Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-07-14
THURSDAY, JULY II, 1859.
The Canyass--An Appeal to the
Opposition.

The canvass is rapidly approaching
its termination. This day, three
weeks hence, the people themselves
must determine the result. The in.
tervening time, if properly made use
of by the Opposition, will do a great
deal towards fixing the character oil
that result. at this moment, the
prospects of success are every where
encouraging-onr party are In high
spirits and enthusiastic. They have
been working well and affairs are in such
a condition that they can carry the
State. But the enemy, heretofore
boastful and relying upon their
strength, have become alarmed and are
making desperate efforts to concentrate
all their forces and bring them into
the field as a unit. What leaders can
not effect by entreaty. expostulation,
and cajolery, they attempt to accom-
plish by threats. They will leave no
means unused to save the party. We
know how powerful they are, and what
amount of labor remains for us to do
within the ensuing twenty-one days 10
thwart them, and bear off the trophies
of victory. necessarily must we work
not day nor an hour must be per-
mitted to pass nnimproved. Our or
ganization must be made more
thorough and systematic, until our
ranks become as solid and compact as
q granite wall-every individual voter
imbued with the Importance of casting
his suffrage. The contest is one of
unspeakable Importance. Its result
will shape the political condition of
the State for years to come, and have
a momentous bearing upon the destiny
of the Union itself. If the democracy
are permitted again to sweep victori-
ou>ly over the State, what encourage
ment will its opponents have in future
to contend against its corrupting
march? Triumphant again in the
Southern States, and taking in all the
form already assumed by the majority
of the party South, may we not see
here in Tennessee the banner of seces-
sionism and dsunionism raised, and
the foul heresy preached successfully /?
But these are not the only probable
consequences of the defeat of the OPP
position in this canvass. The indi-
vidnal interests of the people will be
jeopardized. The war upon our bank
ing institutions announced by the
meeting called by Gov. HARRIS in Sep
TENDER, 1858, postponed now by the
exigencies of the party, is not abandon
ed. 1t will be resumed, if the demo-
cracy be successful, and kept up until
the banks are numbered with the
things of the past. We may rely UPON
this. The leaders-the powerful men
who shape the policy of the party-are
bent upon reducing the business of
the State to hard money standard,
and they will not abandon their inten.
ton unless overwhelming defeat over.
takes them now. The obstacles they
encounter in their own ranks
may cause them to be more
discreet, but they will work to
the end they have in view. and at
last fatigue their softs into compliance
with their wishes. This is character.
istic of the leaders of the Democracy.
If the people of Tennessee would pre-
vent this, they must, now in the blossom
of the movement, visit it with the
killing frost of their disapproval. To
this end, we couture the Opposition to
labor diligently, actively. and wisely,
until the last vote is polled on the 4th
of August. They have every encour-
agement to do so. They are rapidly
gaining ground in every section of the
State, and if they but do their whole
duty, triumph will be assured. They |
have seen what can be done by deters
mined, active opposition, in the face of
IN appalling majority, in the Virginia
and in the same election they
nave also seen, how victory within
grasp can be lost by neglecting a sins
yle point. In the case of our Virginia
the single point neglected
vas full rote. Let us not break upon
he same rock. This is the only dan
,er head now. If it be avoided, we
hall not only see NErHERIAND elected
Governor, but we shall drive the enemy
rom all his positions as the French
rove the Austrians at Solferino. This
, something worthy of u struggle such
8 never before was seen in Tennessee.
let US make it, and thus give TO the
ontest of 1859 in our State position
l our political annals higher and more
lorious than was ever achieved by
ny other party.