Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-16
KNOW NoTHINGIsN AND ITS LEADERSHIP


mocrats look to Montgomery now to give US the man
KNOW NoTBINGIsM AND ITS LEADERs-THE
ISSUES AND THE FACTS.
There is no one thing connected with the Know
Nothing party in Tennessee better calculated to for
felt the respect and confidence of the people than
their habitual nsincerity and consequent ineonsis
tency on all public questions.
The Democracy Of Tennessee and the majority of
their party throughout the country have always Op-
posed an indiscriminae waste the pubielands for
the benefit Of local interests and private corpora
lions and advocated the policy Of outstanding them
homes for the people as the density Of population
and the high price of lands in the old States should
force them to seek hOmesin the new. In the speei-
Gus argument however, that the alternate sections
reserged by tie Government would be doubled in
value by the constructions Of these roads, many
Democrats in Congress found a preezt for aband-
Oning principle to promote the local interests Of
their constituents; and in this way were induced by
majority of our political opponents, to unite with
them in an ind discriminate waste Of the public do
main. From the first, the Democracy Of Tonnes
see, as party, have deprecated this policy, but
found no sympathy on this question with their OPP
ponents- ....
All at once, since Mr.. BELL has desired prete1t
for revyiug the old obsolete issue of Distribution,
our opponents have discovered that there has been
most reckless and shameful squandering Of the
public lands, and with an efrOniery unparalleled,
are charging it upon the Democratic party. Where
the responsibility properly rests can easily be ascer-
tanned by reference to the official journals Of Con
gress By way Of giving proftable employment to
those interested in the subject charge and defy
a refutatiOn.
lst That no where in the course Of his long po-
Itical record can it be shown that Mr.. BELL ever
opposed this waste of the public domain; that he
ever voted against more than one or two Of the
many bills introduced on this subject and then not
from opposition to the policy, but to the mere de-
tails Of the bill.
2nd That, with but one OF two exceptions, the
majority Of the Democratic members in Congress
have uniformity voted against these piratiCal land
schemes. Andt with equal uniformity the ma
jori'y Of the opposition have voted for them.
Does Mr. BELL himself deprecate this policy +?
Does he propose by his Distribution bin to pat an
end to this odious system OF legislation! That we
may do him no injustice and put to shame the par
tizan retainers who are harping this subject, we
will let Linn answer for himself by copying the fol
lowing extract from his speech delivered in the
Senate on the introduction Of his BILL as published il
the Banner Read it.
81 wish further 10 state that it will he found in
the provisions Of this bill that change proposal
"a theDOlcU Of this GgvcrHWrD "a making liberal grants
ofDu5c lands 20 the States Which the public domain
hes for the purpose Of aiding the construction
Of railroads and canals. / ieags that altogether an.
f0uched-T leore hat policy 10 operate As HERETOFORE
however beneficial II may be 10 those States beyond
anything enjoyed ly the other States. On this
ground trust shall meet with no opposition to this
bill from the members Of the Senate representing
the new States II proposes no limitation Of that
policy except such Limitation as Congress in its dis
erection ought 10 impose under all circumstances. Ii
affords no grounds for hostility the part Of the
large proportion Of The members Of the Senate who
represent constituencies in The land States
The measure which propose does not nitateagans
the policy Of granting lands for railroads l The nsl
States. ] HAVE FAVORED THAT POLICY HERETOFORE,
for reasons connected with the public interest, AMI
DO NOT PROPOSE TO INTERFERE WITH IT IN BHN0EG
FORWARD THIS BILL.
81 repent that this bill does not interfere lrih or mill
tate ggdiHst the liberal policy heretofore peTsusd By
Congress, in making donations or grants Of public
lands for the construction Of railroads in the
no representative OF The States ought TO feel any
hostility"
It will thus be seen that Mr. BELL does not pro-
pose to check this pundering Of the public lands,
7hich he is careful in stating he has heretofore IA
vored but simply increase the plundcring by inti-
atng the other States into the general system
Of corruption. Such Of the Know Nothing papers
as have taken a different view Of the subject, and
gone off upon the idea that he was opposed to the
system, should procure his speech and inform them
selves upon the subject lest thcy involve themselves
ininextricable difficulties.
The Democracy are equally opposed to the indis-
crimate waste oflhe public domain by every means.
They regard il as the common property Of the pso-
pZe, mot Railroad companies nor States,) which
should be carefully Lusbuuded as homes for our
selves and children, to be settled as circumstances
and our necessities may require, upon such terms
will be just to the Government and just to them
selves
Let the honest masses of every party, who de
sire to relieve the country Of this ruinous policy in
future, Join with tie great body Of the Democracy
in their present effort TO check the wrongs complain
ed of and establish principles of justice and fair
dealing in their stead.