
he failed Major Donelson, after conSuta-
ton with Gen. Jackson, declined the offer,
although its acceptance was urged upon him
by Mr. Buchanan's confidential friend, as
the sure means of acquiring large for
tune.
At that time Gen. Jackson was on his
death-bed, and declared that Mr. Buchanan
could not be relied upon as a sound leader
of the Democratic party. Major Donelson
had been too long associated with Gen.
jackson to doubt his judgment in ques-
ton of so much Importance as that involved
in the position assigned to Mr.. Buchanan
by President Polk. He, therefore, prefer
red to represent his country at foreign
court, rather than assume a responsibility
for the preservation of the Democratic par
ty nuder the discouraging circumstances
adverted to by Gen. Jackson in the Blair
correspondence, which has been lately pub
lshed.
When Major Donelson reached his home
in 1850, the country was agitated by the
questions growing out of the Mexican war.
He raised his voice against the disorganiz.
ing schemes of those agtators who, under
the guise of State Rights, were advancing
a scheme 10 destroy the Constitution and
the Union. He denounced these agitators
to their faces, and in various speeches and
resolutions maintained the old doctrines of
doctrines of Washington and jackson in
regard to the dangers of geographical par
ties. The true friends Of these old doc
trines, finding that they had lost their pO-
tency in the columns OF the Washington
Union then conducted by Mr.. Richie, en-
treated Major Donelson to come to their
relief and make an effort to purge the party
of the isms which had destroyed its ortho-
doxy and nationality. He made the effort,
but was foiled by the sectional combinations
which Immediately appeared under the lead
of Mr.. Buchanan and his friends the multi
hers and ultra freeSoilers. He was de-
nounced as a traitor to the South, when
he declared his conviction that the Demo
cratic party could not be preserved if the
ultraists were to have the control of the
Federal Government The papers in the
interest of this ultra school of politicians,
North and South, proclaimed Mr.. Buch-
anan as their leader, at the very moment
he wigs telling Pennsylvania that he was
anxious to preserve the Constitution. His
friend, Forney, advocated the compromise
Of 1850, in one column Of his paper, but in
another, he put down words Of significant
encouragement TO such disunionists as
Clingman and Venable of North Carolina.
In the face of such facts, Major Donelson
could not but think of the prophetic words
of Gen. Jackson when he spoke Of the cor
rupt proposition which had been made to
him by Mr.. Buchanan, aud Of the disas-
trous consequences which would flow from
the aseendancy Of such man as party
leader. Mr.. Buchanan's design then was,
what il now is, the union Of the South as
one section, arraYed against the North as
the other He relied upon State pride, to
secure the interest Of Pennsylvania, and
upon the corrupt use Of the public money
TO make up what such combination with
sectionalism would lack in advancing him
TO he Presidency.
Major Donelson defeated this scheme in
1852. His articles in the Washington
Union forced the ultraist North and South,
to stand by declaration that the cOmpro-
mise of 1850 was TO be maintained as q
faal settlement Of the sllVery question.
This declaration, though made in bad
faith, was equivalent 10 the rejection Of