Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-29
nTsTRTBUTION AND ABOLITION.


hasbeen source Of no little perplexity. We shall
not undertake at present to show it up IS it has
appeared under all the varied Circumstances e
its ephemersl existence. Appealing FAaeTer
could avail them any thing. r. - sIpas prs
dices Of the people enst foreigners and Cathaliesi
assuming q enc time i3 be new paliJ aollis 40
eaaueoion or aalation with either o. ale old par
r,-tss t.+r 7r which it declared corrupt repu-
dating sU ibe old -ssues at another time claiming
M % South such close kinship with the old wing
marty. that old line wings who refused to follow
bliDdfold in its wake, wherever it might 60, we're
denounced as traitors; breaking to pieces on its
first great effort at national organization; divided
as to the men who should control the spells of Of
fee, "the hundred millions a year," veering with
every wind TO catch the popular breese-it has been
consistent in but one thing: North, South, East,
West everywhere il has persistently, under one
pretext and another opposed those of whatever par
ty who have advocated restoration Of the consti-
tutional rights Of the South from the exercise of
which they had been virtually debarred by the So
called Missouri Compromise Inundated by the
recent decision Of the Supreme Court no less than
by the emphatic condemnation of public opinion in
our late Presidential election there we're those who
Ventured to hope that in the future whatever Yaga
res they might practice in reference to foreigners
and Catholics yet upon all great issues, bearing
however remotely upon Southern interests, they
would act with that party which would hereafter,
in all time to come, hold Congress and the General
Government TO the exercise Of such powers only as
are clearly delegated by the Constitution; knowing
without peradyenture, from bitter experience. that
al a.,
power, will as certainly as the sun rises, exercise
that power whenever, wherever and however they
may, in so far as they have semblance of consti-
tutonal authority, for the purpose of interfering
with the institution Of slavery. It was therefore
with little surprise and regret that southern men
witnessed the introduction by the Hon John Bell of
Of bill which recognises in Congress all the power
that the deadliest foes Of southern interests could
ask. We need hardly say that we allude to the So
called Distribution Bill Grant but the exercise of
the power on the part Of the General Government
to divide its revenues any part thereof between
the States, no odds under what pretext or under
whatever motive Of eKpediency it may be sanctioned
for the day whether it be in aid Of works of inter
nal improvement, common schools, or paying off
our State debts, and that moment you sanction the
~
which would enable Black Republican Congress
to apply the same revenues to the emancipation Of
our slaves. What more can Black Republcanism
ask? True, there are those who care not by what
means there hellish purposes are accomplished
There are those who would free the blacks at once
unoOndiuonaly, and without compensation to the
MASTER who would rejoice indeedf to see the rela-
tive condition Of slave and master reversed But
those madmen are in the minority yet-in the nj
nority even Of Black Repubicanism. There is in
the minds Of the great masses every where an in
stinctive love Of right and justice which will stop
short Of any positive act Of aggression on the
South, which does not carry with it at least sem
blance Of constitutional right and justice. But
however honest, it must be remembered that argu-
ments Of far less weight than would carry convic-
ton to the mind of an impartial umpire, would be
quite sufficient to satistisfy the scruples Of those
who may, by the appliances of dezterOus and inter
esed demagogues be induced to believe that slavery
is contrary to their and our interests the more easily
when al their passions Of envy, hatred, malice and
all uncharitableness are constantly appealed to
and aroused to the highest pitch against the South
its institutions and all whose interests and convie-
tons are on the side Of slavery-even by those who
ought to be ministers Of peace
The policy Of setting apart the proceeds of the
sales Of the public lands for the extinction Of slave
~ is no new 1t carries with it, too the;mOral
influence Of names distinguished for patriotism and
eminent public service, and it would be more than
folly in the South to shut our eyes to the fact that
majority Of the States, and majority Of the people
Of the United States, regard slavery as an evil 1t
is contrary to the Unenghtened instinct Of liberty
and will be abolished whenever plan, having
show of constitutional right, can be devised which
shall at the time have only such seeming equity
about as to satisfy the mind of the more honest
but less informed people Of the North.
We affirm only what every intelligent man knows
to be true. The spirit Of abolitiOnism is neither
dead nor asleep. The defeat of Black Republican
ism; the success of that party which had sustained
the Kansas-Nebraska bin by which the rights of the
South and the equality Of the States are recognised
gave, indeed, a sudden check to the rapid progress
and vauldng ambition Of areckless party.
The Kansas and Nebraska bill, however, was but
incident in the great struggle through which the
South has yet to pass. 1t was only the battle
ground upon which the great antagonists met. But
the great question underlying this and all others
that have heretofore been proposed in Congress, is
the simple, naked one Of slavery. The fact that
our enemies have been defeated upon measures
heretofore proposed is no bar to further agitation
Other means of eecting our destruction may yet be
brought forward. AT present, the more sagaciOus
Of the Black Republican party aim at little more than
to prepare the public mind for the great measure Of
emancipation, which has long since been fOreshad-
owed, but which no man has, we believe, yet had |
the temerity formally to propose for the decision Of
Congress and the American people. A majority Of /
the whole people not yet ripe for it, as our late
election proved.
The great object to be first attained is the rocog-
milton by the North, and some respectable portion of
the South, Of principle odds to what object it
may be first applied which, without too great vio-
lence may be applied to some measure having for
its object the extinction of slavery, and the conse
qucnt ruin and disgrace of the South.
Col. Bells bill for the distribution Of the sales
of the public lands contains the recognition Of this
principle 1t is, Of all the measures that have been
suggested, the only one which ever offered the
slightest hopes Of a complete and final fuflment of
the ends Of Black Republicanism short of actual
violence and revolution. ..-..-.
Of Miss Albertine, the San Francisco Golden
Era says that she has contrary to expectation, been
drawing slim houses since her arrival at that place.
and that she seems to have lost much of the spirit