Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-08-14

them their votes at that time. But that ob.
ject is now accomplished. No one doubts
that Kansas Is to be admitted as a free State.
The Democrats have lost the stake for which
they played so desperate game.
What need, then, is there for the further
continuance of sectional agitation, and for
keeping il mp by mischievotis sectional Or
ganization? What immediate end do they
propose to accomplish? What tangible OBJ
ject have they in view? They have not now
that moral element which gave them strength
in 1856. They can now take no higher atti-
tude than that of a combination OF amoi tious
aspirants and greedy officeseekerS. who. hav-
ing tasted the sweets of power, and its sub
stantial rewards. in many OF the States, are
painting for the more splendid prizes of 4 ma
tional victory, and for that purpose are dill
| gently tanning the fires of sectional hate:
| which every true patriot should wish TO have
| extinguished.
QUALIFICATIONS OF MIR. LINCOLN.
So far as the claims and qualificati ons of
| candidates are concerned, we surely need
| not shrink from comparison with the Repub-
/ lican party. For the first time in the history
| of the country great party has nominated
| for the Presidency a man unknown, even by
name, to majority of the people Mr.. Lin
| coin, we admit, is a respectable man, re-
| spectacle lawyer, and as popular speaker
of probably more than average ability; but
what a meagre catalogue is this of claims
| for the highest oficeI Nothing whatever is
| known of his executive or administrative
| capacity: nothing of his views as to the great
| questions of foreign and domestic policy
| which are likely to arise In the conduct of
the Government; nothing as to his knowledge
| of the great interests and relations of the
| country.
| He served but single term in the
House of Representatives, and there earned
no conspicuous distinction. His nomination
was extorted from the Chicago Convention
| by the force of local pressure, and presents the
most glaring example of the pitiul doctrine
of availability that the political annals Of
| this country have ever shown. His claims
| for the office of President of the United
| States rest upon the fact that, in popular
contest before the people of Illinois with Mr..
| Douglas he sustained himself with energy
| and fair ability. Nor need we do more than
| advert to the fact, which is another illustra-
| ton of the sectional character of the Repub-
| lican organization, that their candidate for
| the Presidency is taken from the extreme
! northwest, and their candidate for the Vice
| Presidency is taken from the extreme north
| east. What means can they have for know
| ing or ascertaining tie qualifications of per-
sons to fill tie Federal Offices in the Southern
States?
MR.. BELL AND MR.. EVERETT.
The candidates presented by the Cunstitu-
| tional Union party have every possible claim
upon the confidence and support of the
| American people. There is little need of set
| ting forth these claims in detail and by par
| ticulars, for to suppose any one ignorant of
| the merits and services of John Bell and Ed
| ward Everett is to suppose him ignorant of
| the history of the country during the last
| thirty years. Both have been distinguished
- e I'LL II
| Congress. Mr.. Bell has been Speaker of the
House of Representatives and Secretary of
War; Mr.. Everett has been Governor of Mas
| sachusetts, Minister to Great Britain, Secre-
| tary of State. Both are men of great political
experience, and both have proved their fitness
| for the highest trusts. Both are animated by
the spirit of a generous and comprehensive
patriotism. OF all Southern statesmen, none
is more popular at the North than Mr.. Bell 1;
of all Northern statesman, none is more en-
deared to the people of the South than Mr..
Everett.
So commanding, indeed is the merit of
both our candidates, that it is fully and freely
conceded by all our opponents. Repub-
licans, supporters of Mr. Douglas and
supporters of Mr.. BTeckinridge, all admit
that while they prefer others, the interests
of the country would be entirely safe in the
hands of Mr.. Bell and Mr.. Everett. All would
acqulesce III Tie electlou vi our canuidales
Indeed. the argument most generally and
most persistently pressed against them is,
that they cannot be elected. We need not
say how grave charge against the intelli-
genee and integrity of our people is involved
in this declaration, and that every man who
resolves to vote for them, be the result what
it may does something to lessen the weight
of this objection. Let US have the vote of
every man in the country who sincerely be-
leves that ours is the best ticket. and we ask
no more.