Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-08-11
The Shameless Democracy.

In the Charleston Mercury of the 4th inst, ape
pears editorial on the glarng conduct of the
Democratic party in Congress. Well may the Mer
curry, in the name Of decency, denounce the men
whose battle il has 80 pertinaciously fought. No
doubt our contemporary speaks with prophetic
spirit, when it says the madness that has filed
these men seems the forerunner Of their destl uc-
ton. For our part, we should have preferred to
have seen them die with faint assumption of vir.
tue playing over their brazen countenances; but
this was not to be. Listen to the Mercury'S strong
Democratic testimony
The Democratic leaders in Congress seem to be
smtten with that madness which is said TO be the
forerunner of destruction. In the face of its oft
asserted principles the vetoes of its President the
warning of its friends aud the perils of the COM
ing canvass, the party still persists in passing bill
after bill for Internal improvements The telegraph
informs that the Senate has already passed "sx
teen bills" for this single purpose. That our read
ers may see upon what shallow pretences OF fact
and argument such legislation has been effected,
make below some extracts from the debate on
the occasion.
Without any report upon the facts, and in some
cases without estimates of cost, the Committee in
the Senate, composed chiefly of Democrats, recon-
body. We commend 20 the earnest peruaal of our
readers these extracts. They contain food tor ser.
GUS reflection. What does this conduct on the part
of the Democratic party in Congress mean? Do
its leaders intend disgust the whole country by
the unblushing betrayal OF principle, in the eager
scramble for spoilss Are they so ignorant of the
position Of their party, threatened it is with for
midable opposition on every side, that they thus
recklessly trample under foot their pledges freshly
made at Cincinnati! No party can long survive its
principles Plumber, if it be bond of cohesion, is
also, and more inevitably fatal poison. Ii destroys
public confidence in party, perverts its counses into
the wranglings of avarice degrades its spirit and
makes it the short.ved contemplate instrument of
personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Towards this inte is the Democratic party tend
ing. At time when it should bear its faith most
lofty, and assert in the teeth of its enemies the
principles Of its fathers-when il should aspire to
stand out in the "sea OF troubles" a shining and
steady sht to cheer the hopes and guide the steps
OF true men in every sectional such time
nd its leaders rvalling each ether in the betrayal
Of principle and striking down all who hold up the
ancient standards. II is not enough that its COM
stsntly repeated pledges Of Free Trade stlnds
deemed, while the South suffers from the eIactions
OF odious Tariff Not enough, that its compro-
misses with abolition have turned farce and de-
fusion. Not enough that popular sovereignty and
the Nebraska bill are set aside By Mr. Douglass
psci6cstion BILL calling for Congressional interven-
tiOn," but if TO make the name Of Democracy
the synonyme OF faithlessness and corruption and
to expose the falsiiy of its claim to the party OF
principle, its leaders plunge the Government into
extravagant expenditures on the widest objects.