Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-04-07
.HURsDAr mORNrNG, APRIL :, 1853.
Platform Of The Opposition.


In what we have said in previous articles upon the
declaration of principles remOddled by the FEEDER
al Whig- KnOv-NOthingO Opposition party in their
cent Convention we have not purposed labored
criicism but simply to place their propositions in
less equEocsl light and CONTRAST the doctrines Of
the Democratic party with them in order to a bet
ter understsndng,Of the real issues which now, as
heretofore, divide the parties in Tennessee. Their
LIST, I'd, Sd, and 4th propositions having been COM
menhed upon in previous numbers, we proceed to
TIE fifth
sY. That in the disposition of the public lanGs,
otherwise than for governmental purposes Tennessee
and sll the old States are equally entitled to re-
oeiVe proportion with the States and Territories
where they are located"
Though singulsry Worded, and susceptible of
various shades of construction, the general intent
of this paragraph evidently is to re-ssssr the old
Federal doctrine Of distributing the public lands
among the States proposition that has been toO
long and too frequently discussed before the public
to require any lengthy comment from US. The pol
icy and constitutionsty Of such measure has been
time and again, repUdiated by the people Mr..
BELL revived the question and introduced bill be-
fore the Congress proceeding the last election, par
ceiling ous the public lsnds among the sevsralStates
The question entered largely into he discussions be
tween Gov HARRIS Col HATToH Their plat>
form on this subject, then, read follows:
''Ths, Tennessee, in her insulated position, here
fore omitted among the fsv6rites in the distribution
Of the put'ic lsnis, with her load Of ceb incurred
for tie development Of her resources, has deep
s.pke 10 hat policy which shall do her Justice and
supply the AEe0Ss Of saUgg her people from taxation
In the COpg' ess wi ch has but recently adjourned
the subject was again sgitated in q new form, for
the pretended benefit of the Mechanical and Agri-
cultural classes. under what was known as the Gag
riculturAl College Bill" dOns,inE to the different
States sb. seven millions of acres Of The public
lands
In every instance the object with the Opposition
in agiIsting this question has been the seme-fo
buy votes The leaders of this party measuring the
honesty Of the people by their own standard have
never been able TO realise, notwithstanding their
frequent defeats, that any measure which proposes
to increase the wealth of the State, and without
having make an return for it, could be otherwise
than populsr They have never teen able to real
Use that the people capable of approaching q
higher aim in government than considerations
measured by dollars and cents.
The proposition made at one time to divide out
the surplus moneys Of the treasury between the
States, was Of piece with this, though the gov
eminent vas able 20 enrich the people, in the very
face of the fact the government is helpless depen>
dent upon the people, who constantly cOntribut-
ing to its support.
The Democratic party has Dever resorted to these
I" deceitful plans Of public advantages" as means
to popular favor. 1t has uniformly resisted the
riOus projects to squander the public domain, and
~ IN he If u1sfn hall hat
such policy was not authorized by the Cousttu-
ton nor justified by the general good " of the
people. The policy to which they have principally
adhered has been to make the lands pay back into
treasury their original cost and incidental expenses
and then reserve them for actual settlement and
cultivation by such of our citizens as cannot secure
homes in the more denssly populated States, be-
lieving that it would not be consistent with the
true intent and spirit of our institutions to hold
them for any other purpose than settlement. They
hsve believed that to cOucede the policy commended
for by the Opposition, would be legislaing against
the interests Of the many for the benefit the few
by throwing the lands upon the market more rapid
~ than the demand for them BY actual settlers
which would result in putting them in the hands Of
capitalists and spectators; than which nothing
could be more prejudicisl to the public welfare.
They have believed that it would operate with equal
deriment 10 the best interests OF the States by
removing the most wholesome of all restraints on
legislative bOdies-that Of being obliged to raise
money by taxation from their oonstituents-lead-
ing to extravaganza if not corruption. They have
believed thst it would bring about most perni>
ciOus change in the relations established by the
Constitution between the federal and State govern
ments In the language Of distinguished Demo
cratic Statesman, SHOULD the time ever arrive
when the State governments shall look to the fed
ers treasury for the means Ofsupporting themselves
ana maintaining their systems OF internal policy,
The character of both governments will be greatly
deteriorated. The repre- ,entsves of the States and
of the people, feeling more immediate interest in
obtaining mouey TO Lighter the burdens Of their
constituents than for the promotion of the more
distant objects iutrusted TO the federal government
will naturally incline TO obtain means from the fed
eral government for State purposes. If question
shall arise between an appropriation of land or
money carry effect the objects of the federal
goVernm and those of The States, their feelings
vii Oe enlisted in favor OF the latter. This is h.>
man nature and hence the necessity of keeping the
two gosrrmen,s entirely distinct" They have be.
leved fur.hsrmOre that the policy Of giving to one
STATE ownership and control ever terri DRY in an
other, if carried out, would be al outrage upon
State Sovereignty, dangerous to their peace ard
detrimental TO their welfare.
The North has ever manifested disregard Of the
Constitution. By the increase Of her population
she rapidly attaining the ascendsncy in the gov
ernment The only safety to the South is In sdher
ing strictly to the constitution. Grant but the ex-
eIelse Of power the part Of the General GJy-
ernment 10 divide lie revenues or any part thereof
between the States, no matter under what pretext
or motive of expectancy it may be sanctioned for
the day, and that you sanction the exercise
of a power by the General Government which would
enable Black Republican Congress to sPPly the