Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-05-16
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

The old shirt Of Federalism is manifesting itself
in Tennessee much more :ban it has for years past
This is the result Of the stirring Of the waters Tor
another new party The Memphis Bulletin expresses
its willingness to be 50 regarded, and seems to pride
itself upon the association The GAINESVILLE Chr0H-
;,s talks Federalism right out. 1t thinks that not
only our f0reign-born citizens, but large Poruon
of our Tennessesns are unit to exercise
the urerogatives Of freemen and should be dlsran-
chised We understand the Chronicle to be II FAVOR
of returning to the old federal doctrine OF properly
qualification The Franklin RsUisD Is also edl'eu Oy
a Federalist-one who we believe will feel proud
to know that he is so regarded. He believes that
no one should be eligible to seat in either house OF
the Legislature unless he has certain property
qualification, and that one should be permitted
to vote for member to the Senate who is not free
holder If we misrepresent either Of these gentle
men We shall take pleasure in making the proper
correction We have not their papers before US at
the moment of writing.
These same editors, in conjunction with renegade
Nortberp Democrats and Black Republicans, are in
favor of reconstruction of parties They argue
with the Nashville Banner, the Murfreesboro IeSs-
-4ph and the Knoxville Register, that Sin view oil
the existing state Of things the necessity for re-
construction Of parties is apparent" What inns
existing state Of things" is we not informed.
We confess ourselves curious for explanation,
and trust these gentlemen will do US and their read
ers the personal favor to give it, You may oil speak
at once.
In the absence Of any farther light upon the sub
iect We infer that this " existing state OF things
upon which the supposed necessity is pre- dcated' Is
simpIv this that the Democratic party is the party
Of the country, and that the only possible chance
for The KnowNothingsin Tennessee to get into ONCE
is to abandon Messrs. ZoLLICOFFER, READY and
MAYNARD. give up their identity as Americans
and follow Mr.. BELL into alliance with Northern
Abolitionism, Of every hue and grade, under some
new name hereafter to be agreed upon. That suoh
,rould be the case in some of the Southern States
Mr.. SEWARD had positive assurance before ne De
livered his recent speech against the admission Of
Kansas. in which he warned the Democratic mem
hers that in the next contest they would find Messrs
CprTrrvprv. BELL and other Southern gentlemen
against them and that they would go before the
poople no longer in the character of party that
balances equality between freedom and slavery
but in the detested character Of party intervening
for slavery against freedom. WhsH you go 0goTs
t6s people nolr you JgH meet them not as hsrsoiore
f0 or three factions, dlU3irg and gvi7g you triumph
BIZ reason Of Isr decisions, BUT YOU WILL NEET ONE
PARTY ONLY 07d that party combined, rss0sats and
directed By d sincere and s0mm2H deUOhoHTO The PTr-
cipls, q maintains"
Such are the signs Of the times. We observe it
with pleasure and without the slightest alarm 1t
is lust the contest we want to see made uP-naton-
alitv on one hand and all the combined isms on the
other. Il will test the virtue, intelligence and
patriotism of the people and the stability OF our
institutions. If they cannot stand such test the
sooner we know It the better