Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-10-13
The Northern Democracy aud the SOnt h
ern Opposition.


greatly disgusted with the views of Northern DEM
ocrats on the slavery question, and endeavOr to
Justify their own utilization with the Black Republi-
czns on the ground that Northern Democrats no
better.
We need not refer to the history of the Northern
Democracy for their vinditation from such charges
as these We need not appeal to the records of the
country TO show how long and how faithfully they
have defended the constitutional rights of the South,
even when many of her own sons were treacherous
and untrue. We need not enumerate their acts of
devotion to the Constitution and Union by which
they have sgnalized their past We need not speak
of the admission OF Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas
as slave States, by Northern Democratic votes nor
of the enactment of the Fugitive Slave Law, when
the same men with whom the Southern Opposition
are now afliatng combined to rob the South of its
rights and were defeated in their efforts by tho
Northern Democracy.
We are content TO challenge comparison between
the present attitude Of northern friends and our
southern enemies. We think it sufficient to prove
that the Northern Democracy now occupy sounder
and more conservative position the slavery ques
tion than the leaders of the Southern Opposition,
who denounee them.
In order establish this. it is only necessary to
refer to the fact that while the Northern Democracy
CALAMITY struggling against the sectional organ
ization and sedtions sentiments Of SEWARD and his
followers the Southern Opposition are offering to
the Black Republicans aid. sympathy and eneour-
agement They apoogizing for their extreme
views, and endeavoring to palliate their dark
designs against the interests of the South and
while doing this, the Opposition leaders of the
South are actually cooperating with the abolitiOnists
sun all questions of sectional character, that come
mp in Congress. They united with them in resisting
Ihe passage Of theKansas-NebraskaB Bill by which the
equality of the Slave States in the Territories, was
established They united with them in opposing the
admission of Kansas as a Slave STAG into the Union
and are now ready to unite with them an eectlng
Black Republican Speaker for the next House Of
Representatives. Some of the organs of the South
ern Opposition openly advocate this policy. While
denounclng the Democratic party at the North
which is resisting the enemies Of the South, they
themselves extending to the Black Republicans
the right hand Of fellowship and offering them their
corporation and assistance,
But this is not all. The Opposition leaders at the
South in their anxiety to conciliatc the antisavery
fanatics at the North. have gone far 10 adopt
many Of their most odous views. One by one tsey
are yiedingnp their Northern allies the substaE
iaI rights Of the South, and supplying them with
material for continued aggressons upon the insti-
tuition Of slavery.
At a time when the Know Nothing party had filed |
Sle Congress of the United States with Black Re
publicans and Abotionists, EMERSON ETHERmGE |
an Opposition Representative from TeR1essee, in
troduced resolution condemnng the African slave |
trade couched in language insulting to the South but
aEich elected the congratulations of the Black
Republicans. for the reason that as stated by the |
Ra6iseJ 4bOlitoaiSt it strikes beyond the African
avetrade -it condemns the american slduetrdde and
the practice Of SlaUebodiHg, 1rih ,rhich is identified
This resolution has been subsequently adopted in
to the platform of the Black Republican party of |
Pennsyl wanna, and furnishes at this time material for
their ferces assaults upon the slave holding States.
In The midst of an angry discussion the slav-
err question, while the AbOitiooists were burling
suSuiss in the faces of Southern statesmen and
mourning their most vehement invoctYes against our
institutions Mr. BELL the leader Of the Opposition
an Tennessee. chimes in. with the following senti-
ment in a speech which he delivered in the Senate
of the United States:
1.-The condition Of bondage in which the African
race is held in some Of the States Of the Union, has
Esen regarded b liberal aid enlightened statesmen ia
eusy part Of The ,rordds dgee bemisb IN the fair
fabric Of liberty erected M ARie"7t-
Still more recently, Mr.. Boris, Of Virginia has
written the following letter, taking sides Eish the
BLACK Republicans in their warfare upon slavery |
and upon the DFed Scott decision The Powhatan
speech to which he refers contains an unqualified
condemnation of the institution of slavery
RIcmeND. July 81, 1851.
