Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-02-21
The Speakers j lection hat Dem o.
Gratis Think of Each other.

prolonged contest for the Speakership in Con-
gress will illustrate with marked emphasis
the unpatriotic motives which actaated those
democratic leaders who were engaged in it.
1t will be sufficient TO convince all that they
struggled merely for party ascendancy, and
lost sight of the substantial interests Of the
country. To some of the more fearless organs
of that party we are already indebted for
frank acknowledgement of this fact, among
which is the Vicksburg (Miss.) Sun, from a re-
mt issue Of which We extract the following
to that purport:
"It was disastrous that at last an old con-
solidation tariff Black Republican is elected:
and more disastrous than all, that the great
majority of Southern Democrats should have
abandoned Mr.. BOcOck. a Democrat, who
ted for a squatter sovereignty Democrat. The
result is not merely that the South was beat
en-, but that she is demoralized. The repre-
sentatives from the South who voted for Nc
Clernand consented TO ignore the rights of
the South, and thus made the election. so far
as the South is concerned an affair of party
ascendancy merely. Between McClcrnand
Sherman and Pennington. so far as the rights
OF the SOuth are concerned in our Terrific
ries- which are now larger than the whole of
the United States together, there is not the
difference of the turning Of a straw All of
them, with their parties in the Northern
States. are resolved to exclude slavery from
our Territories. They equally opposed
to Southern slavery and Southern expansion"
Whilst many of the journals of the same
party profess to deplore the final result, and
exert themselves tn throw the responsibility
of that result on others, alleging the inability
of their friends to effect an organization. the
True Delta, at New Orleans, takes different
view, saying:
Eve knew all along, that there never was
any real difficulty In organizing Congress uu-
der democratic auspices, provided the tools
OF the Administration operating on one hand,
and the open and avOwrd enemies of the
Union aiding them on the other had any real
desire to accomplish that object"
However this may be-in point of fact the
other fact Was repeatedly demonstrated that
the democratic members had it in their pow
er to have defeated the candidate of the Re-
publicsns, and prevented the event which
their friends, especially in the South, so
mOurnfully bewail.
But by far the most startling ascription of
motives which has been made in reference to
the action of that party, is the following from
tie same paper, the \. o. True Delta:
''Such pestilent and vulgar demagogues as
Senators Green and Slideu were kept rs the
instruments of the Executive to els ciioneer
against such results when Independent and
honorable men, like Miles Taylor. were
brought forward, and the Pughs and MOOres.
OF Alabama, and the BOBhams, BOyces and
keitts, of South Carolina, were labOring with
reasonable zeal TO keep Congress morgan
lied until the machine of government would
fall to pieces for want of proper sustentation,
and leave them at liberty 10 proclaim the
Southern republic, In which they are in i'm
aginariOn already the occupants of the chief
places In the new political dispensatiOn-"
Here is charged, by a respectable journal
of substantially the same political faith as
those it duplicates, conspiracy 10 keep Con-
gress unorganizef until ns ftncfio1s should cease
for cant Of slsteudnce, rhertty prefea ,could be
afforded for diSsoleing the union of the States and
prOcidrHaing Southern Republic! In private
letter from a diligent observer of events at
Washington, we already had the opiBiOn ex-
pressed that such was the secret purpose of
certain members who have distinguished
themselves as extremists, but we were not
prepared to see the charge made so distinctly
by a democratic journal. which, from its To-
cation and antecedenis, may be presumed to
be quite accurately informed. OF course We
do not expect these men to De pros, cuted for
treason; but We call public attention TO the
fact. in connection with the other disclosures
in reference to the late contest for the Speak
ership. to show the people IF Tennessee out
of what material the democratic leaders are
composed. AID by what motives they are act
uated in their political acts What stronger
appeal is need d to arouse true patriots of
the dangers which environ their country, or
what better rea-sn for turning them as one
man against party leaders who sport and
speculate on these dangers for personal gaiut