Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-07-15


10 he EdGt,rs IF The -gni5n and AmrieaHf
Seated here in the cool shades Of this pleasant
summer retreat, I, an American and Wing Of the
'sOld Guard have been meditating on the aspect
Of politics and parties at the present juncture, and,
selling "a pen, that mighty instrument Of little
men,, herewith give you some Of The results Of my
lucubratiOns.
Passing strange does it appear to me to see some
Of ny old Wing and American friends Of the South
openly cOsleosing with the Black Republicans Of
North. Look at the recently published letters ana
speeches Of those great chiefs, Senators Bell ana
CrittsHden, in which they unblushingy fraterhlze
with Seward, Greeley, Raymond and Tom COrWin'
on the Kansas issue Their oOnrse, it seems, is
dictated not so much by coincidence Of sentiment
with the Freesoilsrs as by sort Of blind, hsbitual,
unreasOning opposition to the Democratic Party.
They enlist under the black banners Of the Douglas
or Freesoil faction Of that Party (nOw happily
dEindled to q cOrporars guardl, and then march
over, "horse foot, and dragooRs 10 the Seward and
Greeley camp Was there ever more glazing act
Of sIOds SEE Policy, at least if not patriotism, it
seems to me, would have dictated different course,
unless they intend to emigrate to the land Of the
fressOilers, and hereafter contend with the negro
philists for the high places Of honor and trust in
their gift The Wing and American parties being
forever dsbanded, they should have chosen for allies
that inyincibls wing of the Democracy which has
shown ITSELF on several recent occasions, to be the
most national and the most just to the South.
SUCH at least is the. plain teaching Of loyalty to
their section, if not Of common honesty. But they
have elected to join the Douglas faetiOn-to cast
their lots with the enemies Of the Southland it only
remains for us to bid them everlasting farewell
The old issues that made me Wing andsn Amer
lean nOlOnger before the country they have been
adjudcated by the august tribunal of TaE POEPLE
in some eases adversely to my way of thinking,
in others faVOrably. The only great question now
up for solution, is, Shall the South enjoy her rights
under the Constitution, or shalt she tasly submit to
gradual and complete disfrancAsamsntP The Nation
al DemOcracy-sver-faithful on the Slavery cues.
ton, though sometimes too much given to mere
"agitatiOn say she SHALL enjoy her rights, and
smphstcay declare that she ought not to submit to
the dishOnor ofyielding her constitutional guarantees
This is proud, q lofty chiValrOus position; and
challenges the respect of all just men and the warm
admiration Of every loyal and true-hearted son of
the South This it is, that keeps that party band
ed together after the old issues are out of the way
and this it is think, that should cause the South
to march up unit to the support of that party in
defence of the Constitution and the Union. care
not what may have been the sins of the Democracy
in times past. l admit they have been great, but
not objectionable. All poitioalparties, everywhere,
have been more or less oorrupt and if the National
Democracy as now organized, shall continue to oc-
cUpy their present ground with reference to the only
important questions at issue, l am willing to do
everything can to strengthen their Wands and
make them powerful to uphold the honor of the eoun
and protect the just, constitutional rights Of my
section.
By fraterniziDg with the Black Republicans, and
voting against the admission of Kansas as a slave
State Messrs. Bell and Crittenden have to all in
tents and purposes, taken sides against the South
and proclaimed to the world that the Constitution.
according to their construction, affords no prOtec-
tiOn and guarantees rights to the peculiar nsti
tuition" of the South. OF course, cannot 60 with
such men in their unnatural and treacherous efforts
to Northern votes and fOist themselves into
the high places of power by ignoring, If not posi-
lively trsmpling under foot the most vital interests
Of their native land.
Were the Wing PARTY recognized, and brought
forth in battle array against the Democratic party,
as It Oas upon the old issues of Bank, Tariff,
Distribution, &C., I could be found no where else
than in my old positiOn-that of an earnest, hard
working private in the ranks Of the Wing army.
But this is not possible The Wing party, as
homogeneous organization, is hopelessly dead. It
can never be resurreoted, for two very sufficient
reasons Fret: Its old, distinctive principles have
nearly all been adopted into the legislation of the
country in more or less modified forms. Second:
The great body of the Wings of the North have
Joined the Black Republicans
Again: l shall always hold myself in readiness
to do battle for the leading principles literally
strued, Of the late American party whenever there
may appear to be any reasonable prospect of sue
cess. The prime objects of that party, as under
stood it, we're to guard the ballot box against cor
rupiOn, and to exclude foreigners hereafter arri-
wing in this country, from the exercise of political
power, until such time as they might be presumed
to have become acquainted with the nature and
practical working Of our form Of government.
Present indications cheer me with the hope that the
Democracy must sooner or later come round sub
stsntisly to my way of thinking these subjects.
At all events, 30 long may act with them the
slavery question, shall certainly do nothing in
derogation Of the American views 1 have so long
entertained. The strength Of the Democratic party
lies in the South; and no Southern Democrat can
possibly be ignorant of the fact that vast, over
Whelming majority Of our foreign-born citizens
unrelentingly hostile to slavery This is in
the South. Look ct Western Texas. Look at Mis-
souri, especially the city and vicinity of st. Louis
where the Germans and Irish most do cOngregate
At the North they &re almost, If not quite, unani
nous in their devotion to the Christless creed of
anti-slsvery. Look at Ohio and Cincinnati, Wis
SOnsin and Milwaukee, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota
in fact every city, town and rural district of the
North and Northwest, wherever there is large
foreign population. And as positive evidence that
foreigners freshly arrived in this country from the
social and political slavery Of Europe, are too prone
to be icentious in their notions of liberty, look at
them as they have recently exhibited themselves in
Utah, where a large majority Of the rebel fanatics
and polygsmists are Of foreign birth.
I was rejoioed to see that a majority of our
Southern Americans in the Lower House Of Con-
gress voted with the National Democracy for the
admission of Kansas into the Union under the Lee
compton Constitution. Whatever Northern men
may say about ''eIeetiOn frauds '-Whstsver dust
they may kick up about 'bOrder rufisns"-the