Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-02-18
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1858.
The Opposition state Convention aud
the .ugusf Elections.


the .'ugusf Elections.
II IL NJ much importance that there should
be ~ md as general representation, as
is 2 rsfe:FTr. from The several counties in
tho Op1.siti IN Convention, which is to be
he'd 10 this place on the 29th day Of next
month. for the nomination of candidate for
Governor. The assemblage of numerous
del gation rom all parts Of the State, besides
ensuring ajudcious nomination, could not
fail to produce the most salutary effects in
other respects. The delegates, meeting and
seeing each other, and intcrchanging views
and opinions. would become satisfied that the
State could be carried by united effort and
a thorough, vigorous canvass, and they would
20 homn, encouraged themselves, and encour-
aging the masses, to an immediate and CON-
plete organization. preparatory to contest
as hard-fought, and victory rs glorious, az
were those achieved in the ever memorable
campaigns of 1910 and l84s.
More, Intellectually more now than at those
periods. do the highest interests of the coun-
try. of the whole country, call for the united
support of all conservative, union-loving
men. whether Wings, Americans, or Demo-
Gratis more now than then, because infinite
ly more now than then are those INTEREST," in
peril.
L it not so? Look at the present condi-
lion of parties-the ascendency of the Demo
cratic party confined almost exclusively to
the slave State, and the asccndency of the
Republican party extending over all of the
Il ~
clear and inGisputable, then-can even
Democrat of ordinary intelligence who will
not willfully shut his eyes to the fact, fail to
see, that if the contest for the next Presiden-
cy be between the Democratic and the Re-
publican parties, it will be a sectional one,
and that thereafter the country will be divid-
ed into two sectional parties!
And is not such contest fraught with ex-
treme peril TO the Union aud to the dearest
Interests of every portion OF it, whatever
might be the result of the Presidential cleo
ii IN in 1860? But the result Of such a con-
test is not even in doubt. 1t may be foretold
now with certainty.
PENNSYLVANIA Is lost to the Democracy,
never to be regained. The opposition MAORI
ty OF some thirty or forty thousand at the
election in that State, in October last, set
ii d that point. And the course of the South
ern Democrats in Congress at the present
session, in regard to the tariff and the opin-
ions they maintain, and, at all hazards, are
determined to adhere to on that subject, will
go far towards completely annihilating what
remained of the party after the Waterloo
rout of October.
New Jersey is also irrecoverably lost to
them, as was shown by the elections last
year.
And Illinois. With DOUGLAS KILLED off"
through the influence of Southern Democratic
leaders, will Illinois cast her vote for the South
ern nominee OF the Charleston Convention!
Be it +, collected, too that at the elections in
Octoitr, although sufficient number of
mrmh Of the Legislature were elected to |
keep DOUGLAS in the Senate, the Republicans
elected their whole State ticket by Plurali-
t, and only lacked some three or four thous
and IF eqlallng the joint DoUGLAs and Adj
mini tration Democratic vote of the whole
State.
In Indiana at the elections in October, the
Democratic State ticket was elected by
majority of some six or seven thOusand-th the
Republicans and anti-Lecompton Democrats
having a majority in both branches of the
Legislature.
California is still Democratic; but the viO-
lent opposition of the Southern Democratic
leaders, or the great bulk of them, to the
Pacific Railroad, will infallibly deprive the
Charleston nominee of its support.
The States we have mentioned, namely
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana
and California were the only free States which
cast their votes for Mr. BUCHANAN ut the last
Presidential election. The two first are al
re,dy irrecoverably lost to the Democracy,
and with that fact established, independent
" otter considerations, what earthly chance
viii the Charleston nominee have of getting
the vote of either Illinois or Indiana? None
whatever.
So that, If the contest be between the
Charleston nominee and the Republican can
didate it is certain that the latter will sweep
the free States and be triumphantly elected
BY sectional vote-by a united Northern
voter
Is that a contamination to be desired by the
people of Tennessee and Of the whole South
Even supposing that the Republican candi-
date elected should be much less objection
able person than Mr.. SEWARD or Mr.. CHASE
that be should even be the least Objectionable
Of the distinguished men Of that party-are
not a sectional contest and the election of
sectional candidate candidate receiving
all the votes of the free States. without having
so much as a ticket in any one of the slave
S,ates-are not such a contest and such re-
suit To be deprecated, and. if possible. avertec
by the people of the South? But can they
be averted!
They can. 1t is entirely in the power Of
the people Of the South 20 avert them, and :
to prevent the nischievous, II not fatal, re-
suits which would most certainly flow from
them. How. We will proceed to show.
The distinguished leaders of the Republican
party ,who are looking forward to the Presi-
ieucy aud other high positions in the national
councils IS well as most of the aspirants to
Offices, State aud national. are no
ioubt exceedingly DESTROYS OF preserving
their party organization, ia the confident and :
expectation that, il they can
do so, they will at the next Presidential cleo
iion obtain the possession of the Executive
department. Of The Govsrnmeat, with les ac-
honors, spoils and eInoluments =
" tn that ohjcct in view, il is their obvious
nteree. to maintain the sectienality of the
3 publican party by ani-slavery agitation,
~ advancing eXlrsme anti-slayery doctrines,
ind keeping up the anti-sLlvery aspect of the y