Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-03-22

of his choice successful in all honorable and patri
otto enterprises, has yet known how to love his
country even more than his party, and the whole
Republic far more than any particular section there
of such man, however humble his position, or
limited his influence, may well apply to himself,
without, either egOtism or presumption the Ian
guage of the moralst of old:
Justum ct tenaesm prOpOsid virum
Non ciVuW arior prava jubentium,
Non vults instants tyrauni
Mene quatit solida nequs Auster,
Duz inquet urbiius Adria,
Nee fulminants magma JOVis'manus.
cannot but fiatter myself, that were those who
occasionally seek to burden me with acrimonious
upbraldings, a little better acquainted with my
character, my course of life, and my motives Of
ton they would be at least content to allow quiet
and unobtrusive citizen to enjoy his own coyet-
ed repose and TO exercise honest and independent
judgment upon questions affecting the peace and
honor of his dearly loved country It is true, gen
tlemen, you have been informed, that Thave
more than once expressed the earnest desire which
feel to see the distinguished Senator of Illinois,
Stephen A Douglas, elevated to the Presidency Of
the Union It is in addition true that l have re
peatedly given expression to my wishes and views
on this subject both in published letters and in
popular addresses at different times, and in differ
ent places, within the last two years. l have even
ventured to declare the conviction, that in my Judg
NEXT he IS most probably the only public man in
the country who is at the same time really capa-
be Of dischargng the duties Of President success
fully ana D0uOIaDlF. anu WHO COuQ succeed III DS-
ing elected nOpposition the nominee Of the Black
Republican party. Allow ne to add now that know
| Judge Douglas well-that have thus known HIM
for about thirteen years pastand that am perfect
ly persuaded that more upright fearless, energetic
supporter of the Democratic cause, and OF the best
interests Of the Republic, has never occupied seat
in that august deiberative assembly of which he
at present the chief ornament. 1 have never known
him to cover before any danger, or to sucoumb to
any adversary. His extreme readiness and dexter
/ in gIIpnQgspd if OOgglblp bV his
wisdom in counsel these qualities, with his fer
tiity in expedients; his untiring industry and his
surprising skill and power in influencing those with
whom he is thrown into contact, fit him pre-emi-
nently fo- the discharge of those arduous fUnc-
tons which appertain to the highest public sta
tons.
Let his Congressional record be scrutinized
ever so severely, and l am sure 60 act will
be detected therein unworthy of his present
high position or which will need any special
vindication at the hands Of his friends. l shall
not now expatiate upon this most fertile theme. 1t
may be permitted 10 me though to suggest that
Judge Douglas Is known, in the early period Of his
Congressional career, to have delivered the prlnCl-
pal speech in the National House of Representatives
in support Of the bill for refunding the fine imposed
upon the immortal jackson. 1t should not be for
gotten either, that he one Of the most efficient
advocates of the annexation Of TeXas.-and that he
the ardent and answering supporter Of the
truly wise and patriotic Administration OF James
X. Polk. from its commencement TO its close. The
early acquisition of Cuba, by honorable and judi
CiOus negotiation has been with him ever most
cherished object. Well DO [ remember visiting the
White House in company with him. in the spring Of
lSlS, for the purpose Of urging upon President Polk
the commencement of Immediate negotiations on
this important subject
No Statesman, within the last twenty years, has
displayed such uniform zeal for the maintenance of
the celebrated Monroe doctrine, the due enforce
ment Of which would be of more value to the South
than all the wordy discussions Of all the inflated
demagO-ues who are now disturbing the peace of
the country with silly and mpraChCable demands
which. if even aCceGed to, would be productive of
far more mischief than good. Who is now living
that did more to procure the adoption Of the Com
promise Measures of 1850 than Stephen A Douglas?
Who has been more faithful than he to the wise and
salutary principles embodied therein? When a
Boston Mob, nearly ten years ago, resisted in
the Fugitive Slave Law, not without the shedding
of blOOd-do Southern men now rccOllect-can they
be pardoned for ever forgettng-that the Cases the
Douglases, and the Dickinsons, in unison with the
ustrious Clay, voted TO arm the Government " it'll
the fullest powers for the due enforcement Of the
law: whilst certain Southern Senators easy 10 be
named, then. as now, railing against the National
men Of The North, refused to vote a dollar
for the maintenance Of the Constitutional rights Of
the South?
