Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-03

delegate to the Union Convention. He had heard it
was a Union meeting, but soon found it was COM
posed principally of broken down party hacks, who
were trying to resuscitate the old Wing party. He
told them HoUsToN would not receive the nomina-
ton at their hands, but if they would recommend
him the people would ratify their action" What
do tie Bell. and EvEBErT men think Of this define
alton of their Convention? Mr. GENTRY further said
that Maj. ANDREW DoSIEsoS told him that HoUsToN
avooId beat BELL fire thousand UOtes in Tennessee"
fearful admission for the advocate of Hon. JOIN
BELL I What do the BELL men think of their cham
pion giving aid TO the followers of SAM HOUsToN?
Has it come to this that Houston beard the lion
Of the Ignorers in his very lair? Do they thus ac
acknowledge the weakness at home of their chosen
candidate!
substance of the Remarks Of Hon. HUM
phrey Marshall, on the evening of june
25th, when called out by the Serenaders.
GENTLEMEN: am not in the habit of receiving
calls from Democratic masses but, 1t would be an
affectation to conceal my knowledge that am IN
debted for the honor of this visit to your desire to
hear, from my own lips, confirmation OF the ru-
NOR that will support breckenridge and Lane at
| the next Presidential election
Echeerfuliy render my own testimony to the truth
Of that statement. IApplause.]
II might have been more prudent to defer this
declaration until after free conference with those
! friends in Kentucky with whom have heretofore
acted and by whom my past career has been so gen
erouslv sustained. Others may watch the direction
of the popular current, who wish to swim on its tide
to haven of success my amblhon Is not for paee0r
preferment ;itrses no higher than to the simple per-
Torrance of duty, and leave consequences 70 take
care of themselves. have no hesitation as to the
position it becomes me- at this crisis, to assume and
| should be recreant to my own sense OF the obhga-
ton free citizen owes to his country, were not
when called upon, to advance 10 the occupancy Of
that position with the firmness and the aacrlty
which import union of my conscience and my ac-
ton upon the line of conduct meant to pursue.
Gentlemen am familiar with the points upon
which the Democrats have failed TO agree. They
involve principles which lhsye frequently discussed
in Congress and out of ton the stump, at home,
| and elswhere. l am not now taking stand for the
first time upon those. principles made IN 1856, a
somewhat celebrated declaration, that between JAS.
Buchanan. if he were the exponent of the doctrine
of souatter sovereignty, and j. G. Fremont as the
exponent of the doctrine of the WilmOt PrOyiso,
would not toss up a copper for choice. l was then
discussing the Cincinnati platform before the people,
and then saw the ambiguity which made 1t Janus
notwithstanding one view to the North and anoth-
er to the South Southern Democrats do not believe
me- They denounced my suspicion the effect of
partisan rancor. told them, that Mr.. Douglas did
not entertain the same view OF the Platform they
did and that, one day or another, they would find
all the evils which could flow from such persistence
tant principles, would ''come home to roost"
must be permitted to say L Gid not anticipate the
rupture which occurred at Charleston, and was con-
summated at Baltimore. 1t may sever the ties
which bound the Democratic party together, North
and South bu. it is homage to principle. 1t eX-
hibits the Democrats who have nominated John q.
Breckenridge at last awakening TO the facts which
have stated to them thousand times, and ready to
prefer sound principles to unsound party assocla-
tions.
al, 4b..+ ih1rta of nos
choice they have made, and think their country
will do the same.
