Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-12-04
The national Democraric Convention.


Immediately.
The National Democratic Convention.
No similar meeting was charged with so
grave responsibility as will be the Convention
which Is to assemble in Charleston for the nomina-
ton of a Democratic candidate for the Presidency
in 1860 Equally difficult will be the proper dis
charge Of those duties.
1t is hard TO estimate the abuses to which the
Convention system is liable and in the contempla-
tion Of those abuses many of our best have
doubted the proprety Of sanctioning the system at
ALL We are of those who believe a National
Convention practice and necessary the only feas
ible means Of preserving the united action and har
mony Of the Democratic party, 50 essential to the
continued aseendancy of Democratic measures. To
preserve the Ind character of that Convention
becomes therefore all essential with the Democratic
masses. They must themselves faithfully and
fairly represented, by securing the appointment of
delegates who have more elevated ambition than
the mere service of particular men, the further
of their own particular interests.
The Democracy Of Tennessee will hold their Con
vention, to select delegates to represent them at
Charleston, in this city the 18th of January. 1t
becomes therefore, the duty of our friends through
out the State 10 interest themselves in the matter
and take immediate steps to appoint proper men to
represent them here The Convention will be held
and action taken, binding the Democracy of the
State This is certain. The only question remaining
Is shall II be such Convention as will truly re-
feet the voice of the people, locking singly that
policy which viii best subserve the common good
in the preservation Of principle and its continued
success regardless of the private interests and for
tunes of gambling politicians, who are enemies to
all principles and living cancers to all parties
Gambling is as distinct profession as any
other. Around the faro table it is least harmful
1t is only when its fell spirit infuses itself into the
trade and politics ola country that its grand
Importance by becoming dangerous to liberty and
equality.
The man who whistles after his daily avocations
and imagines that all is well does but half his duty
as a citizen and leaves the government exposed to
all the dangers that are constantly seeking the
throw Of republican institutions. Every who
enjoys the blessings of the government should re-
member that they were bought by the blood and
founded upon the patriotism of those who have gone
before Us, and that the only means of continuing
them is for each citizen TO reflect upon his response
billy and duty a part of political brotherhood,
and so rejecting to live up to that duty he does to
those who are to come after him.
Every sincere Democrat cannot fail to appreciate
the importance to the country of our success in the
next Presidential election. It will be exaggera-
ton to say that it will he unequaIled in Importance
by any other election which has ever proceeded it.
1t will be war between Nationalism and Sectional
fsm-between Constitutional liberty and higherlaw
ism-between the questions of public peace and all
Tha
cannot be overlooked. At such time and under
such circumstance the warmest patriotism and the
most earnest devotion for our country's welfare
should be cnkiadcd in the breast fevery loyal cit
izen and each take upon himself the prompt and full
discharge Of his whole duty.
1t matters little who the nominee of the Demo-
crazy at Charleston may be- so that he is an able,
faithful representative man: standing upon the
great principles of the party. and ready to carry
them forward Around such 4 leader, let him be
who be may. the enthusiasm Of the true men Of the
country will gather; and if the irrevocable decline
of our government has not commenced, it will bear
him proudly and calamity into the Office of Presi-
dent. few individuals may be concerning them
selves about special avorits; but the great mass of
the people want true and able representative, and
not mere man, the champion Of private inter
eats and individual ends.
Democrats Of Tennessee! awaken to your duty, |
and take immediate steps to have yourselves fully
and properly represented in our ensuing State Con
TentIon.
The Nashville Bancl. in announcing the decision |
of TIE committing court in the case Of ALLEN A.
Hall says:
Had we anticipated this decision the Magistrates
we wonld have hcsitated to the proprety Of pub
fishing the testimony in the case, since by giving |
publicity 70 the facts. 1t will be more difficult TO OBJ
tain a iurv-the law requiring that the jury shall
be unbiased by any previous knowledge OF the CIR
cumstances in a case of this kind. No one with
whom we cOnVersed fully upon the merits Of the
prosecution seemed TO doubt that Mr. Hall would
be promptly discharged. We say this mach in JUS
tee To ourselves.
The case now goes into the hands Of the Grand
Jury and without any comment we leave II to their
consc fences to say whether they will find an indct
ment against Mr.. Hall or not
The object and purpose Of this paragraph cannot
be mistaken What right has public journalist, n
g grave and solemn matter of this character inVolV
ing life and reputation. to prejudgo the action Of
swogn officers of the law. and shape his course &C
cording 10 his ownypre-conceived opinions Of what
they should DO The Banner had right tOpublish the
Testimony. as did The other papers of the city but
not upon such grounds rs it has chosen to assign.
Much less has il the moral right to prejudice case
of this character by the publication Of such para
graph as the one above In the determining OF sol
cum questions involving the lives Of individuals and
the preservation Of the public peace by the Courts
of the country the opinions Of those with whom the
editor of the B1ueT converSed is of little moment
The magistrates of the Courts had a Sloo,n duty 70
perform. Very ditTcren, the relations Of those
by whose opinions the BIuier processes TO have
been controlled.
The Banner leaves it to the conscience " Of the
Grand Jury 10 say whether they will find an in
dictment or not" This is truly considerable. Does
that paper aim Ia aid the 'consciences of these
sworn officers Of the law by this allusion to their
action? Would it not have been As well in order to
meet the ends of Justice TO have left to the Judge
the charge of the Jury and the submission Of all
MATTERS to their conscences and oaths We think
so an good citizens will think so-apd ell faithful
Officers of the law viii think
ARE a partigau- an earnest and Unbending par
tizan-but before God and our country. We are I'M
conscious OF ever permitting it to step in between
as and cur relations SIS a citizen friend We
hsve never permitted il 10 blind to the imperfec-
lions of political associates. nY 10 the virtues of
political opponents and Ne pray the time may
never come when. beneath the prrudires eff the
partizan We shall bu,.y all the nober attributes Of
he man.
Owing to the engagements Of our Reporter with
the proceeding the legislature, hc has been un
able to Furnish with his notes OF the remarks Of
Attorney General BATE in the case Of the State rs,
Hall in time Son publication to-day. 1t will appear
in our next isSU".
Washington dispal, hes state that the Democratic
,,ogramme for the lias" nominations is pretty diff
piteIy made up on a basis ..-andcd to unite the two
Eat wings of the party. H~9ok Of Virginia is