Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-24

people. 1t is essential, therefore, that in times
like these when sectional agitation and strife are
abroad, when elimination and recrimination dis
tract the oounsels Of the nation and public men
shifting their positions, and sl is doubt, uncer-
tainty, and alsrm-we say it is essential at such
a time and under such circumstances, that the
great body Of the people should carefully survey and
serutinize the troubled scene, make the reckoning
of passing events, and note carefully the signs,
that they may be sble to properly understand the
influences that are at work, the agencies that are
controlling them, the ultimate ends which they
have in view, and how far they are likely to
effect the rights, peace and safety Of the country.
This is the sacred duty Of the patriot and upon the
faithful discharge Of it depend consequences that
involve more Of the interests Of humanity than
ever before entrusted to the keeping Of people in
the eventful history of our race.
In view Of such considerations IS these, we seek
to impress the people with the fact that the great
principle involved in the proposition now pending
to admit Kansas into the Union is not the ad-
mission Of State-nor the simple matter Of JUS
tioe to the people of g Territory-nOr 3 mere
question Of eKpediency. If this was ST. II
would not exceed in Importance matters that are
daily settled and the determination Of which may
be right or wrong without arring in the lesst the
stability of our institutions. But there are prinoi-
ples involved in the settlement Of this present Kan
sas question, which are Of vital character and the
permanent overthrow Of which would be Of itself
the destruction Of our Republican system Of govern
meut
Whenever a majority Of this confederation Of
States driven on by fansticism, moved by sectional
interests, or from any other csuse-everlOOking the
independent sovereignty and the reserved rights Of
the States, disregardng the simple guarantees Of
our Federal Constitution and the entire equality Of
the different members of the Union-gndertake to
govern upon the mere power Of a majority, and to
subject the minority to whatever action they may
regard as promotive of their sectional interests
oompatibe with their peculiar vieWs-fOr instance
the prohibition Of the people Of the South from mo-
wing into and enjoying our common territory with
their property upon equality With the people Of
the North or the refusal Of the admission of State
into the Union because of its slavery Constitution
we say that whenever this precedent is established
and acted upon, our republican system, our system
Of confederation, Of State sovereignty, Of political
equality, will, by the very act, have been over
subjected powers to determine how long they will
live in such condition Of inequality and vassalage
and what hey viii resort to to retrieve their
equality or independence in or out of the Union.
This it is that gives the present Kansas question its
very grave imp rance
The Democratic party, by reason Of its nstiOnai-
ty strict construction of the Constitution, and
States Rights view, has been able to defend and
preserve the Government So long as it retains it's
ssoendency in the country, have faith that it will
continue to preserve it. By way Of getting rid Of
the vexed and long agitation of the question Of
slavery in Congress, they have sought to make per
msnent the principle, embodied in the Kansas Ne
braska bill, that "the people of the Territories
should determine for themselves the form and char
acter Of their domestic institutions" Notwithstand
irg they succeeded in establishing this principle and
policy as the law Of the land-having passed Con
gress, been approved by the President, and sane
toned by the Supreme Court embOdying the
spirit Of the ConstitutOn-the fanatics and bad
men Of the North, determined to disregard and
subvert it by any and every means, however base,
which the mind could cOnjure up, or the hand Of
treason execute They put their plans into operation
we need not recount them-and have kept up
their wrsngle until the present moment, seeking to
subvert the Constitution, outrage the people of the
South and obtain the control Of the Government.
They have not yet succeeded, but their movements
and maupuvres challenge the attention of the peo-
pie. d" The price Of liberty is eternal vigilance"
Their purpose can never be accomplished simply by
their own sectional strength There still national
men at the North-honest patriots who love their
b, hr-r tL,
have any strength left. This fanaticism requires
aid from treaobsrous hands at the South, and it is
sad to know that they have had more success than
could reasonably have been anticipated. Every |
inroad which Abolitionism has succeeded in making
upon us has been done through the trsachery of |
Southern men, under the hypocritoal cant Of con
servatism" and .UHiOn" Under the same false guse |
they are seeking to-day coalition with renegade |
Northern Democrats and Southern Know Nothings |
How far this can be accomplished at the South re-
mains to be determined. Already they have sue
oeeded in securing two Of our Senator'S and six Of
our Congressman, and may defeat the admission of
Kansas. But beyond that these eight Southern
men will be pow5rless unless by some means they
can 6nd a constituency to sustain them. What the
plan and expectations of this new coalition are is
through their press and otherwise. To these we
intend to keep an eye ourselves and shall direct the
attention Of our readers. We commence to day by
appeudiDg a few extracts from their leading papers.
TIE New York Tribune, the most effective organ
with the radical of its party, has the merit of
making its issues boldly and without cOncealment
In a recent article upon the chances Of the pre-
cent issue in Congress- and the manner in which it
has been fought, it says:
AS to the Republicans they have not merely
been uniformly firm and faithful They have been
discreet deierentiaL oOnCIiatOry, as we'll They
bare followed rather than lsd though they we're in
number more than three-fOurhs Of the entire anti
Lec0mptou host. They have waived differences,
and readily consented 10 meet the nti-LecOmptOn
Democrats aud americans more than half way. They
hare not ASKED 5rbo lsd nor which side conceded
most but rhefhsr The course proposed roud or t7ould
tend 70 bring Kansas speedily into the Union Free
Sds; If IL would they bsuished all distractions and
susl aimed it,
They have been "discreet defereutial and con.
cilistory 80 they have rather followed than led,
though numbering three -fourths they have waiv-
ed differences to meet DOUGLAS Democrats and
southern Americans, and have only asked whether
he course proposed Lby Messrs. CRITTEEDEN, BELL
s Co., would or would not tend to bring Kansas {
pttullI INTO the NulOu EEtt GldtG AulS IL AlS |
character of the compromise these the terms upon
Ehch the Black Republicans have consented to be
ed "banishing all distractions" to obtain the 8
practical result.
The New York Times another Of their organs, and
he most effective because it has the sagaoity to be
more moderate and conservative, comparatively
psakiug, has in a late issue significant article,
rom which we make the following extract aud com
mend il 10 the studied examination of the reader:
" So far, therefore from agreeing with the Jour
al Of Commerce. in the belief that the Republican
arty is dead dying believe il is just enter
no upou uew aud suIl more important stage Of its
xisteuce We hare Us-y HlIs doubt that leading g
rv6erq men, riI BE- found ga rs raEks, shaping as
defining sPUEosss, eorreolRg as errors u
f-gg II Conservatism and nationality Of tone, and aid
b. 10 place q ~ control Of the FEDERAL government
be very fact Of their accession, with that Of North
RI Democrats will preserve 1t from the fact as well
from the suspicion Of abolitionism, and will make u
rs 4rra-rr,, Of slavery one of subordinate and u