Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-03
The Position of the Northern Demo-

The Position of the Northern Demo-
crazy.
The Democracy of Tennessee have asserted,
and continue.to assert, that the democracy
of the North is the only party, in that sec
ton, able or willing to protect the South in
the enjoyment of her constitutional rights.
This is the burden of their song daily. 1t is
their meat and their drink. 1t has done
them essential service heretofore, and they
fondly believe that it is ever to be source
of profit to them. 1t matters not that events
are constantly unfolding and developing the
utter groundlessness of the claim-it matters
not that Northern Democratic State Conyen-
tons, one after another. meet and take
ground directly in opposition to the South
they will not see or hear the truth; but go
on from day to day declaiming upon the
soundness of their Northern allies. We beg
the people not to pass over these things
lightly. We have repeatedly called atten-
tion to the position of the Northern demo-
cracy as stated by themselves. We have
shown you that the New Orleans Della, a
sound democratic journal. in view of the
positions taken by Northern democratic State
Conventions, declares that "no practical
issue is presented between the democrats of
those States and the black republicans" AS
an instance Of what Northern Democrats are
doing, we present the following resolutions
adopted by the democracy of Maine:
ResolUed, That all political power is inherent
in the people; that all free governments are
formed in their authority. and instituted for
their benefit; that the right of selfgovern-
ment is the fundamental idea of our Repub-
lican institutions, and the doctrine of the
people to govern themselves, the cornerstone
of our political fabric, applicable alike to the
States and Territories of our Union. g.
RESOLVED, That the Democracy of Maine re-
assert the great principle of selfgovernment,
or popular sovereignty, as the basis of their
policy in reference to the organized Terri
tories of the United States. .~
ResOlued, That acting upon the principle of
absolute non-intervention by Congress with
slavery in the States and Territories" which
we recognise as eminently just and wise, we
are opposed TO any legislation by Congress to
establish, abolish, regulate or protect slavery
in the Territories.
Resolued, That we hold it to be the duty of
the Democratic party steadfastly to adhere TO
the principles embodied in the compromise
measures of 1850, ratified by the people in
the Presidential election in 1852, and re-affirm-
ed in the Kansas-N Nebraska act of 1854, (Which
is founded upon principles as ancient as free
government itself, and in accordance with
them has simply declared that the people of
a Territory, like those Of "a State, shall decide
for themselves whether slavery shall or shall
not exist within their limits,) and incorporat-
ed into the Cincinnati platform of 1856, and
to resist all attempts to interpolate into the
creed of the party such new issues; and We
pledge ourselves to resist any attempt to re-
open the African slave trade or a Congress
iOnal slave code for the Territories, or the
doctrine that the Constitution of the United
States either establishes or prohibits slavery
in the Territories beyond the power of the
people to controlit.
These resolutions were adopted by State
Convention which also appointed delegates
to the Charleston Convention. They recog-
nize and assert the doctrine Unpopular or squat
ter sovereignty in its most Objectionable form,
and utterly reject the doctrine of the right of
the South to the protection ofslave property in
the territories-a right which the supreme
law of the country, the constitutions guaran-
tees to her. This is specimen of the will
ingness of Northern democrats to protect the
South in the enjoyment other rights. II may
meet the appreciation of Tennessee Democ-
racy, but it does not receive any favor from
the Opposition. Neither does it meet the APP
probation of the democracy of Mississippi if
their central organ, the Mississippidn, express
es their views, for it expressly condemns the
doctrines of the brethren of Maine.
But we will give another instance of what
Northern Democrats have done, and are do
ing. The State Convention in Iowa adopted,
a short time ago, the following resolution:
Resolved, That, inasmuch as the legislative
power of the Territories extends INCIDENTALLY
to all rightful subjects of legislation, no pow
er can prevent them from passing such laws
upon the subject of slavery as TO them may
seem proper, and whether such laws, when
passed, be constitutional or not, can be final
iy determined. not by Congress, but by the
Supreme Court, on appeal from the decisions
of the Territorial courts.
Here we have the 'unfriendly legislation"
of Mr. DOUGLAS sustained, as well as the right
of the territorial legislature to pass laws to
abolish slavery if thought proper.
The specimen planks which we have above
given from Northern Democratic platforms,
show that the party is altogether unreliable
and makes really mo practical issue with the
Black Republicans The following from the
N Y. Herald shows that it has even less abili-
ty that Willingness TO protect us:
In 1856 the success of the democracy de-
pended upon the vote of Pennsylvania, and
the Presidency and the party were thus Sc
cured through the personal popularity of Mr..
Buchanan, whose name II that famous Octo-
Der local election arrested the victorious
march of Fremont, and settled the question
against him a month in advance of the main
battle. But how stands the matter in refer
ence to the succession? Pennsylvania has
been reconquered by the opposition, and,
from the hot dissessions there prevailing in
the democratic camp, we may pretty safely
count that State on the opposition side in our
estimate for 1860. Indeed, from the local ell
ections of the last twelve months, and from
the intestine discords Of the democracy here,
and everywhere, it is by no means improba-
BILE that by December next they will be dis
possessed of every Northern State, including
even California, and excepting only Oregon.
Ponder this exposition, people of Tonnes
see, and rebuke the attempt to deceive you
in regard to the Northern Democracy.