Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-08-22

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to the proper tribunal"
Then, sir, neither the purpose nor the eff
feet of the bill is to legislate slavery IN Ne
braska and Kansas but its effect is to sweep
away this Vestige of Congressional dictation
on this subject, to allow the free citizens of
this Union to enter the common territory
with the Constitution and the bill alone in
their bands, aud to remit the decision of heir
rights under both, to the courts of the coun-
try. Who can go before his constituents re-
fusing to abide the decision of the courts of
the Union Fl"
Sir. l care nothing about refined distinc-
tions or the subtleties of verbal criticism.
[ repeat the broad and plain proposition,
that if Congress may Intervene on this sub
iect. it may intervene on any other and hav-
ing thus surrendered the principle, and brok
en- away from constitutional limitations, you
are driven into the very lap of arbitrary
power. By this doctrine, you may erect
despotism under the American system. The
whole theory is libel on our institutions.
1t carries US back TO the abhorrent principles
of British colonial authority, against which
we made the issue of Independence. | have
never acquiesced IN this odious claim, and
will not believe that it can abide the test of
public scrutiny.
Other extracts of the same general import
show that his Congressional was consistent
with his Legislative course. Up to this
point, at least, he continued true and stead
fast to the faith of the great teacher. Gen.
CAsS. Aud being snable to find any de-
parture from it during his service in Congress,
we let this suffice.
Mr.. BREcKNRIDGE was nominated by the
Democracy at the Cincinnati National Con-
vention in 1856, for the Vice-Presidency. A
few days afterwards Con the 9Th June) he
spoke to his fellow-citizens at Lexington,
KY, saying:
Upon the distracting question OF domes-
tic slavery their position is clear The whole
power OF the Democratic organiza ton is
pledged to the following proposition: That
Congress shall not intervene upon this sub
iect in the States, in the Territories, or in the
District of Column ia; that the people of
each Territory shall determine the question
for themselves, and be admitted into the
Union upon footing of perfect equality
with the original States, without discrimina-
ton on account of the allowance or prohibi-
ton OF slavery"
This. we should say, comes pretty fully up
to the mark of Squatter Sovereignty, and
sustains all that precedes it. Subsequently,
during the canvass of that year, Mr.. BRECK-
INRIDGE found himself at Tippecanoe (Sep.
81 and was there prevailed upon to deliver
an address, in the course of which he is re-
ported to have said:
The speaker had heard it charged that the
fifteen slave States were conspiring to obtain
entire possession of the general government,
with view of bringing its powers to bear
20 nd OH
stitution.' Gentlemen, there has been no
such attempt. | am connected with no party
that has Tor its object the extension of sla-
very, nor with any to prevent the people of
State or Territory from deciding the question
of its existence or nOn-existence with them
for themselves.
The speaker continued. [ happened to
be in Congress when the Nebraska bill passed,
and gave it my voice and my vote, and be-
cause 1t did what it did. viz: 1t acknowl
edged the right of the people of the Terrific
Iy to settle the question for themselves, and
not because | supposed, what | do not now
believe, that it legislated slavery into the
Territory. The Democratic party is not
pro-slavery party-it is neither Pro-slavery
nor Anti-slavery.'
This speech as report above appeared in
the Louisville Courier, friendly paper, and
drew from the \. o. DeIta long and severe
article from which we give the subjoined ex-
tracts, 20 show what it was construed to
mean
From the y. o. Delta, Sep %, 1856.
In other words, we protest
against the sentiments chang that WORLDLY of
his Tippecanoe speech, and demand an ex-
PLANTATION of them from him or his fuglemen
in Louisiana. This is no time for trihing;
our best interests are at stake, our liberties,
as white Caucasian people. are in danger;
the institution OF the Family. as we under
stand it, is imperilled by the progress of
Northern ideas; we are driven to position of
self-defense, where we must either maintain
our rights or march sub fLIrcG in presence of
our sneering enemies; and now in this hour
of trial and difficulty we assert that whose
ever is not with US, is decidedly against us
And further we say, boldly and unhesitating-
". Mr.. Breckenridge is not with US; he is
against Us; he is the worst kind of foe, pre-
tended friend; and we suhjoin the proof of
what we say. We subjon it with reluctance,
it is true; we had hoped, in spite Of Mr.. Bu-
chanan's dangerous views on Squatter SOve-
reignty, to avoid any positive opposition to
the Democratic ticket; but we prize the in
tercsts of the South mere than these of any
set of politicians, good, bad or Indifferent,
and when Mr.. Breckenridge assumes an atti-
tude obviously hostile TO those interests, it
becomes our disagreeable duty to expose
him, TO pluck the artificial feathers from the
chattering daw, and exhibit him in all his
original ard natural ugliness.
1--WE call upon the shareholders of the
South to read the foregoing paragraph and
ponder it Gttingly.' 1t is an open confession
of the principle of Squatter Sovereignty
which John G. Calhoun so vigorously de-
nounced, and which has been set up as po-
litical will-o'-the-wisp, to mislead the South
remarkably in the slough of despond.' 1t is
positive declaration that the 'squatters' of
a Territory have right to legislate slavery
into that Territory or out of it, BEFORE the
organization of a State Government, and as
such we hold it up to-day, to the scorn and
indignation of the slayeholding States
Words are but the counters of thought, it is
true; but such words as Mr. Breckenridge
used at Tippecanoe are spurious, ring false,
and should be nailed to the counter without
hesitation or fear.
Remember, men of the South, he puts
himself forward as the spokesman OF the
Democratic party, and not content with pro-
mitigating the doctrine of Squatter SOye-
reignty ,coOly proceeds to commit that party
against the extension of slavery. And yet
Mr. Breckenridge demands the entire vote of
the South in November, and is actually YER
dant enough to believe he will get it. Why
should we vote for him or his? Because he
is opposed to the extension of our institu-
tions2 Because he is ready to affiliate with
Fillmore to secure his election? Because he
is a Southern man with Northern principles?
Sooth, these are sorry reasons, and will
scarcely avail with the honorable men of the
South.
Why are you opposed to the extension of
slavery Mr.. Breckenridge? Is slavery moral
evil? Then every planter should manumit his
negroes tomorrow. Is slavery political
wrong? If so, the memory of John G. Cal
boun should be odious ON the earth. Is slave
ry, on the contrary, politically and morally
right? La that case why should il not be ex-
tended as far as possible, and why should the
Al, III auainsf Ii IrnHurr