Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-05-28
b may 6. Ala viii princes. even with The prince.

or to appreciate such standard, is to admit its ne
oessiy To object to its lofty acquisitions, is to es
tablish its authority. The standard for a world
should be in harmony with the attributes Of Deity,
above and beyond the present wants Of humanity
'sTo say that an ignorant and immoral people are
capable Of self-gOvernment is asserting that gov
eminent may be administered without knowledge
and without justice Such proposition admit
ted by no one; and is therefore, inadmssible in all
discussions as to what form Of government is best
g Democracy is a permanent element Of progress
aud is present everywhere, whatever may be tenn
porary form Of the ruling power. It's inextnguish-
able fires frst burst forth an empire, and its vel
come lights cheer the dark domains Of despOGsm.
While tyrants hate the patriot and exile him from
their contracted dominions, the spirit Of DemOc-
racy invests him missionary Of humanity, and
inspires him with an el0quence which moves world.
Its lightning rays cannot be hidden; lis presence
cannot be banished Dictstors, kings and empe-
rors, are but its servants and, as man becomes
elevated to the dignity Of self knowledge and con-
troll. their administration ceases. Their rule indi
Gates an imperfect state Of society, and may be
garded as the moral props Of Che builder necessary
only to sustain people in their different periods Of
growth One cannot speak of them lightly, nor in
duge in language that should seem to deny their
fitness as the instruments Of good in the hands Of
Providence. Their true position may be best gath
cred from the prediction which is based upon
knowledge Of the past aud present condition of man
ever people have knowledge of their rights and
acquire the power Of practical application Of prin-
cples. This is the work Of time. Il is the work of
constant repeated till The child that attempts
TO step an hundred times and falls; the new hedgsd
bird that tries its feeble wings again and again be-
fore it is able 10 sweep the circle Of the sky with
its kindred flock, indicate the simple law upon which
all strength depends, whether it be the strength of
an insect, or the strength Of a nation.
because o people do not succeed in changing
their form Of government, even after repeated trials
we are not to infer that they INDUCING in mprae
ticable experiments that they will be disappointed
in ultimately realizing the great objects Of their
btion Indeed all failures Of this class are indicative
Of progressive endeavor. They imply an increasing
knowledge Of the true dignity Of man, aud grow
ing disposition TO engage in new and more and
more difficult endeayOrs. These endeavors are
but the exercise Of a nation, and without them no
people can ever command the elements Of national
existence and Of sef-cOntrol But inquiries in re-
gard to so extensive subject, should be shaped
within more practicable limits"
''The triumphs of Democracy constitute the way
marks of the world They demand no extraneous
element Of endurance for permanenoy, no fictitious
splendor for establishment, no borrowed greatness
for glory. Originating in the inexhaustible sources
Of power, moved by the spirit of love and liberty
aud guided by the wisdom which comes from the
instincts and experience of the immortal SOUL as
developed in the people, Democracy exists in the
imperishable principle of progress aud registers
its achievements in the institutions of freedom aud
in the blessings which characterize and beautify the
realities of life Its genius is to and advance
the true dignity of mind. to elevate the motives
and affections of man, end to extend, establish,
protect and equalize the common rights of hu-
mainly"
'sCondorost, although an aristOcrat BY genius and
by birth, became a Democrat from philosophy -
LqmqrtiHs.
"a few years since, Wing member Of the u s.
Senate sueeriugly asked Senator Allen, of Ohio the
question, what is Democracy? The following was
the prompt reply: Democracy is a sentiment not to
be appalled,, corrupted, or compromised. It knows
no baseness it covers to no Danger it Expresses no
weakness destructive only of despotism it is the
sole cOnservatOr of liberty, labor, and property It
is the sentiment of freedom, of equal rights, of
equal ObligatiOns-the law of nature perVading the
law of the land p"
"'What, sir asked Patrick Henry, in the Vir
gnia convention, of l778, lis the gem us of Democ-
racy! Let read that clause of the bill of rights
of Virginia which relates to this, third clause y
That government is ought be instituted for the
common benefit, protection. and security of the
people, nation, community; of all the various
modes and forms of government, that is best which
capable of producing the greatest degree of hap
piness and safety, and Is most efectually secured
against the dangers of NAL administration and that
whenever any Government shall be found made
Quate or contrary to those principles or contrary
TO those purposes, majority Of the of the commu-
nifty hath an indubitabe, inahenable, and indefea
sible right to reform, alter, abolish it. in such
manner as shall be judged the most conducive to
the public veal ''-ElliOts Debates, vol g. page H.
