The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-05-08
ADDRESS AND RESOLUTIONS,

A Convention of the representatives of
that portion Of the people of Tennessee who
hold it to be n patriotic duty to oppose the
prrtensiOns Ofthat combination of discordant
political elements which arrogates to itself an
exclusive title to the name of democracy, and
claims to be the only truly national and con.
s,,uiional party Of the country, presents u
suitable occasion for an expression of the
leading sentiments and principles by which
their constituents are acuated.
The present administration of the general
government avows the policy of composing
oil existing discussions, maintaining the con-
stitntion inviolate, cuItivating and preserving
peace, both in our domestic and foreign rrIa
tons, 81 far rs it may DO done consistently
with the rights, dignity and honor of the
country; and they ask the confidence of the
people in the sincerity of these professions,
and their competency, successfully to main
tain, and carry them out. Is becomes an in.
teIigent people to enquire whether any Just
or rational grounds exist to justify the in.
diligence Of any such oriidence when it is
well known, that the leading and master spir-
its of the administration and of the party
which sustains il, differ SO widely and radlc.
| ally from each other upon many of the most
important questions of principle and policy,
that ii is difficult to detect any common
bond of union between them, except the am.
bition Of personal distinction and the love of
official honors and emoumrnts. The bare
recital of the questions of great and vital in
terest to the country, and Of the points upon
which those leading spirits are split and ar
rayed in direct antagonism, would seem to
be sufficien, to satisfy even the most credu.
lous that 1t would be the height of folly to
expect any cordial or successful cooperation
from them in the fultilmcnt of the promises
of good so lavishly made to the country.
1t is notorious, that while all the lenders
of the party in power, repudiate the policy o.
embarking in an, general system of inter
nal improvement, n respectable portion o
them maintain the expediency of improving
rivers and harbors, and of aiding in the con
struc,ion Of n railway to toe Pacific: and ~
equally respectable number utterly deny TIN
constitutional power Of Congress to nppl,
the public treasure to any object of interna
Improvement whatever, not even to n com
municnti"n by n railway with the State an,
, Territories on the Pacific coast, however i'm
, poriant il may be 10 their safety and militar
+ protection. II is equally notorious that
similar antagonism Of sentiment and Opinion
Nistamong them on the subject of proteC
a tive tariff. Many of the most prominent G
them openly espouse the doctrine of FIRE
; trade, and deny the power of Congress I
Impose duties upon imported merchandise,
for any other than revenue purposes, Will
( another class boldly and openly INSERTS bot
the power aud the policy of alfording inc
dental encouragement and protection to nj
the great branches of domestic industry an
. production.
The public land furnishes further sui
Z ject, exhibiting in n striking manner the il
X consistent doctrines and practices of the leaC
ers of the party in power. While all pre-
claim their earnest determination TO uphol
. the equal rights of the States in all respect
= they pursue II policy in the disposition OF I'll
b public lands the most unequal and unjust /
r part OF the States-some of them denyin
= the power of Congress to distribute anon
t the States either the lands or their proceed
and yet yield to the demands of the class {
a.. them which has no scruples as to cOnstitl
tional power in making large donations .
n lands to the States in which they lie, III,
3. furnishing ample means for the constructio
q of railways and canals, and at the same tin
= supplying them with permanent sources
- revenue for the support of their government
and all this they do under n papable evasiv
}. Of their own constitutional principles, assun
ing us n pretext or color for the departul
from their principles, that these partial di
tributlons of portions of the public doma
IT increase the public revenue by enhancing Il
d value OF the remainder, and bringing thel
more speedily into market, when, 10 fact. III
policy has grown up and attained its presel
enormty within period when one evil
II the times was the large surplus in the trea
ury, giving rise 70 wasteful expenditures al