Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-01-12


9Th inst, contains some very sound doe
trine, and some that is not very sound
some political truisms TO which no man of
any party Will object and some assump-
tons and misrepresentation to which no
one ought to assent. OF the sound doc
trines and the political truisms, we shall
say nothing more than that we are happy
to fad that the party have not yet become
so regardless Of the past as to ignore entirely
the "true bond Of perpetual union of
these States" the Federal Constitution,
and the wisdom, foresight and patriot
ism almost Super-human of our fathers
who framed it. 1t is some relief to think
that, far away as they have strayed from
the true faith, the democracy of Tennessee
must needs, once in awhile, to return and
refresh themselves from the life-giving sour
ces of political wisdom and virtue. So long
as they continue TO do this, we shall not
consider them as hopelessly lost. But, we
shall take the trouble to expose and dis
sent from such portions of the platform as
we think calculated to mislead the public
mind in regard to the objects of the Amer
lean party, as well as the position and
claims of the Democratic party.
The third resolution declares
"That amongst the great principles which
animated the hearts and energised the arms of
our revolutionary fathers, we recognise as
prominent those which looked to the obtain
ment for every citizen Of the rights of voting
and being voted for without restraint or dicta.
ton, except as restrained by the Constitution.
and of worshipping God in their own way
Ditt0ut c0mprom ising their political riqhts and
privileges By their religious faith.
And adds:
"We should prove ourselves unworthy of
the rich inheritance bequeathed to us if we
failed 10 resist with all our hearts and souls eve
ry effort, whether by open assault or by secret
combination, to expunge from the Constitution
or the avs of the Union these great principles
of civil and religions liberty"
To the principles here enunciated we make
no objection. No political party in this
country, that we are aware of, entertains
the opposite doctrine. But, the closing
reference to "Secret combination indicates
a desire 10 have it understood that the
American Party not only seek to restrict
the right Of worshpping God without
compromising political rights and privile-
ges, +" but also aim to "expunge from the
Constitution or the laws" these "great
principles of civil and religious liberty"
This is not charged in so many wOrds-but
it is a necessary inference from the propo
sition and whether so intended or not,
produces that impression on the mind of
the rejecting reader There are no truer
or warmer friends of "civil and religious
liberty" anywhere than are to be found in
the American Party. These great prin-
ipIes" are part and parcel of the glorious
faith which holds the party together Not
one Of them has ever proposed to abridge
any mans right to vote without compro-
missing bis political and religious privileges"
They acknowledge the right of every citi-
zen to vote and be voted for as the Consti-
tuition guarantees, and seek not to circum-
scribe it. All they want is the privilege of
exercising their own right, under the Con-
stitution and laws, to vote for whomSoever
they may elect and thereby prevent men,
whose allegiance to the Constitution and |
laws they believe is regulated by the "high-
er law" Of foreign pOtentate, from getting |
into Office. They are governed, in this
respect, by the same principles, but by better
motives, that compel the Democrats to vote |
against man, every way worthy, simply
because he differs with them in political
opinion. 1t is, therefore, gross assump-
ton, unwarranted by any act Of the Ameri-
can Party, to allege, directly or indirectly,
that they are opposed to the principles
mentioned in the resolution. The other al
legation, that they seek to expunge the
principles Of civil and religious liberty from
the Constitution or the laws, is simply I'M
true. 1t has not even the shadow of foun-
dation to rest upon and we are astonished
that body OF men having Just claims to
responsibility and dignity, should have put
forth language susceptible of being con-
strued into such an allegation.
OF similar character is the assumption
in the fourth resolution, that the American
Party is attempting to create "a law of pub
lie sentiment higher than the constitutional
guarantees in behalf of the enjoyment of
all citizens, whether native or adopted, Of
the rights Of civil and religious federation"
This is direct affirmation of the inferen-
tial allegation first commented on above,
and is already answered We may add,
however, that if it were substantially true,
it would be quite as excusable as the " law
higher than the constitutional guarantees
of freedom of opinion and speech which the
Democratic party have for years brought
TO bear upon those who could not think as
they thought, aud speak as they spoke. If
it be wrong to vote for u man because he
thinks the doctrines of the Democratic par
party injudicious aud dangerous, it is
none the less wrong to vote against
him because he believes the Pope, after
God, possesses all temporal and spiritual
power, aud has the right to say whether he
shall or shall not obey the laws of this Gov
ernment. There is no difference in the prin-