Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-12-15
N NASHVILLE:
TUESDAY, DECEMBER Is, 1857.

Never in our history has greater num-
Der Of more important or more difficult
questions, pressed themselves upon the
country, than at the present moment. The
all-absorbing question of slavery has ar
rived in its progress, to the point at which
it is to be practically settled, or is to com
pIetely sectionaIize the country. The ques
! tions relating to the currency, are again
presented prominently in all their difficult
length and breadth. The tariff laws, are
in fit state for renewed discussion and
modification. The public land system
if indeed the policy which has of late
years been pursued respecting them, can
be called system-calls loudly for modif-
cation and correction. The still further
extension of the organized area of the
country, in the erection of other territories.
The open hostility and declared defiance of
the authority and power of this govern
ment, by the Church of the Latterday
Saints-and their present attitude of re-
bellion The vast and constantly increas-
ing expenditures of the government, and
the practicability of retrenchment. The
construction of an inland highway of COM
munication between our possessions on the
Atlantic and Pacific, which shall be foreY-
er free from interruption, by the interfer
ence of any foreign power whatever.
These are essentially domestic. But those
questions springing up in our intercourse
with foreign countries, are of no less mag
nitude, involving as they do the honor as
we'll as the continued peace and CONNER
cial prosperity of the Republic. The prin-
cipal of these is that with Great Britain in
relation to the subject of colonization by
that grasping, not to say aVariciOus, pow
er, in the Western Hemisphere-the final
establishment of the doctrine announced
during the administration of Mr.. Monroe,
or its abandonment by this government.
This stands at the head of all others be-
cause it involves important principles, both
of right and cOmity-and their permanent
settlement by the two first and greatest
powers of the earth, will establish prece-
dent for the future guidance Of the world.
Following this are our immediate relations
with those governments with which we
have outstanding differences, though no
open rupture-such are the unadjuSted diff
fculties with Spain, New Granada and
Paraguay And another of probably not |
less moment, is the suppression of expedi-
tons fitted out in this country for the pur-
pose of invading other countries with the |
view of revoIutionizing them, either with |
or without the aid of the people of that
other government.
Under these circumstances, the message |
of the Chief Magistrate, was looked for
with great eagerness by the country. Nee
essarily treating at some length of each
and all of these subjects, it was expected
to be long; and from the continued strain
Of eulogy with which the Presidents par
-izan friends have uniformly spoken of his
abilities, from the hour of his nomination
to the present it might have been expect
ed that it would be the ablest State paper
Of its kind, sent to Congress and the
country for many years. In regard
to the first there has been no disappOint-
ment; but as respects the latter, of course
there will be diversities of opinion. Never
having been noted for especial brilliance,
no one supposed the message of the Presi-
dent would prove an exception to his usual
, CT. -, . I;toro~y oOunpOCitiOD Tn this
particular, neither it nor any of its success
sors are likely to sprOut any laurels about
the brow of it's author. His past history |
indicates to our mind, that his chief forte |
was as a trimmer. The responsibilities Of !
his position, and the uncompromising char
acter of the questions with which he has |
to deal, have deprived him of these advan-
in the matter Of the curren-
cy and the tariff, wherein he still exhibits
a smack of his polite failing. His posi-
lions are taken generally with cearness,
and maintained with some force and power;
it manifests degree of frmness on some
subjects, which we are pleased to see; and
with our previous impressions of his char
acter, we are far from disparaging the
message when we say it reflects no dscredit
upon the President Upon the whole it is
straightforward, matter of fact docu-
ment. We have not the space this morn
ing to enter into an examination of the
substantive merits of the various positions
assumed upon the questions embraced in