Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-12-14

ton of the Union, because think we oughi
TO wait until we see-whether that Black Re
publican President would do any thing hos
tile to the rights Of the Sonth LIQUID and
prolonged applause.1 / may just remark
here that. much as regretted fbe election q
Mr.. Banks, as Speaker of the House. mar
whom / never saw. and or whom | know
nothing except so far as the history of tha
election is concerned, did not see that thu
election Of Mr. Banks brought about a dis
solution of the Union 4 do not want any
gentleman, either from the North, South
East. or West. to suppose that desire The
election Of either Black Republican Presi
dent or a Black Republican Speaker. ! de
not Adesife it. and / am sure l have moi
co-operatcd with anybody in the election of :
Black Republican Speaker.
Mr.. Pryor. The question / propoundeG
has been answered only in general sense
/ repeat the Inquiry whether that gentleman
upon his own responsibility, and not as tht
representative of anybody else. would bs
willing that William n. Seward should taks
possession of the Army, the Navy, and al
the powers of the Government
Mr.. Nelson. OF course | would not. ]
would deplore such thing. ) 41ks5At<-
Mr.. Pryor. The gentleman will excuse
men. / mean all the constitutional powers
of the President of the United States. Would
he allow William FL. Seward to take posses
sion of those powers, or would be resist il
even 10 the extent OF going out of the
Union? 81 .ss5enl - 81 ta4Fi1zA
Mr.. Nelson. In answer to that question
let NE say that / do not believe from the
manner in which Mr.. Seward has expressed
himself. that there is any danger that such a
contingency viii ever happen. Butseyen i
be should be elected President of the United
states according to the Constitution and the
forms of law, the view eniertain-and
speak for no one but myself-is, that that il
of itself no cause sfors dissolution of the
Union, unless be committed some overt act
leading to peril of the South. The moment
lie did commit any such overt act, why, sir
wonld be willing, humble as am, 20 link
my shield 90 the shield even of these seces-
sionists, to repel the wrong just as soon as
would repei wrong from any quarter.
Mr.. Hill. viii the gentleman from Ten.
nessee allow me to ask him this question
suggested by the remark of my personal
friend. Mr.. Lamar, ] who referred to a union
sentiment OF Dir. Fillmore's in one of his
river speeches. soon after his return from
Europe FCries OF The Albany speech. y
Well, what wish TO inquire is, in the excit-
ing canvass of 1856, how many Democratic
orators did you hear give Mr.. Fillmore credit
for the utterance Of such patriotic senti-
ments? rtl
Mr.. Nelson. The Democrats not only gave
him credit Tor that. but they gave him credit
when he was President, for executing the fu-
gitive slave law, and standing up nobly for
the compromise of 1850.
Mr.. Moore, OF Alabama. Did they give
him credit for pardoning men who were in
Jail in this city for stealing slaves?
Mr.. Nelson. Well. L do not profess to be
so familiar with the arts and mysteries of the
modern Democrats as suppose the gentle
man is. [Laughter.l
Mr.. Hill. presume that the gentleman
from Tennessee and myself occupy the same
position. i tried TO elect Mr.. Fillmore Presi-
dent of the United States, and would be
glad to do the same for him to-day, but |
never found Democrat of the South willing
to allow him to be as patriotic man as
James Buchanan. q
Mr.. Nelson. have made discovery. /
did not know that the gentleman was one of
my own friends, as he spoke from the same
quarter from which other questions were
asked. was little suspicious of the source
from which they came. [Laughter.1 l have
only to say in regard to the questions which
have been propoundcd as to Mr.. Fillmore,
that if he avowed national sentiments and
was national man, as he always held he
was, why did not the Democrats vote for
him?
Mr.. Keitt. We went for better man.
Mr. Nelson. The gentleman from Virgin
ia [Mr. PryOr] represents me as having said
that there was no danger of dissolution of
the Union at present. Sir did not intend
10 make use of any such language as that,
aud | think the gentleman is certainly mis-
taken. do think there is great and immi-
nent danger; think the perils which sur
round us now are more threatening than
hey have been at any former period; and as
remarked before, while do not concur in
he sentiments expressed here on all hands
rom the South; while ! regard it as natural
that there should be excit ment; the whole
cope of my remarks, so far as anything
could say would go, was to allay this teVerish
and bring about feelings OF har-
nony aud concord among members of the
House, l do not wish TO be misunderstood
Dr. misrepresented in regard to anything l
nay have said. | spoke of this infamous
book OF Helpers in denunciatory terms, and
will goa far as any man in the country in
lenouncing the miscreant who would pub
ish such document as he has published, and
N denouncing the wretehes who attempted to
invade the State of Virginia. and were gull
Ly OF the outrages and horrible conduct
which have been described in the newspapers
and which have been adverted to here. go
rs far and believe the party | am associated
with here do go as far as any party in the
Union. in denouncing that thing. rs-- 49,.
But is that thing itself a cause for dis
solution of the Union? Why, sir, there are
more things in regard to il which ought to
be known. ] saw it stated in the newspapers
although many of the South who are dis
union do not quote from northern papers
things that have been spoken there In regard
to this matter in the city of New York and
that only five pulpits out OF five
hundred uttered sentiments in favor of that
man who was executed the other
day inlNirginia, and although 1 think the
aspect of things is threatening. and very
much deplore il, this shows to my mind,
what | believe to be true, that although it
suits the aims Of politicians to advocate a
dissolution OF the Union, the great body OF
The American people everywhere are sound
upon that question. [Applause in the gal
eries and from the Republican benches
The gentleman from Virginia has said that 1
have planted myself in the ranks of Black
Republicans. / deny il. / have not voted
Tor Republican for Speaker. nor has any
nan from the party to which l belong done
so. Not one. We have not seen fit to vote
or the Democratic candidate. ! suppose
hat in this great country of ours we are free
men. and have the right TO represent what
We believe 10 be the sentiments OF our con-
,tituenis. and |, FOR one. will cooperate in
he election of any man as Speaker Of this
BODY whom believe TO be a national man,
md believe will faithfully discharge the
luties of the Office. That is the view enter
ain In regard 10 that matter, and deny the
oft impeachment Of Republcauism, which
las been made upon the other side.
There is a wide difference between the con-
ervaiive sentiments 10 which | have given
I,tcrancc here to day, and the Infatuated
cntiments expressed by some gentlemen
Who claim 10 he leaders of the whole South;
nd trust that b,.io Q the debate is closed
men from the North will b. found patriotic
nough 10 get mp here and say that they
isavow the wild schemes Of Wendell Phil
lps and Garrison and ;lat class oi men,
hat they disavow, repudiate and scoTn them.
nst us much as ] scorn aud rcpudiaie The
isnnion doctrines of the associations OF
he South. / trust there l. pa riotism enough
n the House aud in the country TO bring
onward such an expression Of sentiment.
rh., eaVs that the RennhliCans