Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-09-03
From the Philadelphia North American.
The OBposition I'm Tennessee.

IL has become too much the custom with
the Opposition press at the north 10 under
value the strength Of the southern Opposition,
and 10 act upon the conclusion that In the
| next Presidential canvass no substantial union
of the two branches can be relied upon. But
| while in several southern States there is too
much re son Tor this opinion in Tennessee we
| find most significant and decisive result of
the late election, pointing to the favorable side.
| When the election was held, we could see less
| To assure us of the correct position of the OPP
| position than is now apparent. and knowing
| that in kentucky and Virginia there was much
| that was grossly wrong we could not hope
much, even from Tennessee. Fortunately,
| the party led by John Bell had independent
views aud great Inherent strength, and lean
| ing on nobody. north or south, they carried
! every Congressional district but one in which
! a candidase was nominated, and seven out of
| ten in the whole State, for the doctrines I'M
| Einchingly maintained by Bell in the Senate,
and Etheridge in the House of Representa-
tives, since the dark ages for the south set in.
Mr.. Bell is a statesman of the older and
better ORDER and better fitted than any man,
since Henry Clay, to avert the decentralization
| of opinion going on at the south Tor ten years
| past. Countless thousands in those States
| would welcome the advent Of such man to
| power, and would rally to the support of
party and an administration which would
! carry into practice the firm aud fearless
| principles many times over uttered i'll both
| houses of Congress by Bell and Etheridge.
The frankness aud directness OF both these
| have won them personal influence i'll Con-
gress which must be seen to be fully appre-
.ciated and which compares most hvorably
with that exercised by the best northern re-
preventative who ever entered either OF those
halls. We have now seen what this personal
bearing has done i'll the actual canvass IN
Tennessee, aud now. for the hrst time, have
had an opportunity to know their strength,
when scarcely IA voice outside their State was
lifted in sympathy and support.
This trial has also come ut a time when the
disease OF the southern mind RACES most
fiercely: when Foote abandons Mississippi To
the specious slavetradng scheme OF Davis,
and the bolder one of Yancey aud DE Bow.
Kentucky out Heroded Herod in its effort to
win local elections on the ultra slavery plat
for,n. and 80 far as outside support and the
courage association gives were concerned,
john Bell aud his colleagues fought III Ten
nessee as "A iorlorn hope. Happily Tor them
and for the whole south. they fought 60 WIN.
Hereafter they will not want sympathy or
respect in any section OF the Union.
We are fortunate at The moment OF writing
in receiving confirmation of our hopes as to
the great body Of the southern Opposition
from Virginia. Al a convention just held at
Stanton. Hon. A. Ii. ii. Stuart offered Sc
res OF resolutions, admirable in tone, and
concilatory Ia Ihcir purpose ms TO nnion win
the Opposition in other States. The canvass
at the late election in Virginia Was more
personal than general in it's leading features,
aud the more active SPEAKERS and writer's
represented personal opinion only. la ma
tinnal canvass there will not tee wanting
leaders there as worthy OF our respect as
4 l. .afsA t.lN.4
most umong t,enl will be the able OK Srcre-
tary. whose inHurnce is now actively eXerted
ia the preliminary organization for the bust
ness VI the Presidential election.