Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-12-13
SPEECH OF
HON. THos. A. r.. NELSON
OF TENNESSEE,

any gentleman in this body with respect 10
the resolution offered by the gentleman from
North Carolina, Mr.. Giimer,] and as he and
| occupy position here between dominant
parties of the House and country, i trust
that will be allowed although bad hoped
that it would have fallen into ADLER hands
TO do SOTO say something to the House in
behalf of that resolution.
I am one of those, Mr.. Clerk, who believe
that the. resolution of 1he gentleman from
North Carolina ought TO be adopted, in pre-
ference to the resolution offered blythe
gentleman from Missouri, mir. ClaIk.1 L
was panied to see the resolution introduced
by The member from Missouri. While | go
far as any other man in the South or North
TO denounce that most infamous publication
that has excited the attention of this House,
/. for one, tbink-with great Difference to the
sentiments that have been express on The
other side--that we are giving too much
dignity and too much importance to most
Infamous publication. |, for one, am not in
favor of placing Mr.. Helper aud his book in
the same enyiable notoriety that ErostratUs
acquired by destroying the Ephesian temple.
], -tor one, am opposed 10 damning his name
| to everlasting fame, by placing it on the
records of this Honse and handing ii down
TO inglorious Immortality. 1t seems to
me-with great Difference TO the opinions of
other gentlemen who have expressed different
sentiments-that we are Identifying this in
famous pamphlet too much by giving it the
notice which it has commanded here.
| think that the resolution of the gentle
man from North Carolina answers the pur-
pose designed by the mover,ef the other res
olution, and is more in accordance with the
dignity of this House and the gravity of
| legislative proceedings than the resolution
offered by the gentleman from Missouri.
| And why should we not all come up from
| the East and from the West and from the
! North and from the SouDth. and record our
| votes in favor of the resolution offered by
| the gentleman from North Carolina, which
contains nothing that. by any legitimate
construction or intendment. could be con-
| strued as wounding the feelings of any men,
| Der of the House? Why will we not all vote
for these resolutions? They breathe the
| spirit of the two great parties that have
hitherto controlled. alternately, the destinies
| OF this great country. One portion of the
resolution Is copied from the resolutions OF
The great Democratic party in 1852; another
is copied from the resolutions of the Wing
party in the same year. The sentiments thai
are avowed in the resolution of the member
from North Carolina are-I respectfully sub
nit TO the gentleman from Missouri-infinite
ly more comprehensive than the resolution
which he has offert here; because while hi.
resolution signalizes particular publication
and gives ii a notoriety which is altogether
| unworthy its nature, the resO .ution offered 10y
| the gentleman from North Carolina con
dennis the slavery agitation in every shape
and form. L, for one, prefer. therefore, the
| resolution offered by the gentleman from
North Carolina, and earnestly insist on it,
adoption by this House.
There is one thing, Mr.. Clerk, which think
cannot fail to have struck the mind of every
patriot, and every member of this House. w
meet together under most extraordinary cir
cumstances. An event of most exciting
character has occurred i'll one of the State
of the Union, and it is natural that ther,
should be a feeling Of cxcit, ment on the
part especially of those who represent thai
State on this floor. 1t is natural that there
should be feeling of sympathy among thos
of us who live in adjoining States but at til,
same lime, Mr.. Clerk, / maintain that we may
Garry this feeling OF excitement too far.
know that sentiment exists On the part of;
portion of the members of this House-judg-
ing, at least, from the conduct OF those wht
represent part OF the northern States-thai
this excitement is altogether unnecessary
that there is no cause for it, and that it bet
ter COMFORTS with their dignity and Will
their honor that they should not participat,
in the discussion which has taken place here
Permit me to say to those who entertain thai
sentiment that | think they underrate tho
state of excitement that exists at this time H.
the southern States. And while | belong.
Mr.. Clerk, to II minority here, and while
cannot expect that the sentiments to which
shall give utterance will meet the approval
of either of the dominant parties in thi
House, beg leave to call the attention of the
House to what regard a. the alarming crisis
that exists in the history Of our beloved
land. wish to do this temporarily and mo.
derately. wish to doit in spirit of perfect
respect to every gentleman of the North and
OF the South. When We look to the South.
we find a state OF excitement there that is il
accordance with past events. What do We
find on the part of considerable and highly
respectable number Of the southern States
this Union E? Is it not something like a de-
termination to precipitate a crisis? For one
| do not agree either with the extremists o.
the North with tue extremists OF the South.
When you look at the history Of parties in
this country, it is an undeniable fact that
notification had its origin in South Carolina,
and from that day to the present the spirit 0;
notification, of secession, of disuniOn, ha
never slept or slumbered. The snake of nul
LITIGATION has been scoiched, not killed. That
feeling existed during the lifetime of its great
leader; and one of the last letters he eve
wrote-his letter to Col. Tarpey--was one in
which meeting or organization Of the south
ern States was recommended. In addition {,
that We have had further proceedings on th,
part Of the South which, trust. cannot com
riots in the country. With all thar, not onlN
did the spirit of notification display itself ia
1882, but il has continued to exist since tia
time, in various forms and shapes, which /
will not now take time to portray.
A spirit of diScord exists between the ex
trcmes of this Union. This was met, and In
my humble judgment Is properly condemned
in the resolution which has been offered by
the gentleman from North Carolina, [Mr.
Gilmer1
| do not propose in any remarks / shall
make upon this occasion, to enter into any
thing like an elaborate discussion OF these
subject; but think il may not be improper
to call the attention Of the House to some OF
the facts which cannot have faded from their
recollection. We all know that although the
spirit of notification was for the time bcing
queted by the strong aud energetic measures
of General Jackson, yet every occasion in
which hostility TO this Union could be mani
tested since that memorable period, has been
seized. No longer ago than 1850, n state Of
things existed which was unexamplcd in the
history of the country, unless il may have
been in the Congress Of 1920. when the
hearts Of patriotic men from every section Of
the Union were alarmed aad excited in re-
ference to the probable result which preceded |
the assembling of Southern convention in !
June, and the Resembling OF the same con |
vontion at Nashville, at a subsequent period |
in the same year.
The compromise measures, as we all know, |
were the result OF the PATRIOTS action upon
the part of the great leaders of the various
political parties OF this country. We all re
member what the great Webster said in r.
I, renee TO the sleepleSs nights which be
pass in the consideration of those ques-
lions. We all know how in the most unusual |
and remarkable manner Me. Fillmore. the |
President o. the Union and champion. so to |
speak. OF the Whig party Of this country. re-
ceivrd compliments such rs we're scarcely |
ever besto Ned ia modern times lie received |
Them not only from membets of bis own !
parry. distinguished as statesmen in their |