Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-13
OF rESNEssEE

| ACCOMPLISHMENTS. This day she is the most hlibus-
tering nation on the globes this day she Is seeking
to extend her already too broad possessions upon
this continent this day would she reJoloe, dld VIC
never ACQUIRE another foot Of territory North or
! South, and especially South. From present in
| dications-unmistskabl indications--she herself
| is looking forward to formidable competition
| with US in the production Of the great staples
/ of the South. The most casual observer can
not fail to have noticed the wonderful recent
revolution going on in the public sentiment
/ of Great Britain upon the subject of African
| slavery and the slave trade. Already as was elo-
uuently argued the other day by the gentleman from
! Georgia, IMr. Gartrell has the monarch Of her
press proclaimed that the false philanthropy of
| Wilberforce has passed away; that his honest,
but misguided policy has impoverished her pos
sessions; has desOlatsd her colonies has made
! her tributary and dependent, when it was in her
grasp to govern and control. Listen to the
! language of the London Times, her great organ
the great popular organ OF Brltaln-sP eaklng
fresh for the people, and Of the people. It never
mOlds, but reflects, public sentiment. The London
Tines says:
"Negroes are necessary to raise the cotton, sugar.
coffee, and tobacco which the world wants The
! white man cannot work under a tropical sun, and
unless the African be used lsborer, the fairest
| region of the New World must remain desert; in
fine, negroes must be had at any cost. And no ma
ton has a right 70 impose its scrupulOsity on
other free communities"
Her Empire in the east, hersubjugated sepoys, are
to furnish the labor, free labor she calls it, but
far worse than African slavery. And her colonies
in the West which she already holds together with
what we by our supineness and mastery inactivity
may suffer her to possess, will furnish the field
France too is in the fight. It behoOVes us, then,
| as a nation, to watch these entertainments upon
American soil 1t should be no less policy than
tits certainly destiny, to plant by the most pro-
Der means be they what they may, American labor,
! American institutions the American banner if you
please upon every foot Of soil in these rich and IN
developed regions. If the more gradual and pacific
policy of enlightened settlement and civilization is
the best be it So But it, for our self-defence
/ and protection, some other and more speedy means
| are indispensable in the accomplishment Of these
| grand purpOses-in the spirit Of the celebrated
| Osend manifesto of the President-then be 1t so.
hastily and imperfectly touch upon these points,
| without attempting to elaborate them. My time
now will not allow, nor am prepared now, to do so
| even had l the time.
! But, sir, the gentleman from Chic (dr. BiDgham)
Yesterday said that the President had pressed upon
the consideration of this House question Of graver
significance, Of mightier import, question which
concerns the honor and the life Of the nation Sir,
this is about the only decis alton in the gentlemans
/ speech to which l can subscribe. l fully concur,
that the question Of the introduction Of sovereign
! State into this Union is one'Of magnitude and i'm
mort and that in this instance the honor and per-
/ haps the life of the nation is concerned. To the
! present phase Of the Kansas question will then
address myself: for it must be acknowledged that
within the past year it has assumed many as the
! colors of the cameson. The public mind has long
since Wesried with the neVer-eDdlng cry OF Kansas
! and her difficulties.
| must say, Mr. Chairman, in the outset, that
regret very much see the spirit and tone Ofspeech
and press which have been to too great degree
INDUCED in towards those of the Democratic, party
who have seen fit to differ with the PresidentUpOn this
! Kansas policy however much may regret this differ
ence. And especially do not unite in the fierce de-
uunciatOns which have sometimes of late been hurled
at the great author and founder of faith thssub
! isct as ezpOuuded in the Kansas Nebraska act
Sir his deeds of valor in defence Of Southern rights
! his proud uplifting Of the Constitution above the
fierce fires of fanaticsm OOfresh in my memoTyfOr
me to anathematize him. 1t pains see it or to
hear it. Can any forget how, but little while
ago in every conflict we have had, with the bright
battle blade Of Saladu, one by one as they came he
Glove down the mailed men Of AbolitiOnism how he
/ stood the Ajax TalemOn of his party, and defed
| them ali? 1 thinkit in bad taste, ruthlessly and
wantonly and in hot haste to hurl such giants over
! the battlements of party. l have and heard
his motives assailed; it is not mine to do this;
| impugn no mans motives, much less Of one whose
patriotism has been lofty, whose devotion to the
/ Constitution seemed g sincere, whose high aims
have all along been for his cOuntrys good his coun-
| try's glory. The Democracy Of Tennessee were
proud of Douglas they will not make haste to give
him u9 and if needs be he must 60, the parting to
/ them l know will be a sad one.
