Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-05-15

bIage as this. embracing so many gentlemen
eminent for public service. for patriotism. for
high Intelligence. for public and for private
virtue. is an honor which most highly prize
and which shall remember with profound
gratitude during my whole life. (Applause.)
I cannot but regret that this honor had not
fallen upon some one more worthy and bet
ter able to eli il. feel you have given me
double portion Of kindness to-day, and j
could wish that il had been otherwise; but.
since IT is you. pleasure. l feel bound TO re-
spoDd to your call, and, according TO the
best of my ability. | will endeavOr TO dis
charge the duties devolVing upon me in the
position you have assigned me. feel may
rely with perfect confidence upOl your kind
cooperation and courtesy for the preserva
lion of the spirit and order which should per
wade this body. see before me gentlemen who.
j know, Justly estimate the importance o.
deliberation. of order and decorum, in trans
acting the business Of deiiberatiTe asSemb-
lies, and trust that, under the course Of ouI
proceedings, we may be able TO impress tht
country thai Il is not yet too late for gentle
men to come together and deliberate Will
sentiments of mutual Difference.
We come here as the representatives of the
independent States Of the Union, States
which have united their destini together
for great and noble purposes. But, gentle
men, we viii not dismiss the fact that W.
come from States widely separated by dis
tance, separated, perhaps, to some extent, by
difference of institutions, cline, and social
organization, and that our Union embraces
two classes and sections of States, which are
sometimes, at this modern day, placed in an
attitude of antagonism and hostility to each
other I mean the peculiar differences which
exist in the social anC democratic organiZa-
tions. There are those who would magnify
and exaggerate these differences to such q
hot he 10 l,oil I'd
themselves as friends and brothers. Yes.
there are such in both sections of this glori-
GUS Union of ours. L grieye to say it. There
are men in this country who will organize
strife into a system. but God forbid that the
people Of this broad land, either North or
South, or anywhere else, should give then
sanction or approval to those who would
kindle those fires of domestic discord and
sectional strife.
On the other hand. there is class Of peO-
pie, North and South. Il rejoice to see them
represented here to day,) who desire to put
away these causes of contention. and who
feel and understand and know that Onr Gov
eminent and Constitution were not intended
to eDgender these antagOnsms and dIStrusts
between sections, but to promote peace and
harmony and unity between these members
of the confederation. IApplause.l There
| are those, q am one Of them gentlemen,) who
would, if possible, bring back the public
mind of the country 20 the consideration OF
those great aud harmonious principles on
which we can all stand togetner-one and
inseparable. [Applause1 BE il our part.
however, to promote and diiTuse spirit OF
broad and generous national feeling of for
bearance and moderation. So far as the
broad question is concerned. which has been
made the bane of our politics, it has furnish
ed TO a class of politicians the fiercest ele-
ments Of strife and diScord. But let US re
member that, from our positions, difference
of education, of surroundings. of habit, OF
social interest, and domestic construction OF
society, there will still be certain shades OF
difference. 1t was always so. 1t was so
from the beginning; but did that prevent the
great men Of the Republic from coming to-
gsther 10 form system of political freedom
and of selfgOyernment which shall enable
US to move on one nation: to protect u
from all external assault, and TO cultivate
amongst ourselves peace concord and dOmes-
tic tranquility? [Applause.l These differ
ences that estrange and divide the people of
this country should not prevent us from
going forward TO discharge the great work of
self government, and to encounter all the re-
sponsibil;ty relative to those great interests
which are national, which are commercial,
and which we all hold in common; which we
are ready to sustain and defend in common,
and which possess the strongest claim upon
our loyalty, patriotism. and allegiance to the
Constitution and the Union,-wbich we have
received from the hands of our patriotic an
cestors. [AppIause.l
A few days ago, having occasion to visit
one of the Western States of the Union, |
was tempted to extend my visit farther on,
and, for the first time, L saw the glorious
Mississippi-that noble and magnificent Tiv
er which connects the North and South !
and which, by natures organic law. has de /
clared that we are to be one. As | fi0ated (,
upon the placid bosom of the Father o. Wa
tiers, in my reflections | could not but think I
and feel that, since the benelicence of crea- !
alive power has given us bond of union, /!
intended to carry civilization, prosperity and /,
happiness to u kindred people, from it's mouth /
TO Its source, how vain, how prepOstereus i .
the folly of man. which would separate those |,
whom God hath jOiued together. lApplausel /.
How small and pitiiul the effort seems OF
those who would divide the Mississippi and
interpOse commercial regulations, and Gus
tom-house and tonnage duties upon the peo-
pie of this American Union! God forbid.
that any of US, or any cOnsidera-
BILE portion of the people of this country
should ever give their sanction to sentiments
Of such a nature. We are one people and
one country; we go forth under one flag; we
stand upon national ground, representing the
interests of great continent which PrOvi-
hence mas entrusted 10 our CuaTScs ana De-
ieve the people will yet prove themselves
equal to the destiny which has been given
them, and hand it over, as one harmonious
nation, to those who are to come after us
[Applause.l
| am OBTAINING you too long, gentlemen
for l have no thought of making a second
speech In conclusion will only repeat th'
sentiment | expressed on former occasioG
that is, that cur deliberations and proceed
L 4
decorum, aud by dignity, aud that no dis
turJing element NAV come in. l trust We
shall not be very much embarrassed IN the
of a platform. Laughter and
applause.1 We ought not to endcavor strong &
ly TO establish uniformity of opinion on
question which we all know and understand
"a question that every man will at least .
think and feel according To his own judg-
ment. We have not come here TO contest the .
difference between the various distinctions 1
and the shadowy forms Of popular sovereign I
" aud territorial jurisdiction which have for {
some time been presented. and occupied so :
large part ofthe attention of Congress and .
of the country. This is not the question 1
which we have come TO settle, and l do not .
think We could settle it, il We would. l pre- (
fer 10 leave them all where the Constitution I
has left them-[applausel-leaving every /
State IN the full enjoyment OF It's own rights 4
and its own independence. All we ask. gen /
tlemen, III speak now Of conservative men !
IN that portion Of the country from which / 4
GOMEZ Is tina; you will manage, govern, and f.
regulate your own internal Affairs according !
to your own will and pleasure. On the other /.
hand, we propose TO do precisely the same .
thing for ourselves [Applause.l
We do not intend To burden our conscien- |
ees with your offences. neither do We want |
YOU TO burden yours with ours, but let each
and every part answer Tor iiseli.-That is the |
senIiment which ought TO peryade. aud |
which trust, viii once more PeFvade, the
people OF this country. A spirit Of generous
will then once more become the /
order of the day, and l shink | see signs that
such is to become the pervading spirit-a
spirit that has been going on ever since the |