Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-08-10
MIR. BeII,s Last.

10 resume our notice Oh THIS EuetOElC8l PERFORM
ance, we now take up the second and only other
topic on which the orator dilAted. 1t was the Di-
visions of Democracy.
This was the subject of some very protracted
defamation. The attempt was made to show that
on no one topic of public policy was the Democracy
united; that they had in their ranks the Alabama
and Mississippi secessiOnists and eaters and the
Union Democrats of Tennessee and Kentucky; that
there we're Democrats in favor Of the reopening of
the slsVe trade and Democrats opposed to il; that
there were Leeompton Democrats and Squatter
Sovereignty Democrats, Free Trade Democrats and
Tariff Democrats, Hard Money Democrats and Bank
Democrats; and with every specification of the dis
agreements of the party came in as q chorus,
HWhat then, is the bond Of union of this Demo
cratic parry? Nothing but the cohesive power of
public plumber" And then the chorus was taken
up with an unesrthly outburst of Opposition yslls.
In truth this was formidable weapon welded with
8 powerful arm unfortunately it was double
edged, and while thu orator was intent upon the
murderous attack upon the Democrats before him,
he was unconscious of the slaughter his back hands
ed blows were inh.cting on the Opposition behind
him.
There is no party and never has been one which
cannot be attacked in this manner. for as long as
the conflicts of opinion in free State range them
selves in two leading parties land this will be done
as long as States are free) each Of those parties
will embrace q variety of shades of opinion. No
man finds himself able to get all his private opinions
embodied in the legislative action of the State, and
every one, therefore, finds it necessary to come as
near as he can to carrying out his opinions by sd
herring to that party in the State whose general
policy comes nearest 20 embracing his political
views; hence, every party organization is to GER
tain extent a compromise of non-esseutials for the
purpose Of carrying out great principles, Ga thi
principle let us consider whether the Democratic
party with all the diversity of opinions it comprises
in its ranks, has not something which its members
unite in aiming at, more elevated than the public
plumber about which Mr.. BELL descantS so hueutly.
Let it be granted that there are those among the
Democratic party (hoWe7sr limited their influence
therein) who see no remedy for aggressious upon
the independence and integrity of Southern inter-
ests but the severance of that Union which accord
ing to their views is made the instrument Of their
su6ordination rather than the guarantee of their
equal participation in the privileges and immunities
of the confederAcy, and that on the other hand,
the great body Of the party believe that the consti-
tuition sternly insisted upon in all the srictness of
its letter. in all the amplitude of its spirit is the
safe andimpreguable entrenchment Of their invad-
ed rights yet on this fundamental principle are
they united beth in doctrine and in practice that no
title less than the ast equality which that COnstitu-
ton guarantees will they accept as their share in
the Federal heritage.
Granted again, that some extreme members
of the party, despair of preventing the h4gtant
frauds to which the people have been subjected
by the banks, except by the total suppression Of
paper currency, while majority Of its members,
believing that such financial revolution would be
disastrous to commerce, stand upon the prompt me-
tallic convertibility of any paper currency which
they will sanction, Still upon this great practical
principle the whole Democracy is united, that it
shall be the leading duty Of any government in
which they may take part, to secure the public
from being defrauied, by vicious banking systems,
of those proceeds of their industry and intelligence
upen which alone circulating medium can be
grounded.
And 90, we're there space for such an enumera-
ton, we might go through the whole cirsle Of to-
pics in relation to which Mr.. BELL predicstsd our
disuniOn, and show that throughout there was, amid
diversity of opinions as to methods Of action,
deep seated and indissouble unity Of general pur-
pose in the Democratic party; unity against which
the Opposition, under its countless changes Of ap-
peistion has for years been fruitessly dashing it.
self in pieces, while the towering structure has
reared its grand proportions mistaken by the
sault.
But now to look on the other side how does the
party which Mr.. BELL represents, and which in its
present aspect. he has hsd 30 large hand in
organizing, does this, the great Opposition
party stand the test of internal unity Of purpose
Mr. BELL must have been well aware that he was
to be followed by no opposing speaker or he would
never have ventured to draw upon his own party
the scrutiny to which he has subjected that Of his
opponents.
The short way with them would be to challenge
him to state what purpose the Opposition Is
united beyond that Of driving the present incum-
bents from Office and substituting themselves in the
rlsoe We remember Immediately after the great
meeting in this city, wherein the Tennessee OppOsi
ton was organized the admiration expressed for its
platform by friend attached to that party: alt
gives nothing" he said, for them to attack, and
leaves US free to attack them on all points" An
admirable description of union of men by whom
no principle was held in common, and who, there
fore, could state principle their bond of union
1t defined itself by negstiOns. 1t wasnot the Aueri-
can party of few years before, that had driven too
many old Psrtizaus from its support; it was not the
old Wing party, that would make its new sdherents
uncomfortable who had joined it on the express un-
derstanding that it recognized no ancient lines Of
party demsrcation. 1t was simply The OPPosrTIoE
--men might join it without committing themselves