Il was argued the other day with much zeal by
the gentleman from Ohio, (AIr. Bingham over the
way, that the President and his party not only in
| dorsed the LecOmptOn constitution, but by argu-
ment entresty, and by threat, seek to induce Con-
gress to indorse it, and thereby give it the sanction
! and force Of law. But that gentleman omitted to
point out the line passage Of that message con-
tanning such threat In what part Of 1t is it 10 be
/ found? The argument of the President is to nv
| mind clear and conclusive that Kansas should be
| admitted under the Becompton Constitution; not
upon the ground of tranquility ouly--as stated BY
! the gentleman from New York, MN Clark B. Coch
rsne but of justice Yes, sir, it is upon the ground
| of stern justice well to restore peace and
harmony to distracted country, that the President
plants himself boldly in his message.
! 1t was also argued by the gentleman from Ohio,
! Mr. Bingham, that this constitution did not ema-
nate from the people Of Kansas, not their will
and that its provisions are in direct conflict with the
Constitution of the United States; that it was con-
ceiYed In sin and brought forth in iniquity-Wthout
proving or attempting to prove these bold and start
! ling declarations. Where, l ask is It in conflict
with the Constitution of the United States did he
! show where? Satisfy ne that this is So and it
| never receives my sanction. / shall show, or al
tempt 20 show, that it is the legally, and only legal
y expressed will Of the peOple-that it is in strict
! conformity with the Constitution.
As to the declaration that it was conceived in sin
and brought forth in niquity, this very same, self.
same. declaration more than a thousand times was
made by the opponents of the Kansas and Nebraska
act and yet, an overwhelming majority of the free
men of this nation have stamped with the broad
| seal Of public condemnation this oalUmniOus de-
claratiOn. Il was eOqUently remarked the other
day by the gentleman from Mississippi CAIr. La
mar 'Ethe second declaration Of Independence "
With what cruel erOneTy, then, can they now ex-
claim thst this instrument this LecomptOn cOnsti-
tution was conceived in sin and brought forth in
III tbo L.
lers under foot Of all law and forms of law stood
by and stubbOrnly refused to PFeVert-when. &C.
oording to their own showing they had it in their
power to do so-this foul thing, reeking as thew
say, with fraud and corruption, from being fastened
upon them But will speak of that more fully |
after a while and in its proper place
Mr. Chairman, think the President deserves well |
of this nation for the patriotic and constitutional
stand he has taken this much veXed and distract
ing question To have done less, he would have in |
nv humble judgment departed from the PRINCIPLES
Of the act ITSELF and Of the platform upon which he
stood when he was borne into power. To have done
more would have Overstepped and gone beyond that |
great doctrine which was sought to be established |
and which was established for the first time in the
history of this government The doctrine and
principles upon which the great battle was fought
and won-what are they? 1t is not necessary to
enter into minute review of all the rami6ed rela-
tons of the Kansas question. They have been pnb-
lished far and wide; they are familiar to the coun
try; every act which has marked the brief but
stirring history of that distracted Territory is fresh
in the memory Of The most unlettered man. But
what sir, was the great principle, the great theory
which was the boast of the Kansas bill? Why, sir,
it was that that distracting element which had, up
on more terrible occasions than one frightfully i'm
periled the Republic, should be Withdrawn from The
threatening theater Of national legislation, and To-
Gated where it properly belonged-with the people
themselves The advent Of this doctrine was rap
turously hailed everywhere the hsrbinger Of peace
to the councils of the country. And peace there
would have been, but for those dsloyal and reVou-
tionary spirits who cannot live in peace. Upon this
doctrine the great battle upon which hung the fate
of the nation was fought and won. Who we're the
enemies of this policy? The enemies of this policy
at the North Mera fhnsa WIN wera warinr q farne