Who was it that just the other day sprang to his
feet in the National Senate, SO as thai arch
potter of national mischief, William II. Seward. had
given utteTanCe 10 the most dark and dangerous
haranguc which, even he has enunciated-(a
speech more marked with all the essential features
of reasonable and 1endish hostility to government
and law, than that memorable one of the Olden
time reported to have been disgOrged from the ac-
cursed lips Of Lucius Catiline); and poured forth
such response 10 MIN at once, without delay, in
drgnant, vehement and overwhelming, as Cicero
himself need not have been ashamed to acknOwl-
edgey
A bin was a few weeks ago introduced in the l.
S Senate q regret to say not yet finally acted upon
by that bOdy) designed to suppress all lawless at
tempts organize and put IN operation schemes for
the destruction of the domestic institutions of the
South, set on foot beyond the frontiers Of such
States as may be selected the theater Of opera
ton. For this measure, and its efficient advocacy the
country is indebted alone 10 Stephen A Douglas.
Who viii hereafter dare to charge this man with
hostility to Southern institutions? 1t is true that
Judge Douglas entertans the opinion that the free
citizens of our territories after having been organ
lied into Independent political communities and at
ter having been allowed to send delegate to Con-
gress to represent their local interests there though
not vet possessed Of SJUereign pOCsr, have right
notwithstanding, to regulate all their own domestic
institutions, without any restraint The part Of |
the Federal Government subject alone to the super
visory control Of the Supreme Court Of the Union.
And what Of this. Is this not question upon which
honest and patriotic men may well differ? Has he |
ever denounced any man for not. Concurring with |
him in opinion this subject? Has he ever under!
taken, with dogmatical presumption, to set up his |
own views upon this much mOOted question the |
standard of political orthodoxy. Has nOtthe whole |
Democratic party, until Of late, maintained the |
very same doctrine which he yet continues TO as |
sert? Whether Judge Douglas theory Of popular |
sovereignty be correct not, is any mau prepared
to assert that the South is nOv likely TO gain more
v its enforcement than she can possibly lose there
by? Above all, is it not certain that it is only by
carrying into faithful execution this very theory,
that the agitation of the question of slavery in |
Congress will be ever efIectualy suppressed.
Let me again urge that Judge Douglas is the only |
Democratic statesman now living, who, possessing
full claims to southern confidence, without having
lost that of the NOrth-can possibly be elected to the
Presidency in November next If nominated at
Charleston, llDJu an a1dterdted National platform,
lunadultorated 10y the absurd and perous dOgmas OF
shallow sectional demagOgues) his triumph over the
forces OF the Black Republican faction Is certain;
for he will, IN all probability obtain a majority in
nearly all the free States of the North AMI if the
south shall be but true herselfand TO the country
the over throw Of Black Repubcaulsm is as little to
be doubted as any future event in our history Moth
ing though Is more evident than that the Democratic
party will not be able to succeed in the approaching
Presidential contest should they commit the eoaUOus
blunder Of SectioRIlzug their platform in the man
ner proposed m several quarters 1t is clear from
Mr. Seward $ late speech, that his hone of victory
next autumn is mainly founded upon the suppostion
that this Seci0Bd5zg process will ocCurat Charles
ton. Should it turn out that the modification of
the platform proposed should appear to have taken
place at the instance particular class of politicians
in the South. who were known m 1850 as the onDo-
nents of the Compromise of that period: who made
strenuous efforts IN 1851, to break up the Union and
who failing in that enterprise have been ever since
engaged in the fabrication of new sectional issues
rembraeing even the re-opsaRg Of The African Stare
irqde7 for the purpose OF ultimately alternating the
two sections of the Union from each other-no
reasonable man could expect single State North of
Mason sand Dixon's line to support the Democratic
Presidential ticket.
cannot forbear, in conclusion, attempting to pre-
sent this grave matter in one additional aspect.
Sunpcse. if YOU please a Black Republican Presi-
lent 10 be elected next November, what ask, will
5e the inevitable result? Can any man dou0t that
the DISRUPTION of the Confederacy viii be brought
about bv that event? Whatever others may think
on this subject am well satisfied, that il the Chi
cago nominee shall be successful several States Of
the Soutb and West will make the experiment
of secession before the ensuing Christmas holidays
and this declaration make, after having very luY
advised myself in regard ID the condition OF puOAa
sentiment in the States referred 70. This view OF
the subject admits of the following easy exposition:
he leading tenets Of the Black Republican faction
though not always explicitly avowed by its cham
pions, are well known to be the following