The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-05-07
KANSAS A DEAD LOSS TO THE
SOUTH-SOUTHERN DEMOCRATIC
VIEWS OF THE FUTURE.

/
SOUTH-SOUTHER DEMOCRATIC
VIEWS OF THE FUTURE.
Our Southern democratic politicians, though
somewhat late in the day, are coming down
frankly to the confession that that Kansas
Nebraska bill was to the South grave mis-
take, humbug, delusion and snare; that,
in fact, this beautiful specimen Of Southern
rights and "popular sovereignty" secured to
the South through the generosity Of Mr.
Douglas, has proved to be only another Tro.
jan horse full OF armed men. In a short but
significant article, which we transfer to these
columns from the New Orleans Bee, the edi-
tor mournfully says that "truly the Kansas
measure has proved disastrous blow to the
South" that sit has generated renewed dis
cord, strengthened free soil, and hopelessly
divided the only party that claimed an odor
of nationality"
What next? The South must, of course,
prepare for the desperate but inevitable alter.
native Of disunion. Sweeping his telescope
around the political horizon, our New Orleans
contemporary il brought to this melancholy
conclusion. He says, 1--WE are afraid tha:
these spring elections are only portents Of
gloomier tdings hereafter" that 1--WE appre-
heud that Pennsylvania, Indiana and Illinois,
which, by unrivalled tact and unwearied ex-
ertion, were saved in 1866 from falling into
the free soil quagmire, will return to their
walow, and that before the expiration Of the
present year every non slaveholding State 10
the Union, with the possible exception of
California, will rally under the victorious
standard of black republcanism. And then?
Why, then we are told that "ihe South will
be in n certain and absolute minority, and
may vninly look to the North for sympathy
| or succor."
These views, at the first glance, wear q
very plausible complexion. That Kansas
Nebraska bill has been disastrous expert
ment to the South. II came within an inch
of electing republican President in 1856; it
has given the disputed territory to the North,
on both sides Of the Missouri line; it will
make Kansas the most radical anti slavery
State in the Union; it has hopelessly demor.
allied and broken up the once powerful
Northern democracy; and the results thus far,
in the recent spring elections, from New
Hampshire to Missouri, would seem to~i indi
cate that "before the expiration Of the present
year" every Northern Stale will be in the
possession of the black republican party
We think, however, that the present dislo-
Gated and transtory condition Of parties and
party politics at Washington will justify a
widely different conclusion.
Granted that the Northern democracy are
hopelessly broken to pieces, what bond of
union remains to give the black republicans
the absolute occupation of the North They
have completely stultified themselves in Con-
gress upon the Lecompton constitution, in
voting, over and over again, with IA condition
precedent" for the admission of Kansas as n
slave State. Thus they have themselves de-
molished their own platform Of mo more
slave States" so that now, with the admis-
sion of Kansas under any bill, their political
capital of this Kansas anti.slavery agitation
will be exhausted. They will no longer
possess that shibboleth with which, for four
years past, they have carried all before them
in the North, that cry Of resistance to the
slave democracy, and their base attempts to
force slavery into Kansas by border rufiiun
invssions, frauds and peIuries, and United
States dragons. With the admission of
Kansas, all this capital for Buncumbe will be
gone; and when the great excitement which
has created this formidable Northern party
ceases, the party thus created will be shorn
Of its redundant strength.
We have no doubt however, that upon the
general distractions Of the anti-slavery agita.
ton the republican party will continue stout
ly to dispute the field; but from the present
appearance of things there will be balance
of power against them which will at least
carry the election of 1860 into the House of
Representatives. This is our theory. Mr..
Douglas and his camp followers have been
read out of the regular democratic camp, and
they will stay out In 1860 the rump Of the
late great national democratic party will meet
at Charleston, where, from the peculiar ne
cessities of the case, the South, more point
edly than on any previous occasion, will con-
troll the nomination and the platform. In a
word, they will make the regular democratic
ticket of 1860 a Southern ticket, which can
not be supported by any party IN the North,
all our Northern parties having become in
fected or subjec, 10 anti.slavery sentiments,
more or less.
Next, in 1860, as in 1856, the remnant of
the old Southern whig party, in some new
shape, will probably have their ticket in the
field, North and South, in view of some scat
tering crumbs and fragments Of the spoils.-
The Northern republicans will have their
ticket and the Douglas democracy, in order
to work their full revenge upon the regulars,
may he expected to follow the example OF
Martin Van Buren, in lS48. From the sec
,ional cross firing Of such an array Of candi-
dates, tickets and parties in 1860, the most
probable result will be failure to elect by