Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-04-02

MONDAY, APRIL 2. 1860.
The Alternative as presented by the
50. Louis 'sNeWs.o
The st. Louis Evening EeOs propounds the
following:
.The Opposition party in Tennessee and
Kentucky express great hostility to Senator
Douglas because Of his Squatter Sovereignty
doctrine in regard to Slavery. They say
that Squatfer Sovereignty gives the South
no chance at all iE the settlement Of the Ter
ritories. The only logical inference OF this
Southern Opposition TO Douglas is, that the
South must be permitted to carry its 'pecu-
liar iustitution'' into the Territories, and
have Il protected from i'unfriendly legisla-
ton" on the part of the ''Squatter Sovereign
ty." Is this not sol Then thir protection
leads necessarily to the doctrine of Con-
gressionai Slave Code, and lands the South
ern Opposition on the platform of the Charles
ton Cony ention. There is no escape from
CAaYieston, IL the Southern Opposition reject
the platform of Mr.. Bates. And the "Nation-
al Union Convention" becomes only surplus
sge-so much Calhoun Democracy wasting
itself at Baltimore and sure to be absorbed
by the Charleston nominee before going to
the polls.
Viii our Memphis and Nashville friends
answer US, if this is not apparently inevita-
BILE :"
The substance and essence of which lie, that
the Opposition in Kentucky and Tennessee
will be forced 70 do one of three things, to-
wit LIST. Cease its hostility to Mr. DOUGLAS
Squatter Sovereignty or End. Accept the
platform of Mr.. BATES or 3rd. Support the
nominee Of the Charleston Convention. To
which, for ourselves, we reply that we see
nothing in the present circumstances Of the
country to force us to accept and act upon
either of the alternatives, but the strongest
reasons to reject them all. Our contempora-
~ will permit US to state frankly and as
briefly as may be, some of those reasons. And
first let US fairly apprehend what the propo-
sitions rut by the NesSs involve.
First the squatter sovereignty of Judge
DOUGLAS is political heresy. 1t is inconsis-
tent with the genius of our governmental
this, that it seeks to confer unrestrained lib
-erty upon the inhabitants of any territory, in
any numbers, and at any period of their ter
ritorial existence, to form any system of
government and establish any sort of institu-
lons, not expressly prohibited by the Federal
Constitution, which they may choose. This
liberty is not limited to the question of slave
~, but extends to every other. 1t was under
this doctrine that the Mormons in Utah, es-
tablished their politico-theocratic government
and defed the world to interfere; and under
il almost any system of abuses may be iuaug-
urated and sustained with impuuity. 1t is
superfuous, however, for Us to elaborate the
objections to this theory, since it has been
pronounced by Wings, Americans. Republi-
cans and large proportion of the Democra'
cy, to be unsound and unsafe and by none
more persistingiy than the Nslrs. Our oppO-
sition TO the principle OF Squatter Sovereign
ty was eontemporaneous with It's first enun-
citation, and has been maintained up to the
present time. .'The Opposition in Tennessee
and kentucky have coucurred in this course,
and are not likely to depart from it now.
Therefore, answering for ourselves, we shall
continue our hostility to "Squatter Sover-
eighty"
In the second place we cannot support the
charleston nominee" under any circum-
stances we can now regard as likely to arise
Any platform which such conglomerate OF
tariff men, free trade men, anti
internal improvement and pro-internal i'm
provement men, squatter sovereignty and
men, spOils-h unters, disunionists
aud unionists. may construct, we know in ad-
vance, from past experience. will be made to
be disregarded as party necessities may re-
quire. Whether their platform shall be on
its face national and conservative. or simply
repeatedly violated their pledges, that they
have forfeited all claims to confidence. The
party is one Of sntagonisiic and discordant
factions. Its leaders in four or FIVE Of the
Scuthern States are avowed disunionists, and
are perpetually agitating such measures as
are calculated to forward such a result. In
them we, therefore, have neither confidence
nor sympathy-and the Ne,cs will not insist
upon our taking this alternative.
Thirdly, having rejected the squatter SOW
ereignty Of Mr.. DOUGLAS and the Charleston
nominee, the Nesrs insists that ii is impossible
to do otherwise than accept the platform Of
Mr.. Bates But as we understand IL that plat
form is identical with that upon which the Re-
publicans stand. We obtain this impression
from Mr.. Bates last letter, and are confirm
ed In its correctness by the unanimous voice
of the Republican press. The Republican
platform, we all know, is opposition to the
extension of slavery into. any of the terrific
ries. in any direction. belonging 10 the United
TO secure this IL asserts that ii is
within the power, and with that power is
coupled the duty, of Congress to prohibit the
or establishment of slavery in
any Of the territories Of the United States.
make-weights are thrown in, such
- free homes for free men, are mere leather
aud prunells- The assertion Of this doctrine
in relation to slavery, is the only ligament
which binds its members together as party,
and without IL the party would go 10 pieces
In twelve hours. The editor OF The St. Lonis
Ess'sirg Nsses, OF whose intelligence and acu-
men we have formed, by no means low es-
innate, must be perfectly aware of this fact.
he must know further that the Republican
platform Of 1856 and Of the present day. IL
aothing 10 fact bat the wilmot Proviso. The |
"ifnot Prnviso assumed, by It's mere pre-
sentafioH- the power. and by its term, the
duty Of CcsEEess to prohibit the extension of |
slavery into aay Of the territories Of the
United States This was all of the wilmos
fFoyiso, and IL Is the entire essence Of the
Republican creed Without The subject Of
slavery neither would have bad an existence.
aud upon the subject Of slavery they are |
identical In all respects. The Nsss there
fore, In asking us 20 sapPort Ar. BATES, asks
rs - support the Republican cause. which is
not a little more nor less than the Wtlraot
Previso. The editor Of the Xssss need not be