Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-11-29
Keep up the Agitation.

There is body of miserable, graceless
politicians in this country, who have adopted
the above az a motto, and who think and
dream, and act under no other. They exist
at the South as well as at the North, without
any unity of purpose whatever, save gen.
eral common interest in self-preservation.
They live by this agitation, and whenever
they suffer its fires to burn out are 60 Instant,
ice-bound, frost-bitten and used up. AS soon
as one issue has been settled. another is pro-
posed. which in its turn flames, eliminates
and goes down. There seems to be but one
remedy-that applied by Hercules in the de-
struction of the Hydra-take off the heads
and scar the wounds. That majority of the
people of the United States is sick, tired, dis
gusted, and ashamed of this eternal din of
slavery. is incontestibly shown by the singu-
lar fact that those who agitate most, profess
the greatest desire TO have it ended-thus as
Stunning the voice of patriotism to insti the
precepts of treason. Kansas was the last
pretext-it has been squeezed dry. What
next? "Will asy one" asks Mr.. HAMMOND.
estate the practical question, if we offer them
none-and we have none to offer-on which
they are next to rally?" The interrogatory,
and the parenthetical affirmation are peril
nent ard true addressed to the people-but
wholly impairment and untrue when adj
dressed to the politicians If not at the next
Congress, at least before the next presidential
campaign. general orders will be issued to
stir the fres--and pretended practical
mil IN. faI To IIv
In the South, slavery will be in imminent
danger of being crushed out, and the Union
hence dissolved. At the North the entire
people will be about to be overrun and tram
Piled under foot by the slave oligarchy. We
already have the foreshadowing. SEWARD
and his associates and echoes have fixed
upon and adopted watchword. The dis
contented spirits of the South have whispered
the issue of Congressional protection of
slavery in the territories while in a territorial
condition. The right OF petition, Missouri
Compromise. abolition in the District of
Columbia, the Wilmot proviso, non-inter-
vention by Congress, squatter sovereignty
popular sovereignty, have had their day.
and each for the time-being answered its pur-
pose. They are hung up to dry and decay.
The "momentous' campaign of 1860 APP
proaches, and the high-plumed demagogues,
place hunters and spOils-gatherers, booted
and spurred, are skrting the field, in pre-
liminary survey of the ground Undoubted-
ly, if permitted, the sham democratic leaders
and the black republican leaders, will pro-
duce contest of the sections in 1860, as they
did in 1856. The people are to resolve that
they may brew their schemes unmOlested, or
that they shall not be permitted to do so at
all.
Fortunately as we believe, for the country.
In all the rage of previous conflicts, there has
been a small band of conserv alive nationals,
scattered throughout the Union from Maine
to Texas, powerless so far as Office is concern
ed, but strong in their devotion to the consti
tuition and the Union. These are the Ameri-
cans and old Wings, who have set their
faces as flint against the mischievous ma
chinations Of their triumphant opponents.
We conscientiously believe that in their hands
yet rests the redemption of the country from
the hands of these mischief-makers and agi-
tators in both sections. If they shall assert
their principles and maintain them with half
the energy their truth and purity demand,
they will be able to throttle, one in either
hand, the northern and southern bodies of
conspirators against the peace of the Repub-
lie. This may be done-but not by aiding in
the revival of those questions that have riven
the country into sections. They shall have
higher issues and nobler incentives before
they shall succeed. They shall treat these
dead questions of Lecompton and anti-Le-
compton as having passed to the great polit-
cal potter's-feld- worthless debris of defunct
hobby-if they sincerely desire peace. They
shall assert the constitution as it is. and on
this question of slavery, maintain the final
doctrine of non-interference as laid down by
WEBSTER and CLAY during the model admin
istration of FILMoRE--the corollary of the
sovereignty of the people, and the adjudca-
tions of the U. s. Supreme Court. Thisis
broad. and just aud comprehensive enough
for the nation, and the people will, sooner or
later, see it.