Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-08-24

In his speech on Broad street, on Wednesday
night, Mr.. sYKEs of Columbia made some strong and
telling points on both wings of the Opposition in
Tennessee. We cannot follow his line of argument
through the whole of his admirable and logical
effort but can only endeavor to sketch some Of these
points which we think should be kept before the
minds of the people.
He referred forcibly to the fact that no party
had yet joined issue with the Democracy on their
platform of principles.
In that platform the Democracy have declared
boldly their position on the Leading questions of
opinion, principle, and of policythat pertain o
the Federal Government The country know where
to find them with reference to the tariff, to the
tension of our territorial domain to the naturali-
cation laws to the powers of the Territories, ETC.,
etc. Their principles are emblazoned their ban
ners. Fours years ago. their platform was assailed
(Ar. sykes, thought unjustly) being two
faced, and susceptible Of two constructions, and
now that they have explained that portion of it. sup
posed to be equiYocsl SO that man can specious-
ly make such charge, the tactics are changed and
because it speaks out boldly the true Southern doc
trine, we are charged with seeking to dissolve the
Union upon mere abstraction Thus. instead of
assailing the soundness of position and declar
ing it to be wrong, we are constantly met
with the charge of disunion disunion Is not this
remarkable, not to say astounding? Our positionis
not assailed as unsound, unconstitutional or wrong
by the organs of the Opposition in Tennessee. But
they say it will lead to disunion Has it come to
this ? Must the South be driven from seeking the
recognition of her undispued rights by this scare
crow of disunion? And can it be true that tie
Northern Aboitionsts are prepared to dissolve the
Union if we succeed in securing the protection of
our rights in the Territories of the UEion by the
Federal Government The Democracy ask for
nothing but their rights under the constitution. If
they ask for more, let the Opposition establish the
fact and cease their effort to brighten the people by
the side issue which they have raised of YANcET
and disulion If 1t be true that disunion must re-
suit from the establishment of our rights the Union
has already lost much of its value-that which
ders it Gear to the citizen and cherished object of
devoton-it is Union without constitutional pro-
lection to right. But are not prepared to believe
this assertion. The Democracy are determined to
fight for their rights in the Union and they believe
glorious victory awaits them. Let this line of ar
gument of the Opposition be remembered-that in
stead of assailing principles they endeayor to
brighten true Southern men from their advocacy by
the spurious cry of disunion.
Mr.. SYKES very effectually answered the low APP
peal which some in the South make in private and
which GREEDY in his paper publicly makes to the
non-slaveholding people of the South-when they
are told that they have interest in slavery, and
they are asked why they should contend fer the
rights of the Shareholders. The non-slaveholdIng
aboring population of the South, MIR. S. justly con-
tended, have really deeper interest in the institu
ton of slavery than the Shareholders themselves.
Wherever African slavery exists the laboring white
man is elevated to equality with the rich man.
In slaveholding community the only distinction is
between the white man and the negro The veal
thy planter is mpotent to Cypress the poor labcrer
who pursues an independent vocation, free from
the competition and oppression of capital, and who
is respected in proportion to his merits In Europe
and the Northern States, the poor white laborer is
the slave of the capitalists, and so it would be in
the South, were African slavery not in existence
In that case the whole laboring population would
tend the farms for the rich planters, at poor re-
muneration, would be compelled to pay for the
rent of land what it is now worth per acre In this
branch of his argument Mr.. Sykes triumpantly vim
dictated the non-slaveholder of the South, and de-
clared that no class of the community were more
ready to defend and uphold Southern rights.
But one of the strongest points of Mr.. SYKES was
made upon the Little Giant" as he is called Dy his
friends. He called attention to the fact that Mr..
DOUGLAS everywhere assails the Democratic doc
trine Of Federal Intervention for protection when
the Territorial Legislature fails to carry out the
doctrine of non-Intervention. Mr.. DoUGLAs says
in Al, IL
people be astonished to learn that Mr. DOUGLAS him
self made report to the Senate, the 18th of
August, 1885, in which he recommended to substitute
the Senate bill for Mr. Crows BILL that contains this
very principle Of Intervention, to annul the laws
and enactments in Kansas which are repugnant to
or conflict with the great principles of liberty and
justice, guaranteed by the Constitution of the
United States" Mr.. GROW had, on the 9th of Feb
ruary, 1885, reported from the Committee or Ter
rtories bill to annul certain Of the Legislature
of Kansas. These acts were known as test laws.
When the bill reached the Senate it was referred
to the Committee on Territories, of which Mr.. |
DOUGLAS was chairman. On the llth of August, he |
made report from that Committee.
In that report, speaking of the Senate BILL |
which is recommended as a substitute for Mr.. |
Crows he says:
By the 18th section of the bill, which has twice |
passed the Senate, and now remains on the Speak
ers table of the House of Representatives Enacted
upon, and only awaits the favorable action of the |
House to enable it to become law with the Presi-
dents approval, all the obnoxious laws, which have
been the subj ect of so much censure and complaint
Soept out Of existence leaving in force in said
territory, except such are usual, proper and ne
cessary all civilized communities for the protec-
ton OF life, liberty and property. Your committee
FL,
will concur with the Senate the
passage of the bill and thus restore peace and
rity to the people of Kansas by declaring all those OBJ
nOriOUS Ld1os null and Uoid, and providing for the
faithful enforcement of the Kansas CODE the validi
ty of which has thus been frankly and soemnly ac-
knowledged by the votes and action Of each House
Of Congress"
In speech on this bill in the Senate, on the Sth of
July, 1885, Mr.. PEARCE of Maryland, said:
"Then the obnoxious laws, which it is said operate
destroy the value of the elective franchise are in
fleet, repealed 1t is true we do not use the word
repealed The laws are not set forth IN tOtidem
cribs, but they sufficiently described by their
haracter and effect The test oaths which were
objected to, which required to be taken not
,nly by attorney before he could be allowed to
practice his profession but by juror, before he
ould serve on jury, and also required by the
otter, all made null and void in effect for says
he provision of the Senate bill:
mo law Snall ne maze or nave force o. eject IN
and Territory which shall require a testoatn, or
ath to support any act of Congress other legs-
alive act, as qualification for any civil Office or
ublic trust or for any employment or profession,
r to serve juror, or vote at election or
which shall impose tax upon, condition to, the
xercise of the right of suffrage by any qualified &
oter.'" (See Congressional Globe 1856, part 2, ]
}. l57I.)
On the same day, Gong. Globe 1856, part I'd, p.
574 the Senate proceeded to vote the substitute
eported by the Committee on Territories, (Nr. 7
DOUGLAS being chairman) being the bill described
bove by Mr. DoUGLAs and Mr. PEARcE, with the !
blowing result: Yeas 80, nays I3-Mr. DOUGLAS
citing in the affirmative. And Immediately there
fter the vote was ordered the passage of the
i'll, yeas 80, nays l3-Mr. DOUGLAS voting with the
outhern Senators, in the afimative-p. 1874 ,
Now, if Mr.. DOUGLAS proposition be true, that n
erUention is diS,uaiOn then he is himself disu- t
onist for he made an'elaborate report and voted c
favor of bill to intervene and arrest the action