Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1858-01-01

- ]. ..x.s. = a. r.s6SaS6 - xSans.ss ~
q .,<,c l,ee,s .rI2 "a q The Presidents Of the
"a 1ss osf3 ass Eje & sssrslsry. and du.
rine Ne q ID 5sorl ksence, Acting Governor OF
This &errifne, IS r2operSfhat should make you
q r. ad drxE eulTicent 70 indicate what my ~,
{ur< e1ffse Of action will be- The troubles anu
{511eulfide With which the petple oil the lertno1s
Ibave beenin olved make this the more necessary
for it wouldbe unreasonable to expect any one cc
occupying this position to escape misre PR
+ and abnse. The passions of many have zee. 81
/ thoroughly aroused and long-stsnding oimcustics
have so embittered the feelings OF one peruou %
| the community against another. that II mas oeen
i represented as almost impossible 10 dnd any one
| willing TO listen TO the voice of reason iis ah
not prepared to believ. That there are some Vio-
lent men who lave assumed to speak ny auho'iey
for the d opie at large, and counsel Such measures
as must necessarily, If followed, lead TO biooa- hro.
ianarchy and confusion have no DOUBT out ~
will r, quire more than bare assertion to sa1iy .no
| that there is not vet enough OF the cohset 80,
element remaiung to uphold and enforce the Jaws
ny which alone the lives and property OF our cur
zens be protected and the honor OF tne country
| preserved.
II il tho earnest desire of the President that a
fair opportunity should be forded all the people
of the Territory at the approaching electons 10
| give full and free expr sson OF their opinions,
| and as an evidence of this, give the following
quotations from his instructions 10 me, thronsh
the Secretary OF State dated December 18th, lS51
I'VE omit these instructions; as they were given
yesterday 10 the letter of Gen. Cass to Mr.. Denver
By these instructions it will be seen that my
| duty is plainly marked out, and as my own vi WIS
on these sut entirely accord with those of the
President, shall find no difficulty in obeying them;
and trust that all good citizens will assist me 10
preserving the peace of the Territory, and at the
same time settle the que stons switch now perplex
| them. 1t is far easy to do this through the
ballot-5ox, than by the sword, and 10 that way it
can al o be done much more speedily. 1t is much
to be regretted that one portion OF the people
have resolved not to on the constitution, as
submitted to day; for had there been general at
| tendance at the polls, the question OF slavery
: would have been fully and definitely settled. ne
- | American people can never determine political
question by absenting themselves from the polls.
e Their absence is regarded indif renee and the
: majority of votes actually given determines the
result and not the majority that might have been
given.
U L. is asserted by some that persons from other
States have interfered in the elections, and that
l. rauis hay. been perpetrated by which they have
e been overpowered and deprived of their rights
These charges may be true, but II So the eVlls tney
IL complain of will not be remedied by aosen'in@
l. themselves from the polls American cluzens car
never preserve their rights by abandoning the
elective franchise and punishment too severe can
" not be inflicted the who, by violence, trick
g erv or fraud, would deprive them OF It, Ihere l.
- no question connected with our government hl;i
re ought not and which cannot be amicaoly settled oN
il l. is tru. that a question may be presented II
manner Objectionable TO some, but that Is not
t, goo for refusing to vote; for ii the mJori
NJ " wills it the difficulty soon be remed!ed b.
" presenting the ques,ion in the manner required
he This has been Of the reasons assigned WI
&C portion of the p ople will not vote to-day-tha
the question has not been fairly presented Ahotu
OF is that they anticipate traucS have seen UeI
o. Calhoun the President OF the ConVento2,
whom the returns are be made, and, besides as
IS surfing me that he has done and will continue to
or al he can 10 have the elections firly and properl
conducted has invited my self and the presiding o
fcers of the two Houses of the Territorial Le-isl
or ture to be present at the counting OF the vote
a M jority of the peopl dissatlshed win III
10 reaults of be elections, they can soon chang
of them in peaceable manner by resort to th
:: baIlot-5ox.
III A very stringent law was passed at the late SCI
,p sion of the Legislature providing for the ntlcto
OF severe penalties on persons engaged in ciectio
ID frauds This act meets with my most h"aTty az
d proval and if it is rot yet sufficiently stringent
"A will gladly assist in making it mere So 1t Is n'
ia possible to throw TOO many Suarcs around IN
ne great bulwak which is the vtry foundation OF VI
no free institutions.
ro carnot close this address without warning d
d, | eople against allowing themselves to be draw
20 INFO qaarrels originating in colt ictlng Claims
Ian g. This is fruitful source OF difficulty 10 a
ed new countries and in the present cor diuon OF
10 fairs in ths Territory, designing men will seek
'e turp everything OF the to political accoun
ce MANY troubles and the loss OF many valuable nv
ed NAV be traced this cause, and people should
cautious about taking sides political grounds
such matters as are OF purely personal charicte
dir In the di, charle of my duties will take sue
steps as will in my judgment, best contFioute
er carving out the views above expressed; ior u
no iesty of the laws must and shall be malhtalhe
In tn, sc matters | shall expect the cooperation
m all good citizens, and, should my expectations
di- realized, have no fears but that peace will
=, preserved j. ". DEN En-,
Us, Secretary and Acting Governor
RS Dec 81, 1857.