In the same convention, Judge Marshall said
sWhat are the favorite maxims of Democracv9
A strict observance Of justice and public faith and
a steady adhersnce to virtue-these, sir, are the
principles of good government. Ibid vol. g,
page 22S.
s'Demoeraoy,' says the late Mr. Legare, Of South
Carolina, in an article published in the New York
Review, in the high and only true sense of that
much abused word, is the destiny Of nations be.
cause it is the spirit of Christianity. "-Vol page
297
have referred to the remarks Of the Senator
from Alabama to show that if his doctrines were
true he should 60 for the passage of the homestead
bill, because in order TO sustain the Government
on the principles laid down by him, every man
should be prOperty-hOder. / want it understood
that enter a disclaimer to the doctrine presented
by him, and merely present his argument to show
why he above all others, ought to 90 for the home
stead policy. l refer to Mr.. Legare, Judge Mar
shall and the author Of the history of Democracy as
laying down my notions of Democracy, as contra
distinguished from those laid down by the dsting-
ushed Senator from Alab ANA. We are both mem
bers of the Democratic party l claim to be a Dem
ocrat, East, West, North, or South, or anywhere
else. / have nothing to disguise, l have referred
to the Declaration of Independence and to Mr. JEFF.
rersous inaugural address, for the purpose of show
ing that Democracy means something very different
from what was laid down by the distinguished Sen
atOr from Alabama / furthermore refer TO these
important documents to show that property is not
the leading element of government aud society
Mr. Jefferson lays down, truths TO be self evident
that life liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness are
the leading essentials of government.
Butitisnot my purpOsetO dwelllonger on that: and
[ wish to pass to the speech of the Senator from
I I 10
much that was said by that distinguished Senator;
and wish to show that he ought 10 go for the home
stead policy so to interest every in the coun.
try If property is the leading and principal ele-
ment on which society rests Improperly is the main
object for which government was created, the gen.
tlemen who are the foremost, the most jealous, and
most distinguished advocates of that doctrine should
sustain the homestead policy. The honorable Sen.
ator from South Carolina, in his speech the Le-
compton Constitution, by innuendO indrection,
had a hit at the homestead side blow He
said
..Your people are awaking They are coming
here. They are Numbering at our doors for home
steads one hundred and sixty of land for moth.
ing, and Southern Senators are supporting them
Nay, they are assembling as have said, with arms
in their hands, and demanding work at 81, 900 a
year SIX hours day. Have you heard that the
the streets of your great cities That is Inquisi-
ton at your hand"
If this be true as assumed by the distinguished
Senator from South Carolina, is it not an argument
why men should be placed in a condition where
they will not clamOr, where teey will not raise mobs
to threaten government and demand homesterds?
Interest these men in the country give them homes
or let them take homes; let them become produ- |
GERS; let them become better citizens; let them be
more reliable at the ballot-boX want to take them
on their own ground, their principle that property
Is the main element O6 society and of government;
and if their doctrine be true, their argument is still
stronger in favor of the homestead than the position
assume But the distinguished Senator from South |
Carolina goes on:
In all social systems theremust be a class to do /
the mental duties, to perform he drudgery of life
hat is class requiring but lowOrder of intellect,
and but little skill Its requisites are vigor docili-
", fidelity. Such class you must have, or you |
would not have that other class which leads prog
ress civilization and refinement. 1t constitutes the
very mud-sill of society and Of political governments
and you might we'll attempt to build house in |
the air. as &c build either the one or the other ex-
cept on this mud-sill.
go The poor ye always have with you; for the |
man who lives by labor, and scarcely lives at thar
and Whe has to put out his labor in the market and
take the best he can get for tin short, your /
whole hirelng class Of manual laborers and oper-
atives as you call them, are essentially slaves The
between US is, that our slaves are hired
for life and well compensated; there is no starva-