Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-05-28

It
The Demand for Congressional Pro
lection 10 Slavery I'm the TeTritorie
N Sham and q PTetense-Disunf o
the True Aim.
Doubtless many well meaning people I
the South are sincerely convinced that it i
legislate for the protection Of slavery in tn
territories, and that that power ought TO b
exercised when occasion calls for it. We ar
disposed TO accord 10 the masses of The De
mocracy 10 several of the Southern State
where the demand is much insisted on, hon
sst sincerity, aud conscientious earnesfnes
in their efforts to assert the doctrine and Sc
cure its application. With this concession
we desire now to say that in the hands of tn,
leaders who are making the most noise OF
the subject, and who threaten all sorts o
dire calamities to the South unless it is sue
cessfully asserted and applied, it is IN
mitigated sham and preteuse.
a certain class of those leaders, we have
seen for the last ten years, any one may see
by reviewing the political events of that
time, is bent on destroying the unity Of the
present government Of the United States.
They seized, at an early day, upon the sub
jcct of domestic slavery, and the exciting
questions growing out of it, as the most
practicable cxpedient fU- exasperaling the
popular passions of both sections, and they
have never let the agitation Of them rest.
As soon As one issue is decided they have
another ready to spring upon the country.
Ten years ago they supposed they had sue
cess within their grasp. Having thrown
every obstacle quick and diabolical ingenu-
ity could suggest, in the way of the passage
OF the Compromise Measures of 1850, on the
final triumph of those measures, they initia-
ted dissolution movement by assembling
convention of disunionists in this city.
The sober sense, the conservatism wisdom
the patriotic instincts of the people of the
South were stronger than was calculated,
and the attempt was Il disgusting failure.
In the ensuing State elections, these dis
unionists were rebuked and overwhelmed
with confusion and defeat.
lmPudently enough they rctreated from the
terrible shock Of ponul9r indi snation, aud
in less than two years, these same men led
OF IN proclaiming those same measures they
had so fercely condemned, just and fna,
settlement OF the slavery question! They
struck their tents, disbanded their followers.
and joined the ranks OF the friends of the
UniOH-no doubt with the design of creating
strife, division and mutiny, and thus com
passing an OIJect they had failed TO accom-
plish by direct attempt In this work they
have been slceplessly industrious ever since
Without new entering into details with
which the intelligent reader is more or less
familiar, we COME To the demand for Con-
greSsional Slave Code for the territories, and
10 the evidence that this demand is a h,po-
critical sham and mere pretext for agita
ton They know in the first place, that il is
now impracticlble, that it is impossible 10
obtain It's practical enforcement. They
know, IN the second place, that, If thew
should urge the demand to an issue in Com
gress az this time, the effort would fail. and
70 completely and hopelessly that they could
never hope TO revive it with any prospect
o. again deeply enlisting the popular mind
Oh the South in it. They also know that
such failure would not be held by the peo-
pie Of the South as just cause for a dis.olu
ton of the Union, aud they would again ne
rcbuked and covered with shame and Il 4, AT.
But they know that if the question be kept
open and they can be permitted 10 instiI into
the popular blood the sluw puisin of di.cvu-
content, they may yet be able to raise the
tempest and ride on the highest wave that
engulfs the Republic. For il is d,sp,rat,.
aud unholy ambition that inspires their
Vaccinations, and urges them TO their aimS
Hence ii is that when n case Is presented
for the practical enforcement Of the demand.
they are content 10 ignore il anI refuse to
bring the issne to a test. Snch ease i pre-
scented by the pfohibitory legislation of the
territory Of Kansas. There is nothing more
reasonable and natural, if these leaders - no
are so earnest for this protection, were honest
and sincere as they profess TO be, than that
they shoald, at once and without hesitation.
demand its application in this case. Kansas
has taken precisely the step to which the prin-
ciple for which they contend l. meant To ap-
Ply-yet there Is but one man among them
ali in the U. 5. Senate who darcs tender the
issue! This fact was stated in the Senate on
the 1th inst, by Mr.. CLNGaAS. as follow. /:
"Ths Senator from Mississippi who sits be-
hind nie Mr.. Brown has been striving Tor
the last three or four months to get a posi-
i've act passed 10 protect slavery Ia Kans :,
ana he has never yet found a ;, cond for il.
III any one Senator upon this floor. notu i.li-
standing the urgent aud eloq uent appeals
OF that gentleman. has declared his WILLING
less 10 vote Tor 81, have not heard him sav
80. AMI do not believe there il s.eh !, on..
Aud yet every body knows thai n ,asa, h. !.
lately refused all protection to slay, mr. a.
perry" =
Again, on the 5th, the Senator from North
Carolina reiterated the statement as foI,ous.
Here Is the Territory OF Kansas which.
not oHly does not give Us any protection. M,
which, l am informed, has legislalrd advrfs-.-
~ One Senator from MissIs-ipDi fur
Hrown) has brought forward proposition
TO interfere for the protection oI slavery In
that Territory, and yet be has not gotten one
Southern man 10 hack him, and If you were
TO submit the question 80 a t,ody of Seattle m,
Senators | have very great doubt With, p
you would set them 20 agree 10 SUCH l.sIsla-
tion." = $50
Upon what other hypothesis than that We
Rave suggesied--thaE OF = desir. "a keen M,
question open as meaRs Of inliaainr and
exAsperating the Pablo mind Of The eoantrv
and Of ultimately bringing aBout the al.rnn-
hsa % The g1Seru1eai--caa this Eeiusal 10