Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-07-21
The Criftenden Amendment.
The BanaeT reasons thus

The 6dndeT reasons mus
"HoW infinitely ridiculous and stultfying, then,
is the course Of the Southern democratic press in
denouncine Bell and Crittendsn because freesolers
invited them psrske of public duner, as though
Buchanan is not as much freesoiler any pOliti-
clan Of the North-ss though his Northern friends
not thoroughly and completely freesoh IN their
principles by education and association All such
attacks upon Bell and Crittenden are simply foolish
and ridiculous; they are made with the deliberate
pnrpose of raising the hue and cry against them,
regardless Of whether they do those distinguished
Southern statesmen Injustice or not-sye with the
full knowledge that they do them foul injustice
Now the idea that John Bell and John J Criuenden
are unsound on the slavery question, and that James
Buchanan and John Van Buren, are sound, is an
absurdity that democratic leaders would not be
guilty Of but they know they msy safely calculate
upon che well known gulhbihty Of the masses Of
their party"
Now we think it pretty clear that the freesoilers
intended to. compliment the course Of Messrs. BELL
and CRIrTEEDEE on the slavery question by inviting
them-io partake of public dinner and it is equally
clear that, had they believed "BUcHAEAE as much
free-sOiler as any politician Of the North, or even
as much free soiler as BELL and CRITTEEDEN, they
would have extended the invitation to him. They
kn0w their friends.
The Bonner has a CO ,labOrer in the work Of Prsis
ing CRIrrESDES, in JOSHUA R GDD1EGs, of. Ohio
We give below an extract from an address to his
constituents which he has lately published. This
man who congratulated CRIrTEEDEN on his course,
and with tears of joy announced his readiness to
follow him, said in one of his speeches:
"IloOk forward to the day when there shall be a
ssrVils iRsurTectiOn in the South when the black
man. armed with British bayoRes and led on by Brit
ish officers shall assert his freedom, and wage war
Of determination against his master ehsn the torch
Of the Rcsdiary shall light the ORs and cities Of the
South and blot out the last vestige Of slavery. And
though may not mock at their calamity, nor laugh
when their fear cometh, get 17iH hail az as The darn
Of political ElIleHiua1."
he supported CRITTENDEE's amendment, and
here are his reasons for it. As approval Of that
amendment is q test of "Americanism," we are
willing fer Tsnnesseans to see why they should sup
port it. Dir. GIDDEGs says:
s'The proposed denied in the most unmis
takeable language that Kansas Slave State, as
the President had officially asserted; it placed him on
the records OF our country falsfer OF truth, and
constituted an unqualified reputation Of his avOW-
ed policy. Nor could we disguise the conviction
that the friends Of the President in the Senate
would never agree to the bill when thus amended.
They could only accept by an abandonment Ofthe
President and of his lOng-eherishei policy. All
we're conscious that 10Th the Executive and Demo-
cratic party we're under the control of the Slave
Power; that power demanded the unconditional sd-
mission of Kansas a Slave State, and that several
States and many politicians were pledged to dis
solve the Union unless Kansas was Internationally
admitted with her LeeOmpton Constitution. 1t was
therefore morally certain that adherence to the
amended bill by the House would constitute de-
feat of the Executive and his party and would PreUst
the enactment Of the LseOnptOH Constitution fHtO
ldW
All clearly foresaw that every friend of the
President in the House, and in the Senate, would
vote against the amended BILL and, as VIC supposed
sIl who voted for the bill were sOlemnly pledged to
adhere to it. We all saw that TO make Kansas a
Free State we must first defeat the Presidents eff
forts TO make it SLAVE State. His project was be-
fore US was forced upon. for decision, and must
be met aud disposed Of before oUd take the first
step toward making Kansas free And speak not
for myself, but I think for nearly the entire Rep
ublican party in the House Of Representatives when
say that our object and design in voting for the
amendment was TO DEFEAT tbs SENATE BILL; TO
defeat the Executive aud the Slave Power in their
efforts 10 make Kansas SlaUs State. To avoid thai
defeat every follower Of the President, both in the
House and in the Senate, voted against the amend
ment"