Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-31
PROFESSIONS AGAINST PRACTICE.

The Know Nothing party, while protesting to
quiesce in the judgment rendered BY the people in
favor Of the Kansas Bil unWittingly furnish indu-
bable evidence that they do 50 under the pressure Of
a presumed necessity, and not from any considers
ioD Of patriotism The truth IS, the leaders Of the
party desire Oimpsss upon its honest followers the
conviction that they consider this settled CUES
ton, while is clear that in selecting their candi-
dates for Office opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska
law is regarded as the first and most important quail
ifeation. They are. ever ready % offer rewards 70
the enemies Of that bin, and equally prompt 10 their
efforts to punish its friends. Mr.. Ready and Gen.
ZOIicofFer, its supporters, saved themselves from
the work Of decapiiation by the joint operation Of
accidental circumstances and expert man@uvering,
Tbev barely escaped with their lives, from the we'll
concerted attacks Of their own party, and can
scarcely hope, with the little vitality remaining to
make a successful tight with the Democracy Gen.
Rivers Of the Memphis District, another friend to
the Kansas bin, was moro summarily disposed Of.
He refused bow his head at the mandate of Black
Republicanism, and paid the penalty Of his rash.
ness by being summary gillOtined, without trial.
Such was Che fate reserved by the Know Nothing
leaders in Tennessee for the friends Of that BILL in
the provisions Of which they pretend eheerfuly to
aceuiesee Let us look now to the present attitude
of those members of that party who eO-operated
with the Black Republicans in opposing the passage
of this bill The Hon. John Bell stands without
rival at the head Of the party, and if they obtain
majority in the next Legislature, win be elected
to the United States Senate Gen. Cullum, defeated
for reelection to Congress- on account Of his vote
against this law was, by the joint support OF the
Black Republican and Know Nothing parties in Con-
gress elected Clerk Of the House of Representatives
The Reverend Mr. Taylor, defeated for reelection to
Congress from the LIST District. is again the cand
date of his party in the same District, by the uni
versal appreciation of his political associates. Mr..
Etheridge, the peculiar favorite of the New York
Tribune, and the Radical Abolhonist is the candidate
of the Know Nothings for reelection to Congress
not by convention but as his friends say, " by &C
clamatiOn." And Mr.. Bugg, who represented the
9Th Congressional district and who also voted against
the Kansas BILL is at present the candidate of his
party for the State Senate. These are the gentle
men who, as Representatives in Congress from Ten
nessee, voted against the Kansas-Nebraska BILL and
such is the high estimate placed by their party
leaders upon their services
two to any real friend of the KansasNebraska law,
who may still continue to act with the Know Moth
ing party, and who confers his suffrage upon their
candidates. If, as the leaders of that party now
declare the principle of the Kansas-Nebraska bill
is settled, and if they yield hearty acquiescenoe to
that settlement, and in short, if it is longer
issue, why in the selection of candidates, do they
reject all its friends and adopt all It's eaeHaiss7 How
does it occur that all of that party who opposed the
passage of this law, by their votes in Congress,
either hold Office now, hare been selected By them,
and are at this moment candidates for office? Do they
net themselves make this question ISSUE while pro-
Tossing holy horror for its rentroduetiOn into the
party politics of the day? Is this the party, and
these the men who can be safely trusted as the
todans Of the honor and interests of Tennessee?
Have we not right to infer, that to these things
some meaning is attached-that they could not have
occurred from the operation Of accidental causes
and that they the fOrerunners of closer bond Of
union between the Know Nothing party in the South
and the opposition to the Democratic party in the
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