Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-04-03
The I2Ih Section.

The 18th Section.
We think we see something like return
ing sense Of justice in the Union and Amaeri-
can. 1t gives US pleasure to note the indi-
cation. We hope it will continue to ad-
vance in the good course until it becomes a
model of fairness and candor In its issue
of Sunday blessed day to begin to mani
fest symptoms of cOnScientiousness-after
stating what was its objection" to the
18th section, it declares:
"But there were other features of that plat
form more Southern an their tone, to which we
did not object, but, on the contrary, apprOUed,
as far as they 60"
1t Their instances the pledge to abide by
and maintain the existing laws on the sub
ject of slavery, as final and conclusive set
Element of that subject-the declaration
that Congress possesses no power, under
the Constitution, to legislate upon the sub
ject of slavery in the States where it does
or may exist; or to exclude any State from
admission into the Union because its Con-
stitution does or does not recognize the in
stitutiOn of slavery as a part Of its social
system; that Congress ought not to legis-
late upon the subject of slavery within the
Territories of the United States; and that
any interference by Congress with slavery,
as it exists in the District of Columbia,
would be violation of the spirit and in
tention of the compact by which the State
of Maryland ceded the District to the Uni
ted States, and a breach of the national
faith; and asks the Patriot if these are not
"impOrtant declarations for tie SOUth?"
Erect mOnument'o of progress here!
Then go back with US, reader, and see
what distance forward our neighbor has
travelled! Turn to his paper Of the Goth
of June, 1855, and read his declaration in
regard to the 18th section-"THE WHOLE OF
THE SLAVERY PLANK, indeed, is ROTTEN
AND RICKETY !" We quote him at
length-no unfarness now:
From the Union and American March &C. 1851
1--WE call particular attention to the clause rela-
ting to the existence Of slavery in the District Of
Columbia and tie Territories On this subject, the
resolution adopts eroctly The position assumed By
Mr.. Yam Buren, in 1886. Mr.. Van Buren, said he
WOULD veto bill abolshing slavery in the District
of Columbia, because such act would be inexpe-
dent and breach of faith. But lie lOouLd not say
IL U0uld be UNCONSTITUTIONAL. The Wing papers
of this State denounced this position for many years
And yet these very same men now 90 into extaces
exactly the same position, taken by Conven
ton of Southern menl 1t seems as though this fact
ought to open the eyes of the pc litcay blind
The WHOLE OF THE SLAVERY PLANK indeed, is ROT
TEN AND RICKETYi Framed for a Southern
latitude, it, nevertheless with unhearj of effrontery
and with the recent blade of Joab," insdiouSly
saJs tie Nebraska BHl-that great measure to
which the South owes 30 much, and the settled
policy of the cOuntry-chardcterizin IL not only as
Gn "oBNOxIo Us ACT" tla as "vIoLATED PLEDGE"
True, it was resolved that Congress canno: const~
tutionally legisate upon slavery in the States, or
exclude any State from admission into the Union
because its Constitution does or does not recognize
the institution of slavery part of its social sys
TEN, and that any interference by Congress with
slavery, in the District of Columbia, would be a
violation mot Of the CO'lstit'aior) but Of the spirit
and intention OF tue deed of cession from Maryland
to the United States; but at the time, it exc
pressly PRETERMITs ANY EXPRESSION OF OPINION Up.
on THE POWER OF CoNsREss TO ESTABLISH OR PRO-
HIBIT SLAVERY IN ANY TERRITORY, cOntenting itself
with the WAX AND wIsHY.wAsHY EXPRESSION OF
OPINION that Congress ought not TO interfere with
slavery in the Territories. Thu Convention thus
! REFUSED TO SANCTION THE PRINCIPLE OF
THE NEBRASKA BILL. Nay, it went further. Il
failed TO adopt any resolution against Tie repeal Of
that Bill, against hs repeal of Tie Fugitive SLAVE
Lar, and against the abolition OF the inter State
Slave Trade. Enough was thus negatively conce-
ded TO the AbOlitonists to have induced them TO
remain in raternal aud cordial cooperation with the
Southern Know Nothngs. Surely they must have
been as March hares, and blind as moccnsins in
dog doys, to have withdrawn, seeded, vamosed
There appears to be wonderful differ,
ence in the purport and meaning Of the
same language, in the estimation of the
Union and american, when viewed in the
| Present and the Past. Less than twelve
months ago, the 18th section was so 'RoTrEN
AND RICKErY" on the slavery question, that
/ Abolitionists who rejected it must have
been as mad as March hares, ana as blind
as moccasins in dog-days." Now, it is so
SQUAD in its principal features, they are
approved" declared important" and
Southern men who gave them up for the
principle of the Kansas Nebraska Bill, y
reproved for blowing in humble submission
to vllainous fanaticism, and licking the
hand that smote them in the Dust" BY
the time the American Party meets in Ma
tional Council, and adopts another plat
form, and the It'll section Of the present
become a thing of the Past, the Union and
American will begin to view it through u
medium colsHr de rose aud hold it up as
something for Southern man to swear by.
Virginia.
The Richmond papers come to US filed
with accounts Of enthusiastic Ratification
Meetings throughout all parts of that State,
Indications promise favorably that the old
Mother of Presidents" knows her duty TO
the Constitution aud the Union, aud will
do aobly for Fillmore and Donelson in No
vember.