Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-05-22

interposiiion to guard and protect her against
he evils of an ill-tined and ill,judged meas
ure, improper of itself. and wholly unneees-
ary and fauacious as a means OF securing
the South against The Vaccinations OF a6oli-
tienism, we take up the second pro"f-"Op-
position to the Kansas-Nebraska bill"
In the face of recent events, We scarcely
know how to treat this branch of the subject
seriously. Having destroyed the Old Wing
Party. the Kansas-Nebraska bill has now
turned upon the democratic party, in whose
arms It had been sheltered. and cleft it in
twain. Its hand is raised against everybody
Those who have bcen liz warmest friends do
not know whether now to regard 1t as
measure Of good or eyil-of peace or strife
as a blessing OF curses substantial benefit
10 the country, or a gigantic smindle- IL
strikes us that until the character OF The
thing has been determined no one ought To
lie condemned for voting against it. To I'M
peach a genileman's fidelity to bis section
for opposing the bill. it ought to be shown
that it is benefit 20 that section VIII any
of our democratic friends point out the ad-
vantages. socially, morally or politically,
which the South has derived from il! Has
IL not produced confusion. discord, and dis
sen,ion, and so swollen the tide of sectional
ism that the most hopeful and conservative
fear the time is not very far distant when the
South will be overwhelmed? Has 1t not
driven national men who represented north
err constituencies from Congress. and sup
piled their places with representatives OF an
ti-slavery fanaticism, giving them plurality
in one branch aDd in the other sufficient
number to defeat any treaty OF acquisition
by which the South might have territory for
the diffusion and expansion of her inetltu-
tionsl And is opposition to a measure " hich
has proven thus disastrous to be heid as proof
of Mr. BELL S. or any other mans, in1deIiy
to the Snuth. The idea is prepostsrous- la
the first flush OF joy which followed the repeal
of an odious restriction, which the South had
assen,ed to for the sake of peace,--when her
sense ut gratitude was keenly apprecidtive.
and she expected much from the operation
of the .1princirles Of the Kansas-Nebraska
bill, :" there might have been some shadow OF
excuse for distriist but now. after the test
uf experience has been applied, and the tempt
ing fruits OF the measure have turned TO
ashes and bitterness on the lips" it were
worse than folly To bold any one guilty OF
iafidelity for doubling its promises. and de-
cIining to rally under its standards. 1t is
the Christian because he did moi
forswear the Bible and adopt the Koran. 1t
is rebuking Virtue because it had the wisdom
to avoid the wiles Of the Seducer and escape
prostitