The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1860-09-21
The Charge of Abolition,


American,) Presidential election for the
last twenty-five years in which the charge
of abolitionism has not been brought by
the Democracy against the candidate of
the Opposition. 1t mattered not wheth-
er that candidate was Northern or a
Southern man, ABoLITloNlsTs was the
instant and simultaneous outcry of the
Democratic press. Is itnot extraordinary
that the Wings Of the South who, as a
general rule, constitute the great mass of
large Shareholders, should never yet have
introduced the slavery subject into poll.
tics; never denounced the Democratic
nominee as an Abolitionist, but have al
ways stood on the defensive, contentng
themselves with disproving the charge,
and establishing the national char Ncter of
their candidates? 1t is the solemn truth
of history that, for the last twenty years,
the Democracy has lived, breathed
moved and had its being by slavery ag-
tation, by obtruding upon every Presi-
dental canvass the alleged abolitonism
of Wing nominees, and insnuating into
the minds of the Southern people the
idea that abolitionism was so vast pow
er in the free States that it had TO be
propitiated by the Wings in the selection
of Presidential candidates. They charged
that General Harrison, Virginian, was
Sc, ,,,on,l,np ng nl,1,,;o.
Ohio;" that Henry Clay was disloyal to
his native South; that General Taylor,
the owner of three hundred slaves, would,
if elected, be mere tool of William II.
Seward; that Millard Fillmore wos an
out and out aboltionst, and that Win
field Scott could not be trusted by the
land which gave him birth and for which
he had shed his blood upon the battle
field. Such men as these were to be set
aside, on the charge of abolitionism, fol-
Martin Van Buren, who afterwards laid
the cornerstone of the Black Republi
can party; for James X. Polk, who signed
the Wilmot Proviso in the Oregon bill
and other equally sound and inhexiblc
patriots. When, therefore, they raise
again the monotonous old out-cry o
abolitionism, and apply it to the true
hearted Tennessee gentleman, john Bell
we look upon it as simply beneath con
tempt. We wonder that they have the
face to haunt that tatered calumny be
fore a public whose confidence has beer
too often imposed upon by similar fable:
to lend it moments credence. We are
astonished that they, whose interest il
slave property is limited in comparison
with that Of the Union men of the South
should be always more sensitive upor
the subject y rs-.,1. -. '.''2l those whC
own slaves, and that tiIiiey should le eter
nally volunteering TO defend Their slave
holding neiglbors from themselves. w,
should think moreover that the position
to which they have brought the country
by their perpetual agitation of the SLAYER.
subject would suggest to them at thi
time the practice of penitence and hu
mility, and the abstinence, for one Presi
dental election at least, from the luXur,
of their favorite scandal. 1t is their per
sistent attempts to evoke the goblin Q
Northern abolitonism which lave Lee
to the present sectional distrust and hos
tility, and to .heir own party disruption
and decentralization. 1t is owing to
necessity imposed by the party use the
have made Of the slavery subject tina
every Southern newspaper and ever
Southern rostrum have been made tn
media of an incendiary influence amids
heaps of combustibles which it is onl
Gods mercy has not long ago set tn
land in blaze. John Bell is no NOR
unsound on slavery than they are. The
have done mischief enough with sue
charges already. If they have common
sense, common justice, or common dis
cretion let them now desist.