Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-23

for the most violent and factious opposition
to her admission"
The editor proved himself prophet, a stspe-
cious pretext was not wanting" for opposi-
ton to her admission. But strange to say, he
was one of the first to avail himself of it.
He further says:
Apart from the prtten of fraud in the forma-
ton and adoption of the constitution of Kan
sas, which no doubt few passionate zealOts
on either hand will be quite ready to raise. the
only principle involved in the application of
that Territory will be one of such uudoubted
and conceded and incontcstible propriety that
we really cannot believe solitary Northern
or southern representative will be found to
dispute it,
The cry of fraud was then regarded as
mere '.preteu''-aBd mark you, the convention
was then already formed-by this journal,
which would be raised by "a few passionate
zeaiots," yet, incredible as it may appear.
this same press has since been the chief pro-
pagator of this charge of fraud. and has made
ii one of its pretPxts for opposition!
quote these few extracts from lengthy
article of the same tenor. to show what was
the position of those Southern Americans but
a short time back who are now violent in
opposition to the admission of Kansas under
the LecOmpton instrument, and who are
working to build up party based upon that
issue.
How can this sudden change be explained?
They denounced the Walker treason Inst fall and
noU they tie 0poIogist, Of tt can only ac-
count for their change of fronts, by the fact
that the Administration changed fronts also uron
this guestion. For it cannot be denied that the
official organ of the administration the Wash
ington Union, put forth an elaborate defence
and justification of Gov. Walkers inaugural
address to the people of Kansas, and rebuked
the Democratic State convention of Georgia
and Mississippi as ''hasty, harsh and ungraci-
Ous," and that Walker was continued in
power until he voluntarily, resigned, after
having grossly, Extensively and dctatorially
interfered to render Kansas a non-slavehol-
ding State, by encouraging popular opposi-
ton to a Pro-Slavery Constitution, and
thre atening its rejection by Congress, unless
submitted to the people for ratification or
rejection; and all this accompanied with an
elaborate argument to show that nature has
forbidden the dOmesticaton of slavery in that
region-all of which was in direct violation of
the Kansas-Nebraska BILL which is non inter
ference with the question of slavery, or in
other words, ito leave the people of Kansas
perfectly free in adopting State Constitution,
to decide the question of slavery for them
propriety of which only becomes more fla
grant, when it is considered that the interior
ence in question was eSerted in behalf of, or
as concession TO a party, in open cOntnmacy
and rebellion against constituted authorities
was openly apOlogised for by majority of
the Democratic party in Kentucky. With but
few exceptions the presses of that party did
not deign to reply to the structures of the
American papers, upon the outrageous cOure
~ ha Il aff,iSt rati int. in
this business. They preferred to cOnce al from
the public the hypocritical policy of the free
soil, Democratic Governor, and were as
dumb as Egyptian mummies on the subject
until the policy of the Administration
changed. 1t was then only that they opened
their mouths and became che bOisterous cham
piOns of the very policy advocated by the
Americans South, and the Democracy of Al
ALBANIA and Mississippi.
But behold! what was the effect of this en-
ergetic adoption of a new policy by the Ad
ministration as well as the change in the
obsequious supporters of it, upon the Ameri
cans of Kentucky? Straightway the men
who control the principles and sentiments of
the great bulk of the party. wheeled round
also! The moment the Administration took
up their position, and in accordance with the
demands of the Americans and portion of
the Democracy, repudiated the Walker and
Stanton policy, they hauled down their flag
of nOn-interventiOn, conservatism, and obtdI-
ence to law, and united with Walker, Stanton,
Douglas. and the Black Republican cohorts,
in opposition TO the policy they 9 before
advocated and supported!
Now. sir stand upon the same principles
| have always stood in refusing to join with
them in opposition to the Administration
Slavery-Kansas policy. l have not changed
a single, solitary sentiment / have marched
directly and unwaveringly from the point at
which l started out-at which the American
party started out, and / am proud to say /
stand where a majority of the representatives
of the American party in Congress stand
And it strikes me, that as long as a man holds
TO the position of majority of the repre-
sentatlves of his party, upon question of
party orthodoxy. he ought to be considered
about as nearly right as those who go with
the minority. | fear that some Americans, in
their estimate of the peace of the country
and the best mode of preserving it. have
been too much governed by a long cherished
hostility to the Democratic party on this
question: feeling that is well founded in
ftself, but illegitimate when it blinds men to
the force of truth. Party names are not
everything; they should not take the place
of principles. The history of this and every
other country, proves that party names
change. policy changes, but principles are
immutable-they never change. | cherish
the name OF American; have never belonged
to any other party since | arrived at the age
of citizenship; but if the American party is
to be so pared and Topped away on one side
and another, that not enough of its vast frame
remains TO enable the political Psychologist
10 reconstruct it, upon high, national and
constitutional grounds; if what remains of it
is tn be merged into grand Anti-Lccompton
fusion party, l wash my hands of it. | am
not in. will then either act independent Of
all party associations; hold myself aloof from
all combinations, and support the good find
in either party, or else, unite regardless of
names, with any set of men who will sincerely
and in good faith, let by-gones be by-gones,
and make stand for the Constitution and the
Union, upon high State Rights ground, against
any and all combinations which may threaten
20 overthrow them. This is my position.
position, which hope to see occupied before
long by nearly every Southern American.