Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-04-10


scribers. IT,
The Banner ana Mr. Bates.
The Nashville Banner is the oldest and most gen
orally accredited organ of its party in Tennessee.
It has also been looked upon as occupying more
intimate relation to Mr.. BELL than any other jour
nal Of like character and influence. For these rea-
Sons we have naturally and properly looked to its
columns more than to those of any other paper, for
a correct exposition of the sentiments and tenden-
ces of its party leaders Otherwise its views would
have been of little Importance.
The Banner has time and again manifested its will
lingness to coalesce with the Black Republicans in
the formation Of general Opposition party for the
canvass of 1860 1t has rejoced over the successes
Of elections at the North in which the Black Re-
publicans were the principal benefciaries and the
National Democracy the defeated party. It has
copied into its columns the Union speeches Of
known Black Republican leaders as evidence Of the
conservative sentiment of the free States. It has
copied into its columns the compliments Of leading
Black Republican organs to Mr.. BELL in connection
with the Presidency, expressing readiness to give
him cordial support for that high Office upon his
past record, If made the nominee Of their party.
It has taken issue with the great body Of the Rep
resentatives in Congress from the South upon ques
tionsSnvolving the rights of slavery, but has mani
tested an unwllingness TO discuss differences with
the Black Republican agitatOrs of that question.
Of these things we have endeavored, from time
to time to keep the public advised that the status
Of the two parties in Tennessee might be the more
correctly understood; and when Mr. Bates recent
letter appeared. subscribing, as the Louisville
Journal admitted, ito the entire Republican plat
FORM and in the peculiar Republican spirit" we
made another note Of the Banners tendency, as
shown by its criticism upon tlis letter. in which.
by express words it .leaves out of view the ques-
ton as to the correctness or incorrectness of the
views Ctherein) upon the subject Of slavery which
he (Air. BATEs) has put forwards on the ground
that it is "a question upon which conservative,
Unon-loying men must and viii differ, making its
chief objection the fact that "he Alr. BATEs) has
put forward a manifesto in which he discusses the
very question which the Union men Of the country
are seeking to put at by refusing to agita.e'
We stated at the time: that the reader may see we
do no injustice to the Banner append the follow
ing paragraphs from that paper containing the pth
of Its article this subject The following are the
paragraphs then alluded to:
Leaving out of view the question as to the cor
reCtness or incoTrectness Of the views upon the |
subject Of slavery which he has put forward |
question upon which conservative, UniOnlOving /
men must and will differ-he has completely and |
entirely forfeited their support as a candidate in !
the approaching Presidential canvass, by permit \
ting himself under influences and from motives /
which shall not attempt to define, TO become |
wholly secuOnaliZed, and by conserving to be con-
sidered sectional candidate for the first Office in
the government
He cannot expect of course. after this letter to
no no ITlTp
nut forth manifesto in which he discusses the very
question which the Union men Of the country are /
seeking to put at rest by refusing to agitate."
In commenting upon this, we said; 1T will thus
be seen that the Banner makes no objection to the
Black Republican doctrines of Mr.. Bates letter. On
the contrary itexpressly leaves out of view the
recness or ncorrectness of the views upon the sub
ject Of slavery which he has put forward Any
other view OF the slavery question that could have
been taken by Mr.. BATES would have been equally
Objectionable 10 the B5ansr. The point of offence
simply Is that he has consented to give his views
upon the question, "a question upon which, the
Banner says. conservative Unionlovng men must
and viii differ" Even the Louisville Journal. which
we thought had as great leaning towards Adolf !
tionsm as as any other paper in the South, says
that this letter shows Mr. BATES to be Just good
or bad Republican as SEWARD or CHASE or LINCOLN |
is And yet the Banner not only fails to make OBJ |
lection to this but expressly pretermits it, saying
it is "A question upon which conservative Union-lov-
ingmen must and viii differ Thus it follows that if |
Mr.. BATEs had kept these Black Republican scnti- |
ments to himself and not written them down upon I
paper, he would have continued, according to the /
Baausr. "a sound able and patriotic statesman |
The offence does not consist in the fact that he has
shown himself Black Republican, but q, ada8iiEg |
It. We understand from the Blapers logic that it |
would readily support a man for the Presidency en-
tertaining the sentiments of Mr. BATES if he would
only consent TO play mum and refuse TO make known
his opinions"
The Banner in recent editorial, noticing our
comments. saws: The reader viii see that we OBJ
iected to Mr. Bates primarily because he had prom
ised himself to become wholly sectionalized;" but
still the Banner does not yet say that it objected to
him because of the Black Republican character of
his opinions touching the rights Of slavery; for the
reason no doubt that it had distinctly stated in
its previous article that the question Of slavery
meaning Of course the rights pertaining to it, as this
was what Mr. Bates had been discussing one
supon which conservative, Unonloying men must
and will differ" But the Banner contends that il
We had copied more lengthily from its article we
could never have made to any extent plausible the
assertion that it was only dspeased that he Mr.
B,rFsl should have made any ayowal at all" and
asks US to copy the following additional paragraphs
which we cheerfully do satisfied that instead of
,ontradictng they but serve to strengthen the rep
we have previously made
He rBatesl has entered the arena with his colors
5lazoaed all over with slavery agitation He knows
yerv 1yell-everybody kn0Ws-that the discussion
1lv- II Il
he country-that the more i is aCtated the further
,fF are the two sections from agreement and,
though useful to gamblers and traders in poll
les ? as a means of accomplishing their private
sDds il is more and more dangerous 10 the mtegri-
~ Of the Union, and if persisted in, must inevitably
iisrupt the cOnfederacy. Edward Bates knows
his and vet without vOuchsating the faintest pro
est arainst the mpOlicy of this discussion, the
eebest appeal 10 the sectional agitatOrs for moder
zion and liberation. he plunges into the discussion
With evident zest and places himself at once in an
agonisus TO a whole section and 10 the true Union
owing men Of all sections.
TIE leading idea with the southern Mon men ID
he marty which is arrayed against sectional organ
zatous North and SOuth-ls opposition 10 the agita
ion of the subject OF slavery. They oppose the
Iis,sse7l of the subject because there is no prdct
nj question now before the country, or likely TO
one before the country which demands ITS discus
ION because, under the constitution and the laws.
,ronerlv enforced. both the friends and opponents
e sioverv are bound % rest c0RtenteG; because
lis,1ssion cannot reconcile the opposing views Of
he two SECTIONS but only aggraTate their antago-