Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-06-14
TUESDAY MORNING. JUNE IA, 1859.
Col. Nssherlana and the slavery Question.

Col. Nstherland and the slavery Question.
candidate for public office is generally averse
10 the discussion Of those questions in which be ap
pears to the worst advantage. Hence the hostility
Of Col NETHERLASD to the discussion of the slave
~ question. BE knows that he has every thing to
lose By proper understanding of the present at
Gtude Of parties on that question, and nothing to
gain. What is It that the Democracy are discussing
in this connection that opponents deprecate as
sagitationf" It is the untrustWorthness Of south
ern opposition leaders, their concessions to the
tional abolition enemies Of the South and the
terms Of their recent coalition by which it is pro-
pOsed to gain power by fusion of Northern Black
Republicans and Southern Know EOthings into
"grand army of opporidon" in 1860. And the
exposure of this by DemeSrstic papers and speakers
they call "agitation." II the charges of the De-
mOcracy are untrue upon this subject, they have
nothing to fear from such "sgitatOn." But ifthey
are true they may well cry out against it, And an
inward consciousness tells them that IL is their
death knell party, so far as Tennessee is con
cerned. Their only hope can be in the overpoWer-
ng numbers Of the North to bear them into national
ascendency, and thus secure them meagrs share
Of the emoluments and spoils Of Office.
We can bear with some cOmplscenOy their cry
against agitation It is natural they should do So
in view of the circumstances surrounding them but
Col. NRrHERLAND has deemed it available to intro
duce into some of his speeches argument, or ap-
peal upon the subject, in which we sincerely trust
he will not psrsevsre, notwithstanding believe it
viii be worth thousands of votes to Gov. HARRIS if
be should do SO.
Col. NETHERL AND said at Charlotte, 1--WE believe
we can report him almost to the word The slavery
question is settled, and my competitor, Gov. H.,
knows there is nothing in it. 1t was settled in your
Convention Of 1852 and 1856, and again by the CON
yentiOn that nominated my compstitOr. Why is this
eternal cry Of Rgger Niger, raised and continued
Hov many Of you here to-day UhO OeH slacss?
You are not all TicA-not al shareholders. There
are good zsdny Of you here tOho don't negroes,
and sOho are az much interested other questions the
slGvs-koIaer is in the slavery question. And if my
competitor will talk about this qusstion--if he is
resolved to attend the business of the nggss let
him do so, aud will attend to the business Of the
sphits people,
We regard this as the most disreputable species
u uA-NAS NhSA ~ ~ SoAN'S~'N @N@
Governor in Tennessee. As much as we believe it
vii. operate to the advantage Of Gov. HARHIs, for
the honor Of the State we trust it will not be per
sisted in by Col NErHERLAED. It can be regarded
in no other light, as has been remarked by Gov
HARRIS in reply, than IS an appeal to a supposed
prejudire in the minds Of the non-slavehodng oiti
gems Of the State against the slaveholders;-a pre-
JUDGE which we proud say does not exist and
which can only be aroused by such pernicOus and
unpstriOtio appeals as this
We deny the inference, justly deduc ible from
Col NETHRRLAED's language, that the non slave
holders in Tennessee are not as deeply interested
In unfolding the constitutional rights of the South,
in this particular, as are the slave holders They
know the institution of slavery to be peculiar fes-
ture Of their State policy, and moi the policy
Of the individuals who own the slaves. They know
that the right to own slaves is much theirs as it
10 the right of those who chance to hold this char
aetsr Of property. They know thst under cur ex-
csllent form of government the poor of to-day are
often the rich Of Tomorrow and that the children
Of the holders Of generation are often
the holders Of the next They know that the
permsneney Of American institutions depends upon
the preservation of cur Constitution, and that the
Constitution can only be preserved by rigid main
tensnce of the reserved rights OF the States, and
their political equality under it. They know that
they, of all classes, have the highest stake in the
preservation of onr institutions as it is their ALL
while the man Of fortune, though he may lose more
of property, can best protect himself against the
evils and adVersities that may come after it.
Col NETHERLAxD shows his own ignorance of the
intelligence and PATRIOTS Of the slave holding
portion Of our citizens when he thus insults them
by the lowest arts of the demagogue They are
more loysl to their native South than he is. We
had rather to-day trust rights as STAKEHOLDER
in the hands Of one Of them than in the hands of
Col. NETHERLAND. We honestly believe that they
will spurn him whenever he makes such appeals
And now, you slave holders of the Opposition
you who have pretended to deprecate 30 much the
array Of classes-you who declam so loudly against
appeals to the supposed prejddices of the poor
you who have professed such contempt for the
professional demagogue-what think you Of Col
and what is your duty in the pending
slectionf Are you willing to fssify your own pro-
fessiOns; are you willing to sanction the policy
in your candidate Of exciting unnatural unjust and
dangerous preJuoices III tne minus OF hoG-SlsVe-
holders against slave-hOlders, for the contemplate
purpose Of defeating the Democratic party in his
own elevation to power?
There are many, We know, who from the heat of
party prejudice are inssnsible 10 reason and could
not be driven from the support Of Col NErnERLAND
by any thing he might say But there are others
who. while disagreeing with the Democratic party,
fail 10 be disguised With the conduct of their
candidate, and who will see the necessity of strong
II rebuking him. To such we appeal in the sober /
ness Of reason to lay down their preudices for the
lime and let their judgments have the sway The |
slectiOn Of Col NETHERLAND would do more to
.timrlate and encourage slavery agitation at the
North than any one circumstance that could hap
pen 10 Tennessee,