M Dear SRI have just received your letter of
fbs 3sth inst in which you ask 10 write y0H er-
r1 m he % VIII
supposed had been already fully expressed IN my
PoWhatan IAfiiean) Church and Academy Of Music
sneeches: except so far regards this new ques
don since raised of Territorial code for tbs pro
lection of slavery by Congress.
Nv another letter also received this afternoon. l
learn that your last letter relating to Mr. Bates and
myself viii be published tomorrow or next day,
and therefore anv answer to your inquiry would be
too late for the purpose designed. But if | had de
eeiyed il in time ] should have ahS wered: have
never favored the acquisition of territory for the
extension of slavery; j have never faYOFed, and
never will favor any system OF legislation for the
Introduction OF slavery into territory now free,
against the will of the people OF the territory /
nm unalfeFablv opposed TO the legaizatlOn Of the
African slave trade, and 10 the repeal Of the laws
IN that subject, and would visit The seVefest penal
" of the law on all who might be engaged ~ that
nhuuan and unlawful traffic. This have said over
and over agnin, until l thought it was understood g
BY all. Z
/ believe Congress possesses the sole power Of .
I
edged by the Constitution, Congress had no move
right to transfer il the Territorial Legislatures
han il would have 10 transfer the warInaklHg 3
power to the State Legislatures. and this power Of
legislation being. in the language of the Supreme o
Court lin four days.. absolute and unqualified a
Congress could according 10 its discretion cOnstitu-
onay cgislatc for ~ against its introduction. as
night be most desirable 80 tbs people ut the Terri
ORE or as might appear 10 tksn0 most wise and ju-
licous: 81 the same time, C2uBUt deny that rs il
was the intention Of those who framed abe Constitu
ion to prohibit jts introduction into ALI the ter
-itory then belonging TO the United States, las o.
Indicated BY the ordinance of lIS7. which vac i
greed TO- ii The main. by the men who formed the =
Convention that adopted the Constitution, and which
YES recognized by the first Congress that sat under
he Constitution it is fair to presume. at least that
hey did not intend throw any obstacle in the way
# It's pEohibitiOn into any territory that might be
hereaftey acquired. e
But. although this right in Congress does exist
he South has cb Osen by the passage OF the Kansas
Nebraska bill (Which with the aid Of the Executive
nd few eff their Northern Democratic allies, they n
orced upon the NORTH 10 enter into compact by il
which il has been agreed end provided by egisla-
ion vet unrepeaed never 70 attempt its exercise Ia
ither for or against its introduction but in the Ian
uage of the law. ito leave the people thereof free
D form and regulate their own domestic Institutions n
D their own way, CO
This is the bargain they have made for themselves \;
I'D they have no right TO complain Tor being he'd v,
trietly 70 the terms imposed by themselves or
Tiers n they have made a bad bargain, they have
one but themselves blame for their own folly, u
M l would 30 sooner sustain state. party, or a
etiOn in playing that disrepuable game Of fast Oh
"a Lose in holding on to and insisting upon good
,rgsfp and breaking faith and violating ohhga | OF
ons TO avoid bad bargain, than would, an indi-
dual engaged in the same 6emorallzng and unjust tel
fable process of trading and uattcking-a mode
transacting business which no ReneSt man 8
private life would attempt and wmcR none OF la
" SORT would be tolerated m pracuclng IN any well
,nducted society. 800. On
hare ,niforaly aduoeaed tie policy Of confirming CO.
arere 10 its present Epls, unless indeed It should
-adualy and naturally in due course OF tlihe IL to
robaby will find its way 10 warmer ana more
,uthern climate than the line Of 30 degrees North vo
utude. therefore paid no more attention to me
reteXt up by Mr. Calhoun when negotiating for IN,
exRs-'that Il ,oqs necessary to open neto country
Y redundant sl1ue population, 'rlict 'roid ooer'e'se Of
'eTraR The present S1re Sfates-than do now TO an;
e opposite demand Of his followers, for revival IN;
the slave trade for the supply Of deficient labor Al
have regarded and treated each proposition as uO
roceedng from an unftiendly spirit TO present -"
mon. and desire to break up the bonds of brother
BOD by which we are cemented; and have turned roa
deaf ear 70 their arguments aud paid no respect