Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-06-06

SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 1857.
Democracy and Alien Suffrage.

Democracy and Alien Suffrage.
Most of the Southern democratic Sena-
tors, when called upon to vote upon the
question whether aliens should exercise one
of the highest prerogatives of the citizen,
that OF voting, in the territories, took de-
clded ground against such allowance. This
occurred in the vote on the Minnesota ter
ritorial bill, during the last Congress. But
that vote exhibited wide and hopeless d.
vision of sentiment, among the democracy
themselves. Mr.. BAYARD, democrat, of
Delaware, opposed as contrary to law, and
violative of principles which lie at the foun-
dalton of our government. Mr.. Brown,
democrat, of Mississippi, upon the broad
grounds of injustice to the native born sons
OF the soil, and as being contrary to every
dictate of sound and healthy national
policy. The Northern wing of the ''only
national" party, headed by CAsS and DoUG-
LAS, acting cheek by jowl with HALE and
abolitionists of that kidney, took the oppo-
site ground, and voted that the paupers
and criminals and all others who are flock
ing in continuous stream from the old
world, should, upon the question of suffrage,
be placed OH a perfect equality with our
own people. A few days after Mr.. BUCH-
ANAN, in his Incompatible inaugural, by
using the comprehensive terms, erery resi-
dent inhabitant, (which might be construed"
says the Supreme Court in the bred Scott
decision "tO include an emaazpated sLare,"
took the Northern view of this question,
and so far as he could speak for or bind
the party of which he is the head, made
the alien suffrage abomination a part Of the
democratic creed We, at the time, de-
nouced it as revolving to every sense and
principle of justice, and most runouS to
the rights and interests of the South. We
did so, without regard to what had been
the policy or practice of either of the par
ties of the country, heretofore, as utterly
revolving to our ideas of pure American
ism. The Tennessee organ, after some
hesitation, deliberately took its position,
concurring with HALE, DOUGLAS, aud the
other wire-pullers Of freesoiliSm and ne
gro fanaticism. 1t pronounced it sound
principle and proposed to demonstrate it.
There the matter rested with it for some
time-it never having attempted to fulfill
its promise, or to reconcile the difference
between it and the northern wing Of the
'aati0mals," and the Southern division on
the Minnesota bill. Events wore on, and
we exhibited the practical operation of the
principle in the affairs Of Kansas, and
showed that, by it, all hope of asserting
Southern rights, in that territory, were ban
ished. Upon this exposure the organ lifts
up its voice and in a tone of mock
solemnity says that alien suffrage may be
4" an article in the creed of the sham de-
" mocracy' black republicanism, but is
"not and never was doctrine of the real
" democracy, which supported and triumph
antly elected James Buchanan to the
presidency. 1t was never a reconized
"article in the creed of that democracy to
(Which the Union and american belongs"
Then CAss, DOUGLAS, BUCHANAN, TooMBs,
SEBASTIAN, & Co., belong to the sham demo
cracy,' and itself the Union and american, a
month or so ago, belonged to the sham
democracy" when it was declaring that
this same, sham democratic, black repub-
licar doctrine was "realLy a sound principle,
and had BEEN uniformeiy acted on By the gOr-
erament."
But what is more, the "sham democracy"
have got Gen. HARRIS, on their side of the
question, and if the predictions of our
neighbor prove true, they will make him
their governor. Gen. HARRIS is unequivo-
cal in his assertion of this doctrine as
part of his creed. What has the Union
and american to say of the respective mer
its of its own and Gen. HARRIss claims, to
being the "real democracy?" Will it
again change front and uphold him or
will it denounce its candidate as sham
democrat 2" Is it opposed to or in favor
of alien suffrage? 1t has occupied both
sides within the last six weeks or two
months, and we now respectfully but earn
estIy ask for its settled convictions upon
this subject Define, neighbor, define.