Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-04-23
For the Nashville Patriot.
A Plea for the Constitution and the
Union.


A Plea for the Constitution and the
Union.
When We survey the present attitude of
the political parties which are dividing and
-distracting our country, we cannot suppress
feeling OF deep melancholy aud gloomy fore
bodings. That our Union and Constitution are
In danger, no one who is eonversant with the
edge of The frailiies of human nature, can, for
a moment, deny.
The past history of the world has been q
succession of rises and falls of empires, king
doms and republics.
The founders of all good governments
have been revereneed by their immediate
posterity, and their succeeding generations
until The sacred memories of ancestry are
forgotten. Then ambition usurps that place
in the human heart, which should be dedica-
ted with reVerenfiai respect TO the support
and execution of those fundamental princi-
pies of government for which an honest and
well meaning ancestry suffered So much-es-
pecially while continuation of those same
principles OF government afford US all the
liberty, happiness aud security We could ex-
pect OF any government. As ours does better
than any other that could be substituted.
This, nine tenths of the American people
will admit.
Why then should we so persistently pur-
sue that course, which will certainly bring
about another revolution? Giving up the
int tests of our country acd clinging to a
party organization, whether that party be
night or wrong. This departure from the ex-
ample of WASHINGTON, JEFFERSON and JACK
SON, and others who held the common good
OF their country nearer their hearts than the
mere advancement of parties or individuals
Is sore comment on people, who are as
yet capable Of maintaining self government.
Is it not time for intelligent men every where
To leave of pr judices and party sbackles,
and unite upon man to administer our
government who has never manifested any
partiality TO any section of our common
country? Is there not conservatism enough?
Is there not patriotism enough in our fellow
countrymen TO lay aside all domestic bicker-
ing aud select a man who is acceptable to
every section of the Union, and thereby
secure TO Us and our Posterity, those inesIi-
mabie blessings guaranteed To us by our
blessed Constitution aud Union. Unless we
do all, all is lost
Who can contemplate the idea of disunon
without deep feelings of horror? We can ex-
pect nothing, by such an act of rashness and
folly, but to entail TO our posterity, indie
scribable suffering and misery Men who
boast of inheriting the blood of the old revo-
lutiOners of ;76. entertain the idea of de
stroying this union; trample down the Con-
stitutioni Men, too, who approve of our
plan of government! Destroy it for what
party prejudice? Cut off our nose to spite
our face. Away with such logic. When
controlled by prejudice rather than
reason and justice they are no longer fit for
self government. And when we submit to
prejudice we submit to a tyrant.
The clouds of danger that now hang over
our country have long been seen and dread
ed. Bold and patriotic men have exerted
themselves powerfully to avert the impend-
ing calamity. But the fell spirit of section
alism has gained the ascendency both north
and SOUTH Honest, confding and unsus-
pecting people of both sections have suffered
themselves to become a prey to those I'M
scrupuiOus demagogues who have their own
aggrandizement nearer at heart than the
good of our common country.
The slavery question has been the great
war club with which one party has gained
the nscrndaTcy over the other here in the
south, and most unjustly too, for no sane
mind can believe that the southern Opposi-
ton party is less loyal TO her section than
the democratic party.
Tue policy of the southern opposition has
been to ignore that question unwise and
impolitic, dangerous in its tendency and i'm
practicable in its Misunderstanding it for ma
ture 10 settle, which she most certainly will.
Whilst upon the other hand the democratic
party have Toasted and fattened on the
ceaseless agitation of that question, and have
succeeded in arraying the South in an al
most nnbroken phalanx against the North,
Whilst the anti-slavery elemen; has, a
natural consequences, pursued a precisely
similar course in the North. What is to be
donei
We ask again, is there not a man TO he
found who has the good of the whole country
at heart? Is there not a man who has never
manifested any fanaticism towards either sec
ton of this Union? Is there not man whose
election 10 the chief magistracy of the nation
would be as pouring oil upon the troubled
waters of both sections of our country! We
answer, there is. Yes. there is a man who
was Il ccmpatriot of CLAY, CALHOUN aud WEB
TIER, and whose se,tes manship and patriot
ism are not at all inferior to theirs. A man.
whose love for the Union extends from Maine
to California, and from the Lakes to the Gulf
of Mexico. a man. who has II clear head and
an honest heart. That man is JoHN BELL
One of the few men left who is capable of
reconciling the two conflicting sectional par
ties that are now working our country's ruin
1t would require bat small sacrifice from
every patriot who wishes to perpeiuate 'our
institutions as they are, 10 vote for Mr.. BELL
or some one of the same schooi-such a. FILL
MORE. or CRITTENDEN, or EDWARD EVERETT, or
SAM HOUsroN. The election of any one Of
these patriotic statesmen would restore peace
and prosperity TO our distracted country.
CRISIS.
MITCIIELLvILLE STATION. TENN.