Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-01-23
Parry before Country.

The attitude assumed by Inc Democratic
Representatives in Congress in the pending
contest for speaker, is such as not only to
cause regret, but to create alarm in the minds
of the people. Without power themselves to
elect speaker, and being convinced that the
choice of that officer must eventually be made
between the candidate of the Republicans
and q Southern Opposition man, they have
Acknowledgment 10 withhold their support
from the latter, ard thus indirectly 10
strengthen the chances Of the forlner- They
have repeatedly had ii in their power to ell CT
Mr.. sGuMER, of North Carolina, one of the
lsrgest Shareholders in that bady; but their
attachment 10 party interests has cansed
them to refuse to take the dir ct step TO de-
feat of the Rcpullicans. Whilst many of
them declare that the success Of Mr. SHER-
MAN. the endorser of the iBcrndiary doctrines
of the Helper Conpend, would eveniuate in
q dissolution of the Union, they refuse to
throw ths nseIves in the breach TO avert such
q caiamity. They not only seern to vote for
O Southern Opposition man, bnt 'roeOll with
horrsr from tie proposition to elect speaker
fhrosgh ase i,saruHettOhfy of hDoW-NotbIng-
isn.'' And they are backed, sustained and
ssplauded by exponents of Southern demo
cratic sentiment, witness the following
from the Memphis Aralanche. On the 2Sth
December it said:
1.-THE Democrats are voting with their ac-
customed regularity for some true and reiia-
bic member of their own ranks. In the hour
of the eountry's utmost peril, they remain iin-
HI nufa fTHp a Il4pm
selyes, iheirip inciples and their country, i'll
solid and unbrOken column they vote for d
sosndsfnan of their OWL party Such iDlieXi-
bic frznBsss is deserving OF all praise. aid
rzfher than yield. tce trust thy sriu remain IN
thar seats and cast the at,sotic rote until tie
term for uhaeh they sreTe elected e>1ptTes."
This sentiment il has reiterated time and
agaia; and on the 18th inst, in stating what
is the democratic sentiment of the South, it
said:
The Southern Democracy recoil with hOr-
Tor at the proposition TO elect Speaker
through the fundamentally of knOw-Noth-
ingism, thus brea thing into life an expiring
faction Which is almOst as odiUus and dlstaste-
ful to Democracy as the enemy they propose
TO defeat"
Thus we perceive the strength OF party
prejudice and devotion. Rather than sup
port a Southern opponent of the party, which
might tend to increase the power and iuflu-
ence of the despised know Nothings,' they
prefer to remain in their seats, until Repui-
lean is successful, thus precipitating increas-
ed agitation aud danger. or until the term
for which they were elected expires" Thus
1t is that men postpone the interests of the
mnlry TO those OF party.
Suppose the Democracy in Congress shall
"a ,ceed in carrying out the suggestions of |
the ApalaHche, and ihwart an organization
"until the term for which they Were elected
expires" what will ensue? Does not our
contemporary know. and do not they know, |
& .e practical revolutions and subversion of |
the Government Would not its regular |
functions cease? the Army be disbanded? /
the ships OF the nation be mooreG in port and |
the sailors discharged 1.-THE diplomatic corps |
abroad lay down their commissions and re- |
turn to a home distracted and broken gov
O. nment contractors in all departments cease |
their 'labors and throw up their nude and |
b ,rren engagements? and the whole govern |
ment machinery be brought TO an abrupt, |
client stsnd-still! Is any portion of the |
American people prepared to see the Repub- |
lie reduced 10 such extremiiies for such eau
SIS? The factieus members in CONGRESS, |
and such organs Of popular sentiment as our
Memphis contemporary, vastly miscalculate
the mind and heart of the American people |
if,they imagine that they will tamely submit
to such proceedings. Let bu. the Army and
Navy go by the board. and the mails cease
their transit. and they will witness such an
outburst of Indignation from the masses of |
az parties. as will sweep them from their pre-
sent places of power and trust, as the storms |
of the Autumn equinox sweep the dead leaves |
from the trees of the forest.