FeIIowcitizens the rupture of the Democratic
party has taken place essentially on the same ground
upon which the Wing party went to pieces, ana
which afterwards rent the American party IN twain
| The same cause severed relations of the church,
North and South 1t is not astonishing that under
its force though last of ALL the tower of Democracy
has fallen 1t is evidence, which considerable peo-
ple will regard that HERE Is a wide difference OF
principle-of cardinal vital principe-that no force
fparly traction can withstand, and which DEMANDS
A SETTLEMENT, final and satisfactory
Gentlemen, after the Wing party went to pieces on
the issue in 1852, because Northern Wings spit
upon the platform = which pronounced in favor of
the principles of the compromises of lS5O-after the
American party severed in 1856, because Northern
Americans would not yield this most baneful theme
of anti-savery agitation u tried IN vain IN the
last speech / made in Congress 20 evade this issue,
by creating some other upon which to divide par
ties until time could cure the eyils which would
flow from this agitation. l appealed to the cOnser-
Vatiye North to TO the rescue and TO refuse TO
follow the Republican leaders into the new campaign
under banners which had no inscription upon their
folds but antagonsm to the slaveholding States of
this Union but anathemas against shareholders, and
an armance of the doctrine of an rrepresslble con-
iict between systems, until a hOmogeneOusness of
labor should be established everywhere through the
land. appealed in vain. Satisfied that could no
longer render my country service In the existing
condition of things, discontinued to stand, as had
stood for four years between the Democratic and Re
publican parties, while both of them occupied wrong
positions upon this great questiOn-whlch involved
the equality of the States and the equality of the
people of the States-I withdrew from the public
councils, and returned 20 the more quiet walks Of
my profession. But have been an anxious specta-
tor of The signs of the times. Your action at
Charleston and Baltimore is so definite that l see
it must change the issues of the approaching can
vass. The question comes up for definite solution,
and the people of both sections lind themselves IN
crisis to demand the exercise OF all their prudence
and all their patriotism.
understand the matter thus After the delegates
met at Charleston the committee on resolutions was
appointed and in that committee it was proposed TO
reannounce the Cincinnati platform Of 1886 as the
platform of principles maintained by the Democratic
party. But part Of that committee, representing
constituencies in the slavehOldng States asked that
this announcement should be accompanied by expla-
natory resolutions to this purport:
l. That Congress has no power to abolish slave
~ in the Territories. Second That the territorial
Legislature has no power to abolish slavery in any
Territory nor to prohibit the introduction Of slaves
therein nor any powerto exclude slavery theretrom,
nor any power TO destroy or impair the right of
property in slaves by any legislation whatever.
~. Resolved That it is the duty of the Federal
Government to protect when necessary, the rights
of persons and property on the high seas, in the
Territories, or wherever else its constitutional au-
thority extends.
g. That when the people of territory come to
make their State COnstitutiOn-whch Is an act of
sovereigntv-their admission into the Union should
not depend on the question whether they choose
that tkeir State shall be a slaveholding State or
free State"
The other part of the committee refused to ac
cede to these propositions and on the contrary, adj
hered to the doctrine announced by Judge Douglas
which asserts the right of the people or Terrific
ry while in their territorial condition. to legslate
so as to exclude Shareholders from an enjoyment of
their slave property in the Territory and denies 10
Congress the power to extend to them any protec-
ton against such unfriendly legislation.
l believe Ihave truly stated that the points of diff
ference which ultimately severed the Convention
and have presented to the country the nominations
of Senator Douglas and of Vice President BrecHn-
ridge 1t is also true that, from the slaveholding
States, many Democrats were present who refused
to leave the Convention upon these points of differ
ence, regarding them as of no consequence; while
others distinctly conceded with and embraced
the doctrines advanced by the Senator from Hi
acQuescence of the people of the slavehOlding
States, to be shown by the defeat of Mr.. Breckin-
ridge.
The lines of the canvass are thus drawn, so as to
call on the people of the saveholdiEg States Avow
THEIR SENSE OF THEIR OWN RIGHTS IN THESE PARTICU-
LARS and that call renders it imperative, my Opn
ion, that every legal voter in those States shOId
turn aside from other questions to act upon these,
which are thus rendered paramount for the occa-
sion. / cannot imagine a wider mistake than those
gentlemen have made who would persuade our
Northern people that the savehOlding States have
been Indifferent their rights in the Territories,
their equality under the Constitution and the laws.
think they must find themselva n a sad minority
when the day of trial shall come, if they expect
that party drill can make SO lEEllr sovereignty
regiments out of true Southern neT. l shall never
believe until the fact is placed beyond dispute, by
a count of our votes that tie people Of a slavehold
ing State will be willing to write their own voun-
tary REIMBURSEMENT of their constitutional rights,
or present themselves all naked and yOked, before
the Black Republican chiefs, ASKING to pass THE
CAUDINE Forks" No. gentlemen, no the people of
nv section know their rights and they will maintain
them They have asked for nothing more than
mere and plain rights. and my word for it, they
will be contented with nothing less. At any rate,
they will never up, voluntarily, to be shorn of
privileges which belong to them equals
in this common partnership, or throw these away
by a manifestation of Indifference to the result
whom +bnir RIGHTS a re fatty CHALLENGED If they do