Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-07-13

as we shall attempt TO show from his own brief hiE-
tory IN relation to this question
Col. NErHERLAND entered public life in 1888.
There was more AbOlitionism in Tennessee st that
time>than has ever been since. Col. NETHERLAND
was member Of the Legislature, and as such was
called to act upon question that was Justly regard
ed Of importance to the safety and welfare of the
institution of slavery. The census of 1880 had
shown On alarming increase of the free negro pop
uiaiiOn of our State which had zakened the public
sense TO the necessity of its removal To this end
the Legislature of 1881, rejecting the we'll sscer
tained sentiment of the people, had passed the law
requiring that all negroes who should be manumit
ted thereafter should be sent 6tyond the limits of the
State The provisions of this wise and salutary
Law have prevented our State from being over-run
with this most despioable and dangerous population
and none but those most unfritndly 10 the insttu-
tiOn Of slavery would now dare urge its repeal.
And yet Col NETHERLASD, IS a member of the Le-
gslature, did endeavor to effect its repeal, and fail
ing in this voted to authorz the freeing of negroes
in midst in twenty thirty special cases dur
ing that single session. FrcElthis We may justly
conclude that Col NE1HERLAND was net very
friendly to the institution of slavery when ne fret
entered public life. Let us continue to observe his
course up to the present tme and see if his early
prejudices have been removed or modified.
In 1889, Hen. Mr.. McCLELLASD, the Democratic
candidate for Congress il the Rogersvie district,
was opposed by Hon. JOnN A. MCKINNEY. Mr..
MCKINNEY, though deprecatng the policy of the
radical AbOitiOnsts of that day, regarded slavery
anJ I ond led
to its final eradication. As member Of the State
Convention of 1884, to remodel our Constitution,
he thus declared, in report made to that body,
the means upon which he relied for its removal:
"The Ministers of our Holy Religion will knock
al the door CT the hearts of the owners Of slaves,
telling every one Of them to let his boudnan and
his bonjwoman 90 free, and TO send them back to
the land of their orefalhers and the voice Of hese
holy men will be heard and obeyed, and even those
who lend deaf ear to the admonitions in the hour
of health, will bed of sickness and at the ap-
proach of DEATH make provisions for the emancipa
ton Of their slaves and for their transportation TO
taeir homes on the coast of Africa"
For the election of the gentleman who had avow-
ed these continents over sound and reliable Dem
ocrat, Gel NETugRLAND not only voted, but labored
with zeal.
In 1884, the Nashville R,pa5liean, edited by Al
len A. HALL, declared 1.-THE nature Of things
the march of public Opiniou-the voice of religion
all hdre said that slapery must hare end" Mr..
HAIL is now earnestly advocating the election Of
Col NErHERLAXp, and is the active member Of the
Opposition State Central Committee, and editing,
in part, We understand, the Opposition campaign
paper.
Col NETHKRLAND is an earnest admirer and SUP
porter of the Hon. JOHN BEEL. The Hon. JonN
BELL is cluslly az cordial in his support of Col.
NErHERLAED. We have had frequent occasion 10
discuss his connection with this question. His
views with regard to the abstract morality of slave.
~ are indicated in the contained
in his speech, delivered in the Senlte, in 1856:
1.-THE condition Of bondage in which the African
race is held il Of the States of the Union, has
been regarded By liberal and enlightened statesmen
every part Of the 0Jrld defect bIemish ia the far
fabric Of liberty erected in America"
Again, Col. NErHERLAND is an ardent admirer of
Hon. EN-. ErHERIDGE, whose chief notoriety con-
sists in his having shown greater disregard for
Southern sentiment and Southern honor and havin ,
gone further into the ranks of Abolitionism, than
any other man who has ever represented Tennessee
constituency in Congress. The principal circum-
stance of his four years service in Congress the
introduction of an anti-Africsn slave trade resolu-
ton, eouehed in language insulting to the South,
but which ELECTED the congratulations of the
Black Republicans, for the that stated by
the Radical AJolonist sit strikes beyond the Afri-
can save-trade- condemns the American sIaUs-trade
and the practice Of slaUshoIding, ruth ~hch is dent-
fed"
Thus it appears that if there has ever been Q
sentiment in Tennessee unfavorsble to the institu-
ton of slavery, since Col NETHEKLAHD entered
public life, he has in some way identified himself
with it. Upon the contrary, in no instance where
the rights of the South have been encroached upon
and the institution of slavery endangered, has Col
NErHERLAND ever been found battling in their de-
fence. We defy his friends to point TO a single in
stance. When now held by Gov. HARRIS to q strict
account for his course Oh this subject, he declares
his unwillingness to discuss it, making dangerous
and insulting appeal to the non-slsvehOders Of his
audience.
Such has been the course Of JOHN NETHERLAND.
Would it be sound policy 10 inaugurate, in the face
of all the abolitionism of the North, such a man
as Governor of Tennessee?