Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-08-30
..HostiIe Legislation of the North,

''HostiIe Legislation of the Aorth.''
The UIlion and AMERICAN, of yesterday and
the day before, devOtes considerable of It's
ample space to recitation of the acts of va
rious Northern States, through their Legisla-
lures, unfriendly to the due and faithful exc
cution of the Fugitive Slave Law. For our
part we heartily wish that all the people of
the country everywhere could be fully adj
vised of the true force and effect of enact
ments by Congress on this subject, under the
express sanctions of the Federal Constitution /;
and that the masses OF the people of the
North could be fully apprised of The treason
able nature of the acts of those to whom they
delegate legislative powers in their respective
States. And we would willingly contribute
to that end in every effective way within our
reach. Unfortunately our circulation is
comparatively small amongst those who toll
crate the error and the wrong. We hope the
facilities of our neighbOr are better than
ours in this respect, and that he will so modi-
fy his tone as to be effective in his efforts.
There has never been day since the organi-
cation of the Republican party that the Nash
vile PATRIOT did not regret its existence,
and would not have rejoiced TO see it swept
from the catalogue of parties, and from the
country as a party. We have regarded its
origin as mischievOus, and its continuation
"A uD-LatiOnal and unpatriotic. We have
inveigtcd against its objects, deprecated its
being and exerted whatever of ability We
10 nj
servstism of feeling in all sections of the
Country, in opposition to it Our position,
to-day, as everybody who reads Us knows, Is
opposed to that party and to all other sec
si1nzl parties. Our support of Mr.. BELL Is,
IF il. =, conclusive fact thai We are opposed
slike % ali sectionalism, of every name.
wherever it may be found.
But the JiIi.r. and American, fear, has Il
different object in view. 1t says that abOu:
this hostile legislation, ''we hear no word of
denunciation in This exciting canvass from
the press and speakers of the BELL aud DOUG-
Las parties All the eRemies of the Union in
their estimation are natives of the SOUTH
Again il says: Notwithstanding this, how
little denunciation of Black Republican ten
denotes and how much denunciation of the
Southern Democracy do We find in the BELL
and DOUGLAS Journals" Its object seems to
be to inspire the enemies of the Fugitive
Slave Law with the belief that there are large
numbers at Inc South who sympathize with
them, and to nerve them to still greater ex-
eItions to carry out their purposes-men
who, if they do not openly approve these
enumerated acts of "hostile legislation" wink
at them, and hold them as no great wrong to
the South or the Constitutional rights of the
Southern people. We do not, by any means,
say that such is the impelling motive of the
Union and American, but such is the result
such is the inference that the Northern peo-
pie must draw from the tone and tenor of
these articles. Aside from the grossly erro-
neous impression which these misguided peo-
pie must obtain from them, what object does
our neighbor hope to attain by this course:
Does he expect to convince any supporter of
Mr.. BELL or of Mr.. DOUGLAS that they are, in
any shape or form, responsible for such legis-
lation? Does he hope by this means to in-
veigle any rejecting man into the support
friend! If SO, he is egregiously mistaken.
The friends of Mr.. BELL, (aRd we suppose the
same is the case with those of Mr.. DouGLAs,)
know too well their own mind and heart
know that every action and impulse of both
are against such conclusion-to be swerved |
from the line of what they honestly believe |
20 be patriotic duty to their whole country, |
by any such "weak invention of the enemy" |
What effect does our neighbor suppose would /
be produced on the Legislatures of the North |
ern States by speech from BELL OF DoUG- |
Las orator in Tennessee, which is never re- |
ported land if reported, never reaches, ex-
cept by accident, those to whom it is direct |
ed? We think, for the very strongest of |
reasons, that there are enemies of the Union |
IN the South, and because we direct our eff
forts to put them down, where our influence |
Is felt, leaving to our co-laborers in the
North to do their part of the work against
the enemies OF equality and right in that sec
ton where their influence is felt, are we to be |
thus Indirectly and insidiously branded as
the silent sympathizers, the willing abettors
Of "tbis hostile legislation" this "northern |
aggression If such is to be the case, let it
DC done openly. IL the BELL and DOUGLAS |
press and speakers" in the South are to be |
placed in this category, let it be made known |
IL lerns not to be mistaken.
3oz, TO get a. the root Of the matter, we |
az ave TO inquire of our contemporary
W. (: is the Republicans of the North are
ssls 70 prosecute this hostile legislation and
70 es-rg it out successfully against the pro- |
perty OF the Southern people! 1t is tradi- |
lion among the common people that the con-
ssi.utional Iaws Of Congress are superior to |
those of the States aud also that the Presi- |
dent d sworn 10 execute the laws of Congress.