Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-04-09
hon. JAMES q. THOMAS.

We publish 10 day the card of this gentleman
declining to permit bis name to be used in councc-
ton with the candidacy for Congress in the fifth
Congressional district
The patriotic and liberal tone that char
actcrizes the card of Mr.. THOMAS is worthy
OF his known devotion to Democratic principles,
and will but increase the fattering respect and n
fiencs which his party so justly entertain toward
him. The man who seeks promotion at the hnz-
ard Of correct principles is unworthy to be the
representative of those principles We commend
this example TO the consideration Of our friends
throughout the State and trust that the same lau.
dable desire to preserve harmony in our ranks may
be as general as it is commendsble
E~ We will add our belief that the colored
race IN this State IS fully as competent to vote
honestly sud wisely, and has quite as large stake
IN the community ss thousands of foreign born
residents, ustursllzsd and unnatural zed, who sre
found every year punctuslly at tie polls. Nslg
York Mirror
The black republican press Of the north is as
bitterly danuncistory of the foreign born citizen
as the intensified know nothing pspers of tbesOuth
and obviously for the same reason-that he does
not vote to suit them. Amongst our nsturslzed
citizens, one may occasionally be found SO wanting
in selErespect-so dead to all the feelings of true
manlness-so recreaut to the instructive feeling Of
resistance to injustice and oppression, which ma
ture has implanted in every generous soul, IS TO
vote and act with political party that seeks TO
ostrscise and degrade him. And the fact that
these creatures, with the form of manhood, but the
craven spirit OF the slaves do exist is the strongest
argument ever urged in favor Of know nOthingsm.
But 10 the credit Of human nature, be it said these
instances are very rare. So too with regard to
sbolitioaism.
The great body of the foreign born population
fee from the expressions of a privileged aristoc-
racy and the prosecutions Of licentous priest
hood in the old world, to enjoy among US the glo-
Tious boon of constitutional freedom and liberty of
conscience. They soOD discover that, in this cOun.
try, the party Of the people, are the Democracy.
Like tall prOmOntory between two raging seas,
against which the waves dash and break while It
s9reney lifts its head aloit, beacon and guide 10
The storm-driVen mariner, they see the Demo cratic
party standing an eternal barrier to tie progress
Of know nothing intolerance and prescription on
the one hand and the equally dangerous iCendOus-
ness Of aOoli ton fsnatclsm on the other. AL the
better class OF the foreign population are, there
fore, attracted to the Democratic party, BY law
as natural as that Of grAvtatiOn or chemical Hfn.
ity. And hence the incessRnt abuse Of them by
the republican party of the north aud the southern
rump of the know nothing party-the former de-
nouncipg them as slavery propsgandsts and theIst-
ter IS sbOlitiOnsts-while the Republican -Ameri-
cans join in the chorus, crying cruelty than, cru
city them; they are all Democrats.
We do not intend to discuss the question of the
relative qualification of the nsturslzsd citizens and
free negroes of the State of New York, for the
intelligent exercise of the elective franchise. We
submit that we see no reason, however, why in the
judgment Of the Mirror, free negr, es might not b
allowed to vote IN that State, or be made eligible
to their Legislature, or even to Congress. FIR
while 1t is claimed that their reimbursement will
largely increase the vote their election to these
Offices could detract nothing from the dignity or
credit Of the republican party. An ebony skin
does not necessarily cover black heart, aud Cuff
fee and Ssmbo could cast no darker shade upon tie
Imperial escutcheon, than have MATTEsoE and GIL
BERT We throw out this. suggestion as one worthy
the consideration Of the drsb-costed reormer of the
Tribune 1t would afford an ample field lOr the
exercise Of his peculiar talents, and we have 10
doubt the dsrkes would duplicate the Des Moines
DRAFT. BE might make it pay handsomely.
VIsuoRs.-Among the distinguished strangers in
our city are Gen. J. W. WHITFIELD, of Kansas, and
/ Hon. JOHN H. SAVAGE, Of the Mountain district.