Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-15
KNOW NoTHNGIsM AND ITS LBADERs.-THE

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they will take immediate steps to have a candidate
in the field for whom they can consistently vote
KNOW NoTHINGIsM AND ITS LEADERs-THE
ISSUES AND THE FACTS.
Circumstances within the last few months have
clearly indicated the programme Of the opposition
for the the ensuing canvass in Tennessee as furnish
ed them by Mr.. BELL. Though materially changed |
from the plan Of the canvass Of the last Governors
election, as promulgated through the famous " TExT
Book so generally distributed, ''by authority, " |
in every portion Of the Stateit proceeds upon the
same leading idea that Of deceving the people with
reckless assumptions and inconsistent ard insincere
professions of alarm for the condionof the cOun-
try. and desire to relieve it of such embarrass-
ments.
Know Nothingism proper, with all of its inten-
sity" and ZEAL has had fair test before the Ameri
can people, andhas been overwhelmingly condemned
by the popular voice, and placed beyond the posi-
bility Of resurrection. Nebraskaism, the new
phase which it assumed in the last canvass, in con
junction with the Black Republican party of the
North has been as effectually condemned by the pa
trotic masses ofhe country, and that condemnation
reafirmed by the unalterable decision Of the Su-
questions It became essential therefore, to the
purposes of Mr.. BELL and his party in Tennessee.
that new devices should be conjured up and a new
programme formed for the future, and by way Of re-
lievng themselves Of the oiium Of the past. Hence
the effort to revive the old and exploded idea of dis
tributing the proceeds Of the Public Lands among
the several States.
Fortunately for the people, but unfortunately for
Mr. BELL, he was forced to an admission on the
cent introduction of this question in the Senate,
which clearly explains his motive and denies him
ell claim to any other merit than that Of the mere
partisan tactieian.
Of all the public men of the country no one stood
more fully committed against Mr.. BELLS bill than
the present President. 1t was equally well known
that decided majority Of Congress were committed
against it. 1t would have been ridiculous therefore,
for Mr.. BELL to have pretended that he was re-agi
tating this exploded issue by the Introduction of his
bill with any hope that it would pass Congress
or receive the sanction of the President. 1t was
with these facts staring him in the face, that he
said in his speechn the Senate on the 9th Of Feb
ruary last:
d" / know that the time is UnprOpitiOus to the sue
cess of such measure, and DO not feel confident that
the time WILL EVER BE ia this country. 1t is impos
Gibe TO bring the attention Of Congress- or Of the
country any salutary extent, fear, 10 the course
Of policy which should be adopted by this Govern
ment in regard to The public service an a1rGre
that IHGy be regarded spending The time Of the Sen
ate Uery uScsyslv BIZ lr7tgg mem5as 10 consider the
subject; but few think that anything Of Importance
can be suggested on this question; and the reason
is that their attention is preoccupied by questions
Of kind another Of greater interest in their
judgment. "
But, Mr.. BELL should have continued Ineed a
hobby in Tennessee for the approaching State cleo
tions, that is to determine whether or not shall be
reelected to seat in this body. And notwithstan
ding the time is unproPoust to the success of such
measure. " and, notwithstanding it is impossible
to bring a Democratic Administration and the coun-
try to the adoption of such policy yet am willing
to be "regardedas spending he time Of the Senate
very uselessly, it, thereby, make an issue in
Tennessee which will divert public attention from
my coalition with the Black Republicans against the
Kansas BILL and my distinct pledge that if was not
sustained by my constituents would not be found
in my seat misrepresenting them another day. If
can do this and relieve Know Nothingism of its pre-
sent odium by furnishing asg element Of excite
ment, what matters 1t how much l waste the public
time and distract the councils of the nation?
Such continuation of his speech would have been
frank and manly IN Mr.. BELL, though scarcely ne
eessary to render his real motive apparent to the
world.
Mr.. BELLS distribution policy is now the theme Of
unceasing praise with the opposition press The
sTExr Book" which in the last canvass was so
much in favor, is never quoted from. The dusty
rubbish Of the garnet would have to be searched to
find copy Of that remarkable production. The
Pope, the Jesuits and the Inguisition longer
sources Of alarm; but the great danger is that
the country is being reckessly plundered Of its
rich public domain, for the benefit Of particular
sections, and to enrich the land obbers and the cap
itasts The Banner says that Sc the enormous guam
tity Of !5celrs million Of Of land granted
to the territory Of Minnesota blythe last Congress %
True every word Of it, but the Banner did not state
the still more important fact that MR.. BELL VO-
TED FOR IT-and the additional fact that EVERY
MAN 10ho r0tsd agausti q, the Senate WAS A DEMO
Graf For the information Of the public, we copy
the Senate vote which taken ON the l4th day of
February, 1857; from which it viii be seen that Of
all those who voted against this plunderiug project
there was not one Of the opposition to be found:
YEAs-Messrs Allen, Bell of Tenn. Benjamin.
Brown. Cass Criuendeu, Dodge, Douglas, Dur
kee, Fish. Fitch, Foote Foster, Geyer, Green,
lTerSOu. James Johnson JOLtHr NA'iiols -'Nl-
ris, Pearce Rusk Sebastian, Seward, Stewart,
Toombs, Trumbull, Wade Weller, Wilson and Yu-
lee.-32.
NAYs-Messrs Biggs, Bigler, Brodhead, Clay,
Evans, Hunter, Mason, Pugh, Reed, and ShdelL
10.
The vote on the same biz, after having been
amended in the House, stood, Is Democrats fOT it,
to2s Democrats against it. or the olposition, in
GLIDING Know Nothings proper and know Nothing
Black Republicans, SO voted forit, and but 81 against
it,
We should behighly gratifed at the Indignation our
opponents are manifesting this reckless waste
of the public domain if the facts upon the record
did not convict them Of the most shameful insncer
ity not to say hypocrisy, in their professions Of
the tr9 hundred million acres Of public lands that
have been voted away by Congress, Mr.. BELL, as far
as the record speaks upon the subject, voted inra
riqby in the atfrma1rs If there is a single eXcep-
ton we call upon his organ to show it. And more
than this, he majority of Mr.. BELLS party have in
variably ro.ad rl tim in this reckless waste of the
public domain
In striking contrast with this course of Mr.. BELL
and his party, the majority of the Democratic MEM
bers in Congress- have, with but one or two exeep-
tions, uniformly voted against such propositions
One Of those exceptions was the Act granting