Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-02-12
From the Ne,o Orleans Crescent
HenOcraffc Profecti0n


Democratic Protection.
ANY observer of the political events of the
past year, whether impartial or prejudiced,
must be more than ordinarily obtuse if he
fail to become satisfied that the selfstyled
National Democratic party has not the power
if it had the will to protect the rights of the
South against the assaults of her implacable
foes That any such disposition exists on the
part of a preponderating majority of that
party is a question which, if not already set
tied in the negative, seems likely soon to be,
in the legislative halls of the nation. The
very measure upon which the Democratic par
ty based the issue of the last Presidential con-
test has proved, as its originator foresaw, the
means of first deceiving and then wronging
the South. 10y holding out speciOus promise
of securing her rights in Territory, while at
the same time providing the certain means of
subverting those rights. This feature of the
Kansas-NebraSka bill was the main argument
urged in its favor in the North, that while it
would open territory south of the COmpro-
mise line TO the introduction of laws
prohibiting slavery. its squatter sovereignty
and alien suffrage provisions would guaran-
tee the future destiny of Kansas as a free
State.
Such has been precisely the result of its
operation, and now that the subtle scheme has
boon fully developed and its fruits become
a..
an unforeseen hiatus shout interfere to pre-
vent its full accomplishment and fruition.
The unaccountable obStinacy of the instru-
ments employed in Kansas to carry it out. in
prefering to effect the purpose by open rebel
lion rather than Ivy the ballOt-boX. and thus
permitting the proslavery men to prepare a
constitution and invest ii with all legal forms,
has got the Democratic party into terrible
scrape. After all their labor and pains, and
despite the wary precautions that had been
taken by the Northern Democrats to blind
their brethren of the South and at the same
time ensure success, they behold the whole
business about to miscarry and Kansas in
fair way TO ba admitted as Il slave State. The
Black Republicans howl mt the prospect and
the cry is taken up and echoed in direful chO-
rus from the western borders of Iowa to the
sea coast Of New England. The hounds of
anti-slavcry tanaticism are in full cry. The
cunning huntsman has beaten the bushes and
started the wrong game; he listens for one
brief moment To the mad clamOr, and clearly
discerning the voices of his own beagles in
full blast with the opening pack, he sounds
the halloo aud Joins iiercely in the pursuit.
Now let ms see what are the indications
that the great National Democratic party
will assert and maintain the right of Kansas
to admission into the Union under the cOnsti-
tuition she has fairly and legally chosen. If
that party with one unanimous voice, North
and South. now while the Territory knocks at
the door of Congress, should demand that her
credentials he examined. and that she be adj
mtted the moment they are found correct
and tho requirements of the law complied
with, there could he no question of the result.
Therefore the responsibility of her rejection
will rest as much upon the Democratic as up
on the Black Republican party. Douglas the
author of the kansas-Ner ska bill. and the
man hitherto looked upon 10y the South Tor
the Democratic portion of it as the head and
'front.' of Northern Democracy and the gener-
Gus champion of Southern rights, is the first
To succumb to the anti-slavery tempest and
delare against the admission of Kansas with
the pro-slavcry feature of her constitution.
To what extent he carries the Democracy of
the entire North with him chat portion Of il,
we mean which had not first decided his own
cOurse) we cannot know with any degree of
certainty yet; but there is every indication
that that branch of the great National" par
ty is now almost Il unit in cooperation with
the Black Republican crusade against the adj
mission of any more slave territory into the
Union.
This is not the worst nor the most startling
feature of the business. Such is the tremen-
dOus power of party cohesion that respectable
Democratic southern prints and distinguished
Democratic southern men have fallen gently
: into the wake of their Northern brethren, and
denounce the Lccompton Constitution as
lacking the sanction of the people of the Ter
ritory, willing 10 assist in crushing out the
rights of the South there, if they can thereby
promote the unanimity and welfare of their
party. The Louisville Democrat justifies its
course in this respect by declaring that the
Freesoil men have q majority of two to one
in Kansas, and SAYS: ''The truth j., emigration
had settled the question of slavery or no
4. l.. q Ill
went to Kansas" thus losing sight of, or
acquiescing in, the agency of the dangerous
doctrine of squatter sovereignty and the infa-
nous labors Of the Abolition Emigrant Aid
Societies, by which that majority was obtained.
The President gives his voice for the recog-
milton of the Lccompton Constitution, be-
cause he is wen aware that. as the case now
stands, il makes no sort of difference in a
practical point of view whether Kansas comes
into the Union as free or a slave State; and
unlike Douglas he has nothing to lose by tax
ing the side of justice and law aud contending
for what is correct in principle. This is made
clear enough by the following paragraphs,
which We extract from a leading article in
the organ OF the Administration, the Wash
ington f,tiOa;
The Lecompton Constitution specifically
directs that the same may be- amended in a
certain manner, after the year 1864. There Is
no prohibition against action heiorc that time.
"But IL J. asserted that "a majority of the
people of Kansas are utterly opposed To their
new constitution. Ii 30. they have the uls-
doubted power to control their State govern
mant All of its local machinery. its federal
representation, Is offices of every description
fall of siiy into their hands the instant
she is admitted into the Union.
"The authority conferred 10 alter or modify
the constitution after the year 1864. is mere
surplusage IL confers no power which q
sovereign member Of the U1iOn may not ex-
ercise In any contingency, nor does il pretend
to prohibit the exercise of such power"
In other words, the Union Gays, addressing
The disooatented democracy OF the North
why should you make a fns and get the
party into troubled IL can DO no harm 10 AL
nit Kansas now with n pro-slayrry eonsiitu
ton freesOilism h all powerful there, and il
will not be- necessary Ia wait six years, mol
one year. 10 make free State Of her. The
matter Is already practically settled precisely
n you would have il; why, then, quibbls
about n mere ioFm!'
Such II Mr.. Buehanans championship q
the South. and such the soFt Of protection Chs
South may alone expect froln The '.Nationa
Democracy"