Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-07-11
Unfairness In Argument.

1t is charged that while the American party
ara opp, sed to the partial system of disposing
of the public lands, they are at the same time
found generally voting for these measures.
They are thus arraigned for inconsistency.
This is in perfect keeping with the general
fairness of conducting political discussions by
our opponents. The American party have
been willing to aid the new States in de-
veloping their resources; and, in the language
of Mr.. Bell, we do not seek to change that
policy, if it can be extended likewise to the
old States. 1t was in this spirit that Mr. Bell,
during the session of 1872, when the Iowa
land bill was under consideration, said
Il do not propose to oppose this bill of nv
friend from Iowa, unless l should find a very de-
cided spirit of injustice pervading the minds Of
hODora lie Senators from the new States If such
spirit does pervade them, then IL mGV be found
necessary to dfdt, If possible eUery Dsdsure Of the
kind until those gentlemen be brought to same fair
and just consideration Of 10hat rs due to the other
StIteS Of the CHlOH-Of Whdt Is due 10 tile lghole
country II they will not DO that then it will re-
main tor to consider what means we have in our
power to coerce-moraly, mean, not physically
what considerations we can hold out to them 10
do justice to the public generally this sui ject"
1t was to the same purport that in the Pa
TR1or of the 2lst of May last, we gave an ex-
plicit statement of our position, on this subject,
as follows:
ave maintain that 10 Congress reposes the right
and power, exclusive and absolute, to administer
aud dispose OF these lands. We coucede that con-
curing with these rights duty dictates that the in
terests and internal of the States should
be ch, rished and developed aud that Congress has
been performing a meritorious work, in lending its
ia Ri go.
other States which have not hitherto partaken OF
this bounty, put in their claim for an equal share
in the disposition of the common fluid The wrong
does not attach until you spurn these just demands
and oppose this act of justice h is your refusal
TO grant TO tie old States egIi rights IA aud equal
enjoyment of the public domain ,Oth the i,ss0 that
makes the tcrosg of trhich eJHlptciH The very
issue which our opponents make With Us defines
the outrage and if successful will consummate it,
Still the charge was reiterated, and our true
position misrepresented and on the 9th of
May, we reproduced the above extract, accom-
panying it with some remarks, in which we
again said:
1T IS tie granting to the States. aud re-
istHg to grant 10 he old States, which constitutes
tue burden OF our complaint, and not the aid which
has been extended to the new States.
This we take to be the ground generally
held by the American party on this subject.
Had it been known that there was faction
of party in the country which would have
been SO tar forgetful OF the principles Of justice
aud State eqsaliIy, as to deny to the old States
the participation whiNh We claim, our course
might have been different. But it is this de-
nial Of which We complain, aud the wrong
lies alone at the door Of tie Democracy.
The UHion asd AHlsraoaa Of the Och inst.
says
That upon all the various land bills that have
been from time 70 time introduced, a msjority Of
the Democratic members have voted against Tnsm.
with bat tao exceptions; whilst the majority OF
the opposition have voteI Tor them"
Without either denying or admitting the
truth of this statement, we respectfully de-
msnd OF our neighbor the proof OF. It. Ii he has
gone TO the trouble Of examining the records,
iI viii be quite easy for the editor To refer To
the several bills, giving volume and page.