Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-04-22
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL as, 1859.
THE OPPOSITION.
ITS origin and OBJECTS.

THE OPPOSITION.
ITS origin and OBJECTS.
The Opposition is now organized in every State
in the North and is struggling TO establish IFS pow
sr in Tennessee, kentucky and Virginia. preparato-
ry to the great struggle of 1860. 1t has obtained
temporary ascendency in a majority of the free
States, by appealing the sectional prejadices of
the people, inhaming their hatred against the South
and thus producing fusion of all the factions
against the Democratic party. This same Opposi-
tion is striving to extend its dominion over the
South. If it can conquer few Southern States the
power of the Democratic party would be broken
down and the permanent triumph Of abolitionism
secured Consequently, we find those Southern
politicians who have acted with GDDNos, and HALE,
and SEWARD, and BURLINGAME, in all the sectional
contests of the last six years, raying the 0pposi>
ton forces in the South to overthrow the Democra
oy and elevate themselves and their Nor hern allies
TO power. They now fighting under one com
mon name North and South. We propose to show
that they have one common object
The Opposition convention which me; in Nashville
on the 29th of March, pledged the party to their
"earnest exertions and united influence to over
throw" the Democratic party. Mr.. SEWARD in
ocrae party is tine only obstacle the success of the
Republicans. every one knows" says he, Z" that
it is the Republican party, none, that shall dis
place the democracy" 81 know that the Demo-
cratic party must go down and the Republican par
ty must rise into its place"
Again, in the same speech, Mr.. SEWARD says:
awhile the government of the United States I'M
der the conduct of the Democratic party has been
all that tme snTrendering one plain and castle af-
ter another to slavery the people Of the United
States have been less steadily and perseyeringS
II gathering together the forces with which TO
cover back again all the fields ami aI tbs castles
which have been lost and TO cOnfound and
throw by one decisive blow the betrsyers OF the
Constitution and Of freedom forever"
Thus far it will be seen that the purposes of the
Northern and Southern wing of the opposition
e1pounded by their leaders, are identical They
are using their united influence to Overthrow the
Democracy, being assured, that party, three
fourths of which are the followers of SEWARD,
will come into power with the ayowed object of
Wrestling from the South the territory it has gained
and combining slavery to its original limits.
Such is to be the result of the victory which the
Opposition hope TO achieve. The Southern wing
constituting a contemplate and impotent faction
are mere suffers and camp-fonoWeIs for the great
Opposition army Of the North. Any advantages
they might gain must be surrendered at once to
their Black Republican allies. They will be the
mere Jackalls 10 hunt down the game. The lions
of Abolitionism will come in and devOur it.
The Southern Opposition in declaring their deter
mnstion to aid in the overthrow of the Democracy,
only declare their willingness to place the Black
Republicans in undisputed control of the Govern
ment; for the leaders who manage these things
know, that the supremacy of the SEWARD element of
the Opposition would be inevitable in case Shey
succeed in accomplishing the defeat of the Demo-
cratic party.
We have every reason to believe tina! the Opposi-
ton leaders Of the South are seeking to betrsy
their followers into the power of these fanatics for
the sake of the personal benefits which they hope
to derive from the success of their allies.
This is shown eOuolusively from the rise and origin
of the organiz2ti
When proposition was made at the last Congress
to admit the State of Kansas with the pro-slevery
Constitution adopted by the Convention al LecOmp-
ton the entire Black Republican party in the Sen
ate voted against that measure. Consulting and CO.
operating with them were Messrs. BELL and CRIT
TENDKN, the two most influential of the four Know
Nothing Senators in that body. Tbiry>fOur of the
thirty-seven Democratic Senator'S voted for the sd-
mission Of Kansas. In the House the vote on the
bill for the admission of q slave State shows that all
the Black Republicans (92 and six out of the four
teen Southern Know NOthings were opposed to that
measure. twenty-five Northern Democrats voted
with the Black Republicans, nine Of whom, how
ever, afterwards came over and voted for the Con-
ference Bill for the admission of Kansas leaving
TO in
against the body Of their party on a question Of
fecng the interests Of slavery and the rights Of the
South. OF the eight Southern Know NOthings who
voted with the Democracy for the LecomptOn Cons
stitution, two (Nlessrs. ANDERSON AID WooDsoS, Of
Missouri,) are now acting with the Democracy, and
were reelected to Congress by Democratic votes.
This combination for the exclusion Of slave
State consisting of ninety-twO Black Republicans,
six Know Nothings and thirteen Northern Demo.
Gratis in the House, and nineteen Republicans two
Know Nothings and three Northern Democrats in he
Senate formed the nucleus of The present OPPOSE
ton Thirtysnne sound conservative Democrats in
the House and ten in the Senate, all of whom voted
with the South for the admission Of Kansas, stand !
united with the entire body Of the Southern DemOc-
racy to resist the sectional views OF this dangerous
combination.
Here the present Opposition originated. 1t grew
out of the effort on the part of the Republicans and
portion of the Know NOthings TO prevent the ad-
mission Of q slaveStste. On this subject they har-
monte in sentiment and in action On this priRci-
pie they have united
The first recognition Of this union came we be-
lieve, from the Hon. JOSHUA r. GIDDINGs, of Ohio,
the bitterest and most fanaticsl enemy of slavery
who has ever dsgraced the floor of Congress
The correspondent of the New York Express, the
leading American Journal of New York, writing to
that paper from Washington, during the Iendency