The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-11-27
A NEW PHASE OF SECTIONALISM
fFrom The Press.l

From The Press.J
We are grati6ed to perceive, from several
Of the leading papers in the Southern States
that the contingency Of rejecting Governor
Walker, when his nomination is TRANSMITTED
10 the Senate BY the President, which seem
cd 90 probable only few weeks ago. is mol
now so likely to happen. The ground upon
which ii was supposed Gov. Walker would
be rejected was a common ground, upon
which both the extremes Of the Senate,
North and South, were expected to harmo-
ni.e. Their complaints against Gov. Walker,
n not exactly similar, were sufficiently so to
induce common action against him; and while
this union, reluctant or otherwise, appeared
to be highly probable, frankuess compels us
to say, :here were few complaints made
against the Republicans by the violent enc
mics Of Walker in the Southern States. The
fact that Mr. Greeley and his conductors were
ready to recommend the rejection of Gov.
Walker, made but sight impression on the
New Orleans Delta, the Richmond South,
and other journals Of that school; but since
the rejection of the attempted frauds at Ok
ford and Niece, new aspect has been Civ
en- to the question.
The Republican Senators will be compel
cd TO change ground, and instead Of voting
to reject Gov. Walker, they will be forced to
follow public opinion in the free States,
id h.
lievs will just men OF the South, that he
should be confirmed; so that il he Is to he
rebuked for his last demonstration in favor Of
q fair election, it will be IN unavaiug at
tempt, so far rs the Senate is concerned, and
the enterprise will only consolidate the North,
without distinction of party, in his favor.
Now, If there is one thing against which
we have more Perseveringly protested than
another, IL is this calamity Of sectonalsm.-
twas the fear that the North would be con-
solidated against the South, and the South
consolidated against the North, which so
largely contributed to put the Democratic
candidate into the Presidency 10 1856. Sec.
tionalism, or geographical party, is that evil
10 our system which the patriots of the Revo.
lutionary era anticipated with dismal fore
bodings, and against which Washington ad-
monishsd his countrymen in his Farewell Ad-
dress. And it would be q sad thing to sec.
tionaiize this country on question like the
Oxford and MCGEE frauds. II would be
most disgraceful spectacle to see a public
servant repudiated and condemned because
he had set forth in defence of the purity OF
tho ballot box, and in favor of the principle
that the majority Of the people should rule;
for, however men may mystify the issue, this
is the great principle involved. These con
siderations have doubtless presented them
selves forcibly to our Southern fellow-citi-
zens; and we are clearly indebted for the i'm.
proved condition Of things, to the fact that
no man is willing to run the hazard of pre-
cpitating the disaster of sectionaism upon
the country upon the objections now urged
against Robert J. Walker. Let US be frank
with each other. The prospect of making
Kansas slave State is hopeless. There is
not Southern man who believes such
thing possible. Every demonstration shows
that the majority of the people of Kansas
are in favor Of making it a free State; and
we greatly mistake the Southern people If
they can be rallied in support of any policy
against Governor Walker which has for its
basis neither more nor less than tact en-
dorsement of the monstrous and notorious
wrongs which, in the dscarge of his high
duties, and following the dictates of his con-
science. with all his Southern proclivities,
with oil his long career of devotion to the
South, he was compelled to condemn and to
defeat.