Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-20

We publish this morning proposition from Mr..
JAMES BETTToS Jr DOUGLAS Elector for the First n
District and Mr.. MALONE, DOUGLAS Elector for the c
Second District. 1t is addressed to the BREckIS-
RIDGE, and remaining DoUGIAs Electors in the State.
1t proposes the withdrawal of the DOUGLAS ticket
and union of the BREcKNRIDGE and DOUGLAS men 2
on the remaining Democratic ticket prouided the
Electors that ticket will agree to cast the vote of
the State, if they elected for Mr.. BREcKISREDGE
if that will secure his election. Il it will not secure
his election but that of Mr. DOUGLAS then to
be cast for him. If It will elect neither and the
election has to goto the House. then to be cast so
to get both BREcKISRIdCE and DOUGLAS, if possible
into the House to the exclusion of Mr. Bell; it being
certain that LINCOLN viii be one of the con
testants there. We have no hestancy in saying
that the proposition is one which in cur
opinion, ought to be accepted by every BRECK-
NRIDGE and DOUGLAS in the State. We
do not understand the DOUG5As men as yielding any
of their preferences for Mr.. DOUGLAS and his doc
trines, and we certainly do not wish to be under
stood as abating any of our antagonsm of senti-
ment to Mr.. DoUGLAs and bis views. We simply I'M
derstand both sides as preferrng either BRECKENRIDGE
or DOUGLAS to Mr. BELL and his position, as estao-
lished by his past history connected with the pub
lie service" In the first BREcKINRIDGE ratification |
meeting held in the State Gov. HARRIS, in the first
speech made in that meeting unhesitatingy declared
in substance that if the BRECKNRDGE electoral can
didates were successful in this State, he should IA
just such disposition of the vote of the State as
is proposed by Messrs. BRTTToN and MALONE. MessTs
EWING and QUARLEs concurred with him. We can
no reasonable ground of objection to it by any
Democrat who does not prefer the success of Mr. BELL
to BRECKNRDGE or DOUGLAS. 1t is perfectly clear
that there is a large majority of the Democracy of
the State who prefer Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE. It's known
also that majority of the candidates on the BREcK
INRDGE ticket were selected by the party before the
disruption at Baltimore. 1t is therefore but fair
that the DOUGLAS candidates should be the ones to
withdraw under the proposed arrangement. If the
proposition should receive favorable response the
DOUGLAS men secure the of the State for their
, candidate provided it will elect him. As it now
stands there is not the remotest hope that he can
get it in any event. 1t is not possible that BRZcKT
RIDGE and DOUGLAS will both receive electoral votes
enough for the vote of the State to elect both or
: either of them. If one is enough an election
without the vote of Tennessee to be successful with
tilt is perfectly certain that the other willnOtbe In
our view neither has anything TO lose by such an
agreement and the certainty of getting the vote of
the State where it may be given to the that may
need it. will be materially increased. We notsee
how the proposal can be rejected by any BRECKN
2 RIDGE man unless he prefers BELL to DOUGLAS. We
cannot how the proposal be rejected by any
: DOUGLAS man unless he prefers BELL to BREcKIN-
RIDGE. Let be promptly acceded to by both sides,
e and our batteries turned against common enemy.
We have been too long fighting JOHN BELL and his
policy to again allow Tennessee 20 get under his
, control
Since the proposition has been received by us we
nave consulted with as many of our Democratic
friends as possible and have not yet found one
: to object to it. 1t meets the approval of Senators
JOHNSON, NICHOLSON, Gov HARRIS, Mr.. EWING and all
e of our Central Committee that we have had op-
$ portunity of consulting 1t is desirable that the
Il various electors should respond to it early as
o possible.
7 For the Nashville Union and American.
Proposition.
To the Electors on the Breckenridge and Douglas Tick
|. cts IN Tennessee.
!, MESSRS. EDITORS UNION AND AMERICAN:
Being very decidedly in favor of the election Of
IS STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS to the Presidency of the United
IS States, and believing, as most religousy do, that
= he was if not that he ought to have been the NOM
nee of the National Democratic party for that high
v position and regretting do, the disruption OF
the party by the precipitate and in my opinion, the
n illldvised movement of few men at Charleston
+ and Baltimore; And fYihout compromising any OF
e my political opinions personal preferences,-en
a dorsing the Democratic record of Judge DOUGLAS
Is en;ire-5eieying him to be patriot, statesman,
# and a sound conservative National Democrat
make the following proposition to the BRECKENRIDGE
# and other DoUGs electors in Tennessee The pro
h position is made for the sake of the union of the
party thing greatly to be desired for the following
well other cogent reasons: lst. To defeat Mr..
; LINCOLN, the Black Republican candidate, because
+ he represents sectional party, and is unsound on
issues involving the Constitutional rights of the
: South. ID. To defeat JOHN BELL in Tennessee, be-
n cause his triumph in the State would be SANDER
upon the sacred memories of the old hero who now
y sleeps at the Hermitage, and Of GRUMPY and Polk,
p whom he denounced as "alike destitute of private
l. honor and public principle" Sd. To the end that
have united party in the State, to do LATHE in
= the future, important State elections are Just
ahead. Here, then, is the proposition
That we have but one Democratic Electoral ticket
in Tennessee, and if that ticket should be elected by
r Union of the BRECKNRIDGE and DOUGLAS men, then
the vote of the State shall be cast as follows LIST
u To be cast for NJ. BRECKNRIDGE provided it will
IN elect him; but if it will not elect Mr. BRECGINRIDGE
N then to be cast for Mr.. DOUGLAS provided will elect
G. him. IT, however, the vote of Tennessee will elect
neither and there is election by the Electoral Col
at lege then the vote of the State to be cast first for
Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE, provided it will put him into the
At House of Representatives over Mr. BELL, if not tc
y be cast for Mr.. DOUGLAS provided it will put him
into the House over Mr.. BELL
The above proposition is made in good faith, and
for the purpose of securing union of the party in
r. Tennessee If it is acceded to by both parties,
will retire from the and leave Col WATKINS
I'd the BRECKRDGE Eector in this District alone in the
of field but if the proposition is not agreed to- shall
MS continue as l am doing to prosecute the can.
it vass for Mr. DOUGLAS with that little ability can
s. command. feel that have placed myself strictly
i'd within the rght-that will have demonstrated that
ly l am no facionst and for whatever ruin may en-
sue shall not be responsible. trust we will have
n; an immediate response from both parties to the
ca above proposition feel that can vindcate it for
its fairness and business before Srorn jury of either
ne | DOUGLAS or BRECKNRDGE men.
JAMES BRTTON, Jr.
at Greeneyille, Tenn, Sept Il, 1860.
r, Having read the proposition of Mr. BRTTToN (the
DOUGLAS elector for the First Congressional DISTRICT
O take pleasure in saying fully concur in the same,
believing the proposition calculated to subserve the
very laudable ends proposed therein.
n; WI. MALONE
% Correspondence.
= ROME, Tenn. Sept 18th 1860.
Gov. l. q. HAREIs-Dear Sir: The Democracy of