Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-12-13


| make one further remark here before pro-
ceed~ We who were OF the Wing party of
that day succeeded in electing that gallant
old soldier, General Taylor, as President of
the Uneted States. and he was succeeded by
Mr.. Fillmore, and never since the days of
George Washington has there been Presi--
dent who demeaned himself more faithfully
and more honorable in his high Office than
Willard Fillmore; Enthusiastic applause in
the gallery;l a man who, though a northern
man, doubtless entertaining northern preju-
dices against slavery. saw fit to stand up 90
his oath and his duty. and who in the dis
charge of that oath and duty nob1y, manful-
. ly, and pairlotically executed the laws of
the country, at the risk of destroying his
popularity among his own felow-citizen. /
say if we ever had man in this land who
deserves The lasting gratitude of his country,
Willard Fillmore is that man. [Renewed
applause in the galleries.
Mr.. NOEL. Why was it that Mr.. Fillmore
was defeated by the Northern Wing party
after be had served his first term?
Mr.. Nelson. 1 do not know, unless it was
because they had learned bad habits from
their associations with the fire-eaters of the
South. daughter on the floor and in the
galleries.l While Mr.. Fillmore manfully,
patriotically, and nobly discharged hs-duty
in regard to the fugitive slave law and every
thing else; ay, while he removed Abolition
lists from office, and would not allow them to
have place and power in order to advance
their views, all here vino know the history of
the country-and it is presumed that every
one present does-will remember that, when
tee great Democratic party assembled in
/. 1852, and passed those LIBERATED resolu-
tions, including the stereotyped resolutions
of 1898, it was reported in the newspapers
of the country that they pledged themselves
that if Pierce Was elected President of the
United States, the Free-soilers should come
in as sharers of the spoils; and we all know
that Sumner was elected United States Sena-
tor by a coalition between the Democrats
and Free-Soilers Of Massachusetts; and we
further remember that Chase. of Ohio, was
elected to a seat in the Senate in similar
way. We know also that Judge Bronson, of
New York, was removed from the collector
ship of the port of New York because he
would not carry out the views of the Adj
ministration In his OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
previously promulgated by John Van Bulen
and aud other delightful interpreters of
those Delphic resolutions. [Laughter.]
/ might pursue this train of thought and
bring up other "Reminiscences of our coun-
try's history; but having no desire to wound
the feelings of any here present, or to create
any improper excitement upon the part of
any gentleman. either North or Sosth, for
bear. The object OF passing the resolution
of the gentleman from North Carolina Mr..
Gilmer1 is to allay excitement. and 10 BAN
ish, as far as we can, proftless slavery agita-
ton from this Congress, before which no
measure, as far as | know in regard to
slavery is likely to come.
Before | take my seat. trust the House
will indulge me in giving utteranee to one
or two old fashioned sentiments which, in
days past and gone, were common to the
whole American people. 1t may excite the
derision of a portion of the dsunionists OF the
North, and it may provoke the contempt OF
the fire-eaters of the South; but | say there
is one class of sentiments which, although
the leaders in the excitement may strive to
create feeling of discord in the minds of our
citizens, | trust all will hold in common.
What are they? We love our country; we
love it's mountains, it's hills, its valleys, and
its streams; we love its peaceful Sabbaths its
church going bells, its English Bible, and its
glorious liberty of conscience. Applause.
We love that feature in every American con-
stitution which abolishes all hereditary hon
ors and distinctions, and enables the pour
mans child, if he have talent and genius, to
climb
"The steep where fame's proud temple shines afar."
Applause in the galleries. We love the
star-spangled banner which has waved in
triumph over many field of battle and pro-
tects our commerce upon every sea. We
love the memory of the worlds only Wash
ington. [Applause on the floor and in the
galleries.l We love the name and the fame
of every hero who has fought. or bled or
died upon the battle fields OF the country
[Renewed applause,] OF them it may be
said: ~
" They fell devoted but undying,
They very gale their rames seems signing;
The waters murmur of their name,
The woods are peopled with their fame;
The silent pliar--Ione and gray
Claims kindred with their sacred clay;
Their memory sparkles DER the fountain,
Their spirits wrap the dusky mountain
The mesnest rill-the mightiest RIVER
Rolls, mingling with their fame, forevcrl''
IGreat applause in the galleries
We not only love these. but above all,
trust, we love this glorious Union, purchased
10y the blood aud treasure and consecrated by
the prayers of our fathers, and preserved by
the yalor of their children. We love this
glorious Union. | repeat and we want no
abolition, no secession, no disuniOn, no nuilii-
cation, no civil wars, no reeking Carnage. no
blazing fieldsln burning cities, no military
despots to arise and bid
q The blood red paths of conquest hail"
No, sir. no; we want none of this none of
these; but we desire to live on as we have
lived in times past free and united peo-
pie; one in mind, one in heart, one in Inter
est. one in feeling, one in all that
makes a nation great. one in all that
makes people happy. [Great applause
in the gallaries. | trust in God that
these sentiments will Oil and swell the
American heart as long as the gliding streams
tremble in the sunshine, leap joyously, and
roll to their ocean home; "a long as the blue
mountains clap their hands or battle their
faces in the sky; as long as the Cod of our
fathers shall lead US in perils To come, as he
has led US in perils that are passed, by pill
lar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by
night.
1t is with sentiments such as these that.
although my voice is unknown to fame; al
though | take, for the first time. my seat in
deliberative assembly, | would firmly. earn
estiy, yet respectfully, invoke gentlemen OF
the North and gentlemen of the South to
come up and lay on the altar of our common
country this distracting question, which does
no good, which creates incessant excitement,
which arms the slave against his master,
which causes feeling of dissatisfaction to
ward this great and glorious Union to pre-
vail. / ask northern men--can you, on an
abstract question like this. make no sacri.
fee in behalf of our country? ] ask southern
men-can you, on a question like this, which
is practically settled, at least for years TO
come, make no sacrifice, and can we not all
49, an oN'FAi"S t"'o itoOiuNoi, patiiotiS
in its terms; a resolution which | am sure
will commend itself to the approbatio OF
the whole country, and which carries no sting
in regard to any member of this assembly
say then, Mr.. Clerk, without occupying fur
Their the time Of the House, that / advocate
the adoption OF this resolution; and cali
on gentlemin Of this House, adler. older,
having more experience than myself, call
upon them to rally 10 the standard of our
country; to come mp and let US link our
shields together in behalf Of this Union aud
our beloved institutions. and endcavor as far
as in us lies TO hand down unimpaired and
undimiuishcd. TO our remotest posterity, those
blessings of civil aud religious freedom which
we enjoy obove all other nations under
heaven. loud applanse.l