The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-04-23
POLITICAL OuACKERY.

remedy. 1t was n panacea for "hts; and,
whenever patients were brought to him, he
promised certain cure if he could only
throw them into sits" He got a thriving
practice, il is said, by persuading everybody
that had any ailment that they were going to
have "its," and that he was the only man to
save them.
We have in the South good many pOliti
cal preachers and teachers of a similar con-
vulsive school.
They will not allow that there is any po-
litical or social question worth thinking OF
except tho negro question, and in their par
ticulur way, or that there is any way of deal
ing with il but under their direction. Every
maady of the state, or disorder of the times,
is resolved into some premonitory or symp.
tom of Abolitonism; and the infallible nos
trum is disnnion. Setting out with this idea,
they are very dogmatical on signs and symp-
toms. Everybody who does not think with
them on every branch of any question spring
ing out of the slavery discussion-and some
times on questions not properly connected
with il at ali--is getting the Northern dis
ease, and must be treated for "fits." Every
man in the Northern States who is not in
favor of the admission of Kansas with the
Lecompton constitution is an Aboltionist
without grace.
Every man at the South who is in favor Of
the admission of Kansas with the pro-save.
ry constitution is an Aboltionist, too, if he
| thinks that Kansas will nevertheless be free
State. Every Southern man who opposes
the admission of Kansas, because he thinks it
was not fairly made, and that it cannot stand,
is not much better than an Aboiionist prop.
er. Governor Wise Of Virginia, Mr.. Bell, Of
Tennessee, and Senator Crittenden, of Ken.
lucky, are almost Abotionists on this ground,
and so are a great part of Kentucky and Ma
ryland. They are set down as badly diseas-
ed and incurabe unless they can be thrown
into "6ts." Other questions of grave mo-
ment and wider consequences, affecting the
whole internal and social status forming n
State, and requiring the most delicate hand
ling and full investigation, are dealt with in
the same summary and dictorial style. In
some quarters the revival of the direct slave
trade in Africans from the coast, is affirmed
to be necessity for the South; and, impossi.
BILE as it is acknowledged TO be, under the
present power of Government, it is pressed
with an insisting and presumptuous tone,
which announces that whoever dissents will
before long be cassed as an Abolitionist.
In sober earnest there is great deal too
much of this system of browbeatiEg and
dragooning, this hurrying up of doubtful is
sues and extreme measures, and because they
get notoriety-and sometimes only rotoriety
demanding them to be received rs tests
and Illuminating denunciations against all who
are not convinced, or who ask time to think
The South gains nothing in dignity of char
acter or force of position by this ntoerant
forcing of issues, which cannot command the
assent of large classes among ourselves, and
parading the inevitable differences as radical
dissensions. 1t is a perous abuse of words
where words are substantial things, to bring
such phrases MS are flippantly or angrily
thrown about between Southern men, into
the discussion of questions among them
selves, when they can have no application but
one of conlumely aud no effect but that OF
irritation.
1t makes them, as respects others, mere
cant words, which lose their significance
when applied 10 our real enemies, on real and
practical issues, of which there are enough
arrayed against us to need our watchful and
undivided care, and the compact resistance OF
united hearts and councils. 1t is worse than
folly to bring the tactics of hostile camps
into the controversies about social questions
within the South, and audaciously stigmatize
MS aliens and enemies, those of our own peo-
pie. who will not believe their own convic-
tions of what is wise and beneficial to the
South, in order to follow new lights, held
forth in temper of intolerable dictation. 1t
| is rather of the insane character of that intes-
tine discord which prefgured the fall of Jer-
usaem, when its inhabitants were iiercely
struggling with each other within the city,
while Titus and his legions were assaulting
the walls. II we shun these discords, we can
command better future in good cause; but
the practice of the Convusves must be dis
carded.
The charlatans may throw US into the de-
sired "Gts," but their panacea is quite as likely
TO kill as to cure.
A WONDERFUL CoNvERsIoN.-The New
York Herald, which has queer way OF bear
ing upon all sides Of question, after abusing
the Crittenden amendment and defaming its
supporters, now urges its adoption as the
best means of setting the Kansas question:
Here is the latest recommendation
"As the only remaining cons deration to
every peace-maker now is the speediest possi.
BILE removal of this bone Of contention from
Congress, why should not the majority of the
Senate recede, or at least permit the Crltten-
den bill to 90 through by default! IL is not
necessary that any administration member
should vote for the bill. The absence OF
eight or ten Lecompton men when the vote
is taken will answer the purpose"