Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-06-13

bodied us rssd; snd hss sast1sa lhs hahie Azssf.
gdn sui Il vas lot nEtn ii had been repeatedly
driven from the balot-box by 0verWkelmiHg humbers
Of the people. It has not yet acknowledged its
doctrines as dangerous, rs revolutionary, as anti
republican It has has not contested its sins 1t
has given no evidence Of PeHiHce and therefore its
clsims to public confidence may well be questioned
As I have before observed, this party has now
assumed the name of american, and il has after
successive defeats in Tennessee in two conflicts as
sumed new positions, and issued a new platform
In this new platform, it no longer makes GU0lged
warfare against naturalzed citizens persons pro-
Tossing the Catholic religion. Upon these Issues,
and its original organization, it had become so
odous to the country, that it was forced to take
new name and to make other issues
The two leading features Of its present platform
are 1s That is opposed to the principle Of alien
suffrage in the organization Of new Territories; and
ID That it is opposed to railroad grants Of public
land in alternate sections and is in favor of dis
tributing among all the States the proceeds Of the
sale Of the public lands.
It's manifest chat this platform is the conception
of the Hon John Bell, who was present and made a
speech before the Convention which adopted it. for
it embodes the principles of the bill introduced by
him during the last session Of Congress.
In its consideration, we viii first examine the
Alien feature:
1 do not understand that the Democratic party
has ever advocated the policy Of allowing Aliens to
vote. Such principle is no where to be found in
any of its platforms State National. Individual
Democrats, acting upon their own sense of BrOpri-
ETY., may have voted for bills organizing the new
territories, allowing aliens to vote where they had
taken the initiatory steps towards naturalization
Similar bills have been voted for by individuals OF
almost every political party in the country.
Mr.. Fillmore is known to have given his official
| approval, while he acting President of the ..
States to the Washington Territorial organic act,
which contains that principle And yet he was the
candidate of chat party for President in the election
Of last year. The Hon. John Bell the warm sup
| porter Of Mr.. FimOre's administration and voted
for this very bill IT. therefore, it be dangerous
a measure for few aliens who had settled in the
new territories and identified their hopes and for
tunes with it. to be allowed a VOTE what becomes Of
these two great leaders Of that party? With what
! consistency can they oppose the principle, while
| they support the men who have approved it? In
! condemning the principle, they not cOndemning
the two great leaders Of the party? What conf
dence can be placed in party guilty of such gross
| inconsistency?
TIf6ether feature of this new Know Nothing plat.
form is an old issue between the old Wing and Dem
ocratc parties, originating during Gen. jackson;
administration, and often discussed, and uniformly
decided by the people against the policy Of dstribu
! ton.
1t is now sought to be revived and brought for.
ward as a ISSUE by bill introduced into the
last Congress, by the Hon. Jehn Bell, as a means Of
diyerting the public attention from his own bad faith
to the South; and the new party with which he has
identified his hopes, embOdy it into its platform, in
the hope Of hiding from the public eye its own past
defOrmity To test the sincerity of that party in
the positions assumed in this feature of its platform
let us see where the Hon. Senator and Mr. Fillmore
| the two great lights Of Know Nothingism, stand
upon this question. The great Illinois grant Of over
| five millions of acres, was made during Mr.. Fill.
mores administration, and was by him officially ap-
! proved. The Hon. John Bell was his warm sup
porter and voted for this bill. This bill was the
| pioneer Of the system. If the measure be wrong,
these two Know Nothing leaders are responsible fol
| the whole SYSTEM for that case has been since fol
! lowed as precedent Indeed, the Hon. John Bell
has been the uniform advocate and supporter of the
whole system of grants for railroads and other pur
pOses in the States and Territories. That such
is the understanding of his own friends will be ap
parent by reference to following editorial notice in
| the Nashville Patriot Of the Goth ultimo
| From the NasbUiHe Patriot.