Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-31
The Territories.

When the elder ADAMS took his seat In the Presi-
DENTAL chair, he that he was open to the
suspicion of having opinions in favor of greater
concentration Of power in the Federal government,
and consequent reduction Of the powers, priyi-
leges and sovereign rights of the separate States
In his inaugural address, March f. 1877, he thus
presses himself:
g If an attachment to the constitution and con-
seienous determination to support it. until it shall
be altered by the wishes of the people expressed IN
the mode prescribed in it if respectful attention
to the constitutions of the indiridgaI Safes and con-
slant caution and delicacy towards the State gov
ernments if an equal and impartial regard to the
rights, interests honor and happiness of ali the States
/ IN the Union, without preference regard 20
Northern Southern, and Eastern or Western posi-
ton, their various political opinions &c. &c. as the
only means for preserving our constitution from IFS
natural enemies, the spirit Of sopkisty, the spirit Of
party the spirit intrigue which is the angel of de-
struction to elective governments
Mr.. ADAMS here announces his opinions and convie-
TONS as to what he considers the most important
element in our government, and in the same words
by implication puts the danger of departing
from the principles here advanced as the greatest
danger.
By the party that opposed his election, by the
friends of Mr.. JEFFERSON. the advocates of States
centralized government, a long Tor Ife,) Presden-
tial term, life Senatorial term, and accunula-
ton of powers and honors of the federal govern
ment The expression Of such sentiments from him
came with all the weight that possibly attach to
them he had possessed the spirit of prophet, he
could not have described better that spirit propa-
gated first by English fanatics taken up by religious
enthusiasts adapted to the purposes of English poll
tics, in preaching a crusade against slavery, and
thereby restraining the cultivation of cotton and
sugar and the prosperity of the South and which,
at last formed the nucleus of the great party of
the North which has upon its banner, the numerical
majority Of the North loH check loN impede loN stop
the Advance, the prosperity Of The SoAh or stop the
wheels Of gouerTment"- party that knows no com
promise, party that ignores the Constitution and
gives preference and regard to sectional claims of
aggrandizement over the clearly expressed rights
and interests of the individual States, party that
processes to introduce principle into the Con-
stitution. He could not have toreseen the danger
clearer than it is exhibited in the sophistry" by
which this not insiduous, not hidden, but open
and daring usurpation is proposed to be met
" the sophstry" the pretense, the fallaey of
sovereignty in Territory before it shall have as
sumed its duties in the Union as a State. A soph-
stry which in itself Is anarchy which by itself is
revolution and which, taken in connection with the
laws of Nations and our constitutional Government,
proclaims and organizes constant revolution with
out the bounds of the States and within the limits
of the Republic. A revolution set up aad fostered
by the inhabitants of one portion of the Union
against the other, revolution supported by the
General GOUerrnend against the States. revolution
carried on by people unknown to the Constitution,
and unrecognized in its guarantees. revolution
that stares the appehensions of the citizens more
than war, more than intestine feud, moro than open
raid open treason which, because of its sophiSty,
appeals to the innate love of liberty, that is
ready to start into active life fully armed against
any enemy-appeas to tito rise against ITSELF augIrs
an enemy In the Government created and controlled
by itself In the sophistry described by Mr.. ADAMS
is recognized Mr.. DOUGLAS Territorial Sovereignty,
and in it is clearly Swallowed the assistant Angel of
Destruction" which now hangs in dropping flight
over our land ready to kndle the flames of anarchy
and to blight the hope of century of constitu
tional freedom.
As ADAMS invoked the name of WASHINGTON Div
ing) a bulwark against all open and secret enemies
of the country's peace, should the names and mem
ries and opinions of WASHINGTON, JEFFERSON MADISON
and MONROE be invoked and remembered and ap-
pealed to as the surest opponents of policy, that
in its departure from their example and teaching
should indicate danger no matter what the
igencies of party may demand to the contrary, no
matter what sophistry should be put forward as
the avowed friend but which is really the secret
enemy, deprecatng open feud, worshipping secretly
and PROSTATE in spirit before the advancing car of
the Juggernaut of abOlitiOnism PROSTATE before a
fanatcism. the creature of ignorance and prejudice
that will crush out the rights, endaDger the inter-
ests and trample on the honor of the South. and in
time of all the States. But if met, met with the
courage and spirit of freemen guarding their lber
ties, met with the irmness that dictated the COM
promises of the Constitution, will enure to the sal
walton of the Constitution aud the liberties of the
States.