Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-05-28

THURSDAY, MAY as, 1857.

The Democracy paDderinE to Freesoil-
ism, in the disposition Of the Public
Lands.
In another column of our paper to-day,
may be found an article from the Richmond
| (Va.) Wing, to which we invite the atten-
ton of our readers. The charge is there
distinctly made, that it is the intention and
policy of the democratic party to conciliate
the new States, so rapidly springing up in
our Northwestern territories-in other
words, to purchase, buy up these States
by liberal grants of public lands, and thus
secure them to the democracy. As pro-
foundly sensible as we are in our belief, of
the trickery and knaYery of many of the
leaders of that party, to compass their per-
Sonal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, at any cost to the
general welfare, we should hesitate long
to believe that any respectable portion Of
that party, or of the leaders of it, had so
far lost every sense Of honesty and good
faith, as to lend themselves to scheme, so
abhorrent to every idea of integrity and
justice, as that here charged. But that
there are men and papers belonging to
that party, who and which would gladly
avail themselves of such means, the facts
now being developed most clearly indicate.
The Richmond Enquirer, whose democracy,
we believe, has never been questioned, has
gone so far in this direction as to say, that
sooner than see the public domain justly
and equitably disposed of among all the
States, it would go for giving the lands to
the States in which they lie! Rather than
see the Wing and American doctrines Of
an equal distribution, triumphant, it would
give up the whole public domain to the alb
olitionists and freesoilerS of the Northwest.
Such proposition as this, is enough to
startle the South, and to cause it to rise up
as one man, in condemnation of so gross
an outrage. 1t is outright treason, of the
deepest dye. 1t reduces the South to the
position of dependent province, which
has no rights in common with the other
States-she must pay her taxes-she must
bear her share in the common defence-but
when it comes to the advantages derived
from the union, she is scornfully and ar
rogantly denied participation, and yet
she is expected to submit and shout the
loudest hosannahs over her own shame and
humiliation
The views expressed by the Wing have
confirmation in other facts than the brazen
declaration of the Enquirer. The propo-
sal of the democracy to restrict the grants
Of lands to the new States, and mainly to
those where freesoil and abolition senti-
ments are predominant, unjustified as it is,
by any other principle of right either OF
reason or policy, would find its most reason
able solution and explanation, in this mo-
tive. The tableau of STANTON, LANE and
embracing each other with |
every mark of good-fellowship has scarcely
passed from the pablo view; and the de-
claration of their intention, if unable to
make Kansas slave State, they would
make it a democratic free State, has scarcely
died upon the public ear, before we have
the proposition Of the Enquirer. How are
these Southern rights and abolition cronies,
to achieve their purposes? Nothing would
facilitate so disreputable an enterprise more
than Liberal grants of the public lands,
and making sovereigns of every foreign
pauper and native interloper, who might be
shipped to the territory. But these grants
would fail of their object, if other States
of the South should be treated with the
same liberality. There must be the element
of faroritism before the boon as appreciated.
There must be decided and palpable ad
vantage gained before the bargain receives
the character of being good one. If the
land grants are made to all alike, it would |
then come as the air, or. water, or sunlight,
as common blessing, and there would be |
nobody to thank. This is a new develop
ment, and is worthy Of the closest scrutiny. |
If true, it would justify an instant change
of the policy of the Southern people in re-
spect to the public lands, aud require them
to demand that not another additional
acre of the public soil should be given
away. until we of the old States, and es-
pecially Of the South, shall have obtained
the full measure of our just and equal
rights. If this has been the secret policy |
of the democracy, now for the first time
openly avowed, let US, in the name Of every
thing we hold dear, know it. If it has not
been, and If these charges are untrue, let
them deny them in the most complete man.
ner possible, by boldly proclaiming and
voting for equality, in the distribution of
this fund. This we call upon the people to
DO; to forsake and repudiate those false
leaders, who are thus leading them into the
oitfall; and to assert their honor as men,
their rights in this govern
ment and knowing, dare maintain them"
We reiterate the questions propounded
by our contemporary Of the Wing, and ask
the presses and speakers of Tennessee if
A bin is introduced in the next Congress
to make the disposition of the public lands
equal among all the States, and another
bin to cede these lands TO the States in
which they lie, which will they support?
IL. Al ,.oa,,Ia 10 VnoEa thorn an |