Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-07-19
TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1859.
The Issue made 1p--Let the People
Review and Decide them.

and the day of the election. The issues have
been made up and placed before the people
1t remains for them to consider them, not as
blind partizans, but as patriots and freemen,
and to give their verdict, severally and
collectively, at the ballot box. A few more
speeches, few more days for gathering the
facts. and for weighing arguments will close
the campaign. 1t is always a solemn and
serious matter TO the intelligent citizen when
he lays his hand on the great pillar of govern
ment, and by his vote, contributes to shape
the policy-tbe destiny OF the State. He is
not acting merely for himself or for the pres
ent, but for his fellow citizens and for the
future. He exercises the immediate function
of Governor. He takes the sceptre OF au-
thority, and says to the servant of the State,
such and such is my will. No act Of his life
is of higher dignity, or involves heavier re-
sponsibility. At that moment he has all
political power in his hands-the commission
ed agent to whom it had been temporarily
delegated then gives it back to him, and in
its further delegation he is bound 10 select
such agents for its keeping, as will not abuse
It until it is again given back to the original
and ultimate depository-the citizen. In
fortunately ia some respect. fortunately in
others, the people are divided into parties,
differing widely as to the means to be used
30 arrive at a given, a professcdly common,
end, the general welfare. The tendency OF
these parties has been to foment undue strife,
to foster violence and bitterness of feeling,
and to open the avenues TO public station to
unprincipled demagogues, trcketers and
adventures. So far has this tendency been
developed that prejudice has, to some extent,
Overshadowed reason and intelligent refec-
ton, and made party names and party men
rise in the scale OF public estimat ion, above
the great principles ofpolitical economy, and
the important measures of governmental
economy. From being generous and high
souled emulation as to which~can accomplish
the greatest good, it has degenerated TO an
ignoble strife for place and emolument, power
and plnndel. The general welfare is come
10 be secondary Observation-Disclosures
promotion the primary one. rs4
This fact is amply illustrated by that party
which has longest retained power, and which
seems most solicitous to retain it. The dis
customs Of the present canvass, in this and
other States, have disclosed the fact that the
expenditures of the existing federal admin
istration have increased beyond all prece-
dent, and have reached point at which they
justly excite the fears of free people. The
amount OF this increase has been, there is
little or no room 10 doubt, devoted to tie ag-
graudizement of individuals, and to strengths
en- a-politicalparty. The public treasure is
is thus made TO corrupt the fountains of pub
dc liberty. The executive patronage of the
government, acting through thousands Of in
sidioas channels and upon hundreds Of thous-
ands of persons, ditfused all over the Union,
from Maine TO California, has been SO dis
pensed as to secure party supremacy regard
less of the public good. In the memorable
struggle in Illinois. last year, all the avail
able power of the President, in the way of
oficial patronage, was used to control the re-
suit of that election. The President thus
sought to bring the fIeemen ofthat sovereign
State under the ban of his displeasure, or to
consult his will, in the disposal Of their suf
frages. Whatever may have been done by
either or all ofhis predecessors in this respect,
we know Of no example so open and so
shameless. Shall the President be sustained
in this course! and will the people submit to
the unnecessary waste Of the public treasure !
are questions TO be answered, in part, by the
people on the 4th Of August
The President has also asked for the auto
cratic power Of declaring war at his discre-
zion; he has asked, AFTER squandering the
public moneys to the pitch Of bringing the
treasury to bankruptcy, for s3o,OoO,oo as a
preliminary fund for the purchase of Cuba:
he has d, manded of Congress. n general bank.
rupt law for banks thus seeking to break down
the rights of the States. and, so far, the es-
tablishment of a consolidated central Gov
eminent. Will the people endorse and sus-
tain him, or q party that upbolds him, in
these various measures? is another question
TO be decided in August.
The democratic party has also, through its
leaders wantonly excited strife on the subject
of domestic slavery, until they have brought
the country to the verge OF a pure aud abso-
lutte sectional contest, all for the purpose OF
promoting party aims. In 1852 they went
before the country with the solemn afirma-
ton that they regarded the legislation OF
1850, by which the principle Of non-interven-
tion was established, as fnality: Yet.
within less than twelve months after the in
.usuration Of the administration then elect
ed. they reopened the entire subject, Ia the
measure to establish territorial govern
ment for Kansas and Nebraska In 1856
they were not less emphatic In pledging the
country Ito resist all attempts at renewing In
Congress or out Of il, the agitation Ut the
slavery CUES ton, under whatever shape on
color the attempt might be made" Yet the
election In this State is now sought TO be mads
to hinge on this question, by setting up the RI
diculous pretense that the Opposition are the
enemies Of slavery, or the allies OF the aboli
tionists. Whether the people viii longer toler
ate this Ruthless aud mischiesous agitation
these repeated violations OF solemnpludges. d
another question submitted for decision In
August fgfsf esEfasE ~
A question OF more immediate concern q
the people Of Tennessee, 10 also TO be decided
Whether the system, Of mixed cnrrency, o
an exclusive metallic one Is 20 be adopted
There can be no doabt. after what has tran
rpired. that the leaders Of The, drnocrat
party In this State intend and aim 10 max
the circulating medium purely metallic one
1t would be impos<ible to eject II at the mex