Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-11-15
FfVIn Ute CIICIHfIdtI %
pfsunited Opposition.


The Nashville PATRIOT expresses some dis
satisfactis n with our remarks on the course
that should be pursued by the Republicans
in organizing the House. We have former
ly INDUCED the wish that some process might
be discovered by which all opponents of the
present Administration could cooperate in
the coming Presidential election. 1t is
wish. or rather a delusioD, so pleasing to
thousands of national and conservative men
at the North, who are yet thoroughly con-
WINGED of the justice of the principles main
tanned by the Republicans and of the neces-
sity Of their dominance in our national af-
fairs, that its manifestation in so many differ
ent ways. times and places, is no marvel.
We know that the pnblic policy we advocate.
| is such as every truly conservative patriot
and every man who honors the revolutionary
fathers, and their principles. ought to sup
| port. and that only this policy can ever give
permanent peace TO the country. The true
men of the South as well Of the North.
| have no reasonable excuse for standing aloot
| from the great work in which the Republi-
cans have enlisted, of regenerating the ted
| eral government, and of preserving every
| foot OF territory, now free, from the en-
croachments Of Slavery. Washington, JEFF
| f-r-on. Macon. aud Madison, went as far on
| this subject, as we ask anybody to go. We
/ stand fast by the old landmarks.
| In desiring union of all Opposition ele-
mrnts, we have never entertained the pur
pose Of abandoning this conservative posi-
| ton, and saying to the ultraists of the South.
aud that strange mockery of Democracy
| which is obedicn to their behests: Go on and
revolutiunize the whole slavery policy of the
| government a. you will without hindrance
| or Interference ir'm US. We have never once
| thought Of ignoring" that vital question
which occupies all mems thoughts, and which
| only cuwai dly timdly can any longer
blink out of sight. We have, in truth, never
/ clearly seen any way by which these now
! sund red Opposition fragments could be
united in solid cohesion.
We have waited. in imitation of Mr.
| Micawber, for some suspicious event to turn
! up, whereby the desired contamination mi ght
| be realized. We did not utterly despair
| that true patriotic impulses might get the
| better of sectional prejudices and interests
in the minds of many Southern leaders. like
| Bell and Rayner and Etheridge and Critten-
den, and that we might at length have a
common. harmonious "Opposition," on such
platform would have been recognized as
orthodox. dozen years ago, throughout
every section of the country. Was this
after all, such a piece of absurd credulity
But it only needed the experience OF the
last season 10 disSipate, almost entirely. this
| fond Illusion. First, we had the Opposition
leading in Kentucky. openly, Justify, de-
| fiantly demanding sLAvE-CoDE to protect
the peculiar institution in every Territory
whether the people would have it or would
not We had the Southern Opposition in
Virginia, clamoroHsly Outbidding the Demo
cracy in their devotion to slavery making
| that their great issue setting all their
hounds upon Democratic candidate who
had CHANGED once 10 speak a kindly word IN
regard to Notwithstanding the ma
| tiOnalizatIOn Of Slavery, by Congressional
enactments for its protection in all the Terri
| tOries-and even, (through their leading jour
nal, the Richmond Whig,) advocating re-
opening of that abOminable traffic known as
the African Slave Trade! Even Tennessee
OppoSitionisis, so far as we have seen. have
never rebuked such demonstrations, although
not directly sanctioning schemes 50 mon
strOus. Nowhere at the South have the OPP
position venlured to speak out plainly and
unequIvocallY. as party, against that great
iuiquity which the federal government, ex-
ertlng its immense power III most unscru-
pulous manner. underworld to force Slavery
upon the people oil Kansas, in spite oil their
sol, mn and oft-repeat' d protest
We need not follow these manifestations If
the spirit and policy of the Southern OppO-
sitiOn farther in detail. We make no com
plants as TO the constant misrepresentation
aud perversiOn Of Republican principl in
which he Southern Opposition press in gen
cral QOr there are occasional exceptlOns) de-
light to indulge. We need not even refer to
the language We have seen applied, in the
same quarter, to leading Republicans of the
North-as true patriots and AS sound states
men as this country has 10 day-in cOnnec-
ton with the mad-Cap exploits of John
Brown. This j. a land in which freedom Of
speech is toll rated, but not one, probably, III
which honorable men will iratern Re very in
timateiy with those who denounce them a.
traitors murderers and cOnspiratOrs, or the ac-
completes of suchl We know very well how
contemplate aud meaningless is most of this
Southern buster. But there is such thing
as carrying this sort of trihing--usually
viewed at the North only in its ludicrOus
pect "a little too ar. That point has evil
IDENTIFY been reached at present. The "frct
has been clearly seen III the recent elections,
and especially in the remarkable victory just
achieved in New York. AL hese Indications
are plain tina he who runs may read. If
anybody is saugpine enough, after all the
events of this season, to expect cordial
uuiun IN 1860. between the Northern and
southern Opposition, we certainly are not OF
tue number.
While We speak thus decidedly, we do it
in no unkind rprit. The Southern Oppusi-
tiuui-t- NAV Yet have work TO do. aud they
can probably bet do il 10y going along indie
pend ~. IHcy may have e" a future,
while the little ~ aVeTiHg Douglas faction has
not They will doubtless maintain their sec
tional organization and give the Democracy
battle in their stronghold, while The X, pub
iicans drive this enemy from the field la evr'y
Northern State. Whatever benefits accrue
from the utter rout and annihIlalIOn at The
Shams in the campaign OF 1850, the South
ern Opposition will partially share. New
parties will arise Their after, aud sectional
division and strife, we trust will gradually
disappear The Republican party will
faithfully perform its ''mission.' The South,
no less than the North, will yet h, artily re-
joice over it, triumph.