Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-05-08

the most mischieyous schemes of territorial
and annexation.
If any further evidence we're wanting of
the singularly inconsistent and contradict
tory views and doctrines held by the
leaders Of the party in power, it might be
found in the well known diversity Of opin-
ions ayowed BY them in the Interpretation
of the Kansas Nebraska bill, one division
of them earnestly maintaining that the
people of a territory have the sole and ex-
elusive right, through their territorial
legislatures, to regulate their domestic in
stitution9 as they think proper,-while
another class of them maintain, with equal
earnestness, that the people of territory
have no right to exclude slavery while their
government continues in the territorial
form-some of the more prominent in the
first class, insisting before the people that
the provisions of the Kansas Nebraska
bill constituted great measure offreedom,
which, in their operation, would prevent
the formation of any more slave States,
while those who c0ntended for different
Interpretation maintained that the princi-
Piles of the bill were essential to the in
terests of the South, in securing the forma,
ton and admission of new slave States. But
at the the last, after bringing the country
to the verge of civil war, by the agitations
attending the subject, and after those who
rekindled the fires of that controversy had
through its instrumentality secured the
possession of power, both the squatter
sovereignty men and the anti-sduatter
sovereignty wing of the party, with singular
GOODNESS, announced to the world, that
they understood, and understood from the
first, that the question about which they
differed was simply Que of constitutional
Interpretation, and that the supreme court
was the proper tribunal to decide it.
There, let the question rest. now and for
ever.
But the catalogue of adverse doctrines
and opinions held by separate classes Of
the leaders of the party in power, is not
yet exhausted. A majority of them sup
port the doctrine that aliens not naturally
ed according to the laws and constitution
of the United States, ought to be allowed
the right of suffrage in the Territories
equally with the native born and naturaliz-
ed citizens, while strong minority protest
againstthe allowance ofany such privileges
to alien inhabitants Of the Territories; and
yet, all or nearly all of them, do not
scruple to admit and maintain the power Of
the States to confer the right of suffrage
upon aliens within their limits, in all cleo
tons both state and national, any provision
in the constitution Of the United States to
the contrary Notwithstanding. ~
Guob 70 Al a ~ Il, or II. IL
in power is compounded--suc the incon
sistant and contradictory doctrines and pol
icy of the men also who now control the
destinies Of the country, and who claim
an expression in the next August election
of the confidence of the people of Tenn
essee in their disposition and capacity to
govern it in peace and security--to pro-
mote its prosperity--to uphold all its in
valuable institutions, and carry forward
successfully and triumphantly the great
plan of sclf-goverment devised by the wis
dom of our ancestors. When it is most
notorious that many Of the ruling spirits
of theparty in power, entertain sentiments
some Of ayowed indifference and others of
Unsurpassed hostility to the Union itself,
how can an enlightened people, who Cher
ish the Union, feel any confidence that
such men will not set on foot new schemes
and devices cunningly conceived and art
fully pressed with a view to renew and per-
petuate the agitation upon subject, which
so recently threatened fatal catastrophe?
When it is known that the official head of
the party entertains or did, at no late date,
entertain opinions and sentiments upon
one branch ofpublic policy, which, if car
ried out, could not fail to embroil us with
foreign powers, how can the people have
any confidence in the assurances held out,
that the country will not be involved in an
unnecessary war?
Upon review Of the whole ground, and
considering the magnitude of the interests
involved, the members of this convention
unanimously and earnestly appeal to all
those, whether Americans, wings or demo-
Gratis in their past party association, who
cannot give their trust and confidence to
any such combination of men, as that
which, in the name of democracy, seeks to
perpetuate its power, to unite in a vigorous
opposition, wavingall minor points of diff
erence, sacrificing all personal predictions
in the selection of candidates, and looking
only to the success of the cause and the
support of the leading sentiments and priu-
ciples embraced in the following resolu-
tons
Resolred By this Convention that the
abuse, and ultra tendencies of the party
in power, calling itself the democracy
merit the earnest OPPOSITION of every friend
of the Union and the Constitution
RsolUed, That the best interests of the
country, present and prospective, require q
material modification of the naturalization
laws, in order to guard against the evils OF
foreign influence in the administration O
our Government.
ResIoed, That we utterly repudiate th'
doctrine which comedies aliens the right O
suffrage, and places them on an equal foot
ing with the native and naturalized citizens