Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-05-02

tIi0e OF free trade and deny the power OF Congress
| to impose duties upon imported merchandise for
any other than revenue purposes, while anoth
class boldly and openly assert both the power aud
the policy of sffJrjing incidental encouragement
and protection to all the great branches OF domestic
| industry aud production.
The public land furnishes further subject, ex-
hbting in a striking manner the inconsistent doc
trnes and practices of the leaders OF the party in
| power. While all proclaim their earnest determi-
nation to uphold the equal rights of the States 10 all
respects; they pursue course of policy in the dis
position of the public lands the most unequal and
unjust to part of the States--some OF them deny
ing the power of Congress to distribute among the
S ates e Il or the lands or their proceeds, yet
| yield to the demands of that class OF them which
has no scruples as to constitutional power 10 max
ing large donations of lands to the States in which
| they lie, thus furnishing ample means for the con
structiOn of railways and canals, aud at the same
Time supplying them with permanent sources of
revenue Tor the support of their governments, and
all this they do under palpsble evasion OF their
own constitutional principles, assuming as pre-
text or color for the departure from their pfiu,i-
pies that these partial distributions of portions of
| thu public domain increase the public rev' nue. by
enhancing the value Of the remainder, and brin. ing
| them more sp sedily into m irket, when, in fact
| this policy has grown up and attained its present
eEormity within period when one evil OF the times
was the large surplus in the treasury, giving rise
| to wasteful expenditures and the most mlschevous
schemes Of territorial acquisition and annexation
| If any further evidences were wanting oil the
sngularly Inconsistent and contradictory views and
doctrines b. Ii by the leaders of the party in
| mower il might be found in the well known d.
versity Of opinions avowed by them in the inter
probation of the Kansas Nebra ka bill one division
OF them earnestly maintaining that the people OF
territory have the sole aud exclusive right, through
their territorial legislatures, TO regulate th,lr do
nestle institutions rs they think prOptr,-whlle
| another class of them maintain, with equal earn
| estness that the people of territory have no
| right TO exclude slavery while their government
| continues III the territorial form-some of the
more prominent in the first class, insisting before
the people that the provisions OF the Kansas Ne
| b. aska Till constituted great measure OF freedom
which, in their operation, would prevent the for
nation of any more slave States, while those who
commended for different interp cation maintained
that the prime iples of the bill essential to the
interests of the South, in securing the formation
! aud admission of new slave States. But at the
last, after bringing the country to the verge Of
| civil war, by the agtations attending the subject,
aud after those who rekihdled the fires of that
controversy had through its nstrumeutality secured
the possession of power both the squatGer soVe-
rcignty anditbe antl-squatt,r sovereignty wing
of the party, with singular GOODNESS, announced to
the world, that they understood, and understood
from the first, that the question about which they
differed was simply OF constitutional interprc-
tation, and that the supreme court was the proper
tribunal to decide it. There, let the question rest
now and forever.
But the catalogue of adverse doctrines and
opinions held by separate cl ,sses OF the leaders
| of the party is power, is not yet exhausted
| mo jOrity Of them support the dCctine that
aliens not naturallzsd according to tie laws and
constitution of the United States, ought TO be
allowed the right of suffrage in the Territories
equally with the native born and naturally .citi-
gems, while a strong minority protest against the
| allowance Of any such privileges to alien inhabi-
tants Of the Territories and yet, all or nearly all
of them, do not scruple to admit and maintain the
power OF the States to confer the right of suffrage
upon aliens within their limits in all elections both
STATE aud national any provision in the constitution
of the United States to the contrary notwith-
! standing.
Such are the materials Of which the party in pow
| er is compounded-such the inconsst, mt and con-
Trajectory doctrines and policy Of the men also
who now control the destinies OF the country, and
| who claim expression 10 the next August cleo
lions Of the confidence OF the people of Tenns nee
in their disposition aud cap city to govern il in
peace aud security-to promote its pro- p-rity-to
uphold all lis invaluable institutions and any for
ward succt sstuly and triumphantly the great plan
of srlfgoyernment devised by the wisdom of our
ancestors. When il is most notorious, that many
OF the ruling spirits of the party in power, entertain
sentiments, some Of aVowed Indifference and others
OF Unsurpassed hostility to the Union ITSELF how
can an enlightened people, who cherish the Union,
feel any confidence that such men will not set on
foot new schemes and devices cunningly conceived
aud aItfully pressed with view to renew and per-
petuute the agitation upon a subject which 80 re-
Gently threatened fatal catastrophe When il il
known that the official head OF the party entertans
or did, at no late date, entertain opinions and cen
tments upon one branch Of public policy, which, if
carried out could otfAl to embroil US with foreign
powers, how Can the people have any confidence
IN the assurances held out that the country will not
| be involved in an unnecessary war?
Upon a review OF the whole ground, and consid-
ering the magnitude OF the interests involved, the
members Of this convention unanimously aud ear
n.stly appeal TO all those, whether Americans,
wings or democrats in their past party associations,
who cannot give their trust aud confidence 10 aDy
such combination Of mrn, as that which, In the
psme OF democracy, seeks to perpetuate its power,
20 unite 10 vigorous opposition, waving all minor
points of difference, sacrificing al personal predi
lrcons in the selection OF candidates and looking
oaly to the success Of the cause and the support
OF the leading sentiments aud principles embraced
ia the following resolutions
| keSo red, by THIS Convention that the ahuSes
end ultra Tendencies Of the party in power. calm
itsef the democracy, merit the earnest opposition
of every friend Of the Uuion and the Constitution
Resolved, That the best Interests OF the eoanlry,
present aud prospective, .quire a mat riai modi-
/ d-ation OF the naturaiz ton laws, in order 70
guard against the evils OF foreign influence in the
administration Of our Governments
Resolucd, That ~e utterly rcpudate the doctrine
which comedies aliens me right Of snfir'ge and
places them on an eqsal footing With the native
and natrraIizei ctz-as Of the Vnited States, Ia
framing the organic lws Of new States, a. equal,
atjost and GnNi,e, and siolatioa OF the Con
situation.
RssoirsI That eli the States Of the Union arr
eLtsied 20 ,rtic patton IN toe pnolic bounty anC
thai the policy OF the party 10 power By whoa los
public lands are appropriated, 10 large qaantisirs
fSr The benf6t 0. particular State, Is sHla'ss nn
equal and hilarious 70 the old States, and oash
n0s 10 be olsrated.
Resolved That Tennessee, 10 her insulsted posi
tor. her, tolore omit cd among the lavortes 10 n.
sistrihulioa Of the public lsnds, with hrr load q
Debt, incurred for the development Of her resour
ces, hes q deep stake 10 that policy which saeli q
her justice, aad supply he meals Of saving be
| peeple frcm taxation.
Resotsed, That Congress has power, ander th'
var clsns- Of the Consultation, 20 aid Ia The con
slraeiion Of ghe Pacific Railroad, and thai The en-
tension Of sueh aid Il highly sxpecienL
EssOfs<2, That The FEDERAL ualon bslng the 90
" safeguard Of American liberty, every trse pasFi
Of sholld desols hia Dess enefscs 20 - prsssFFa
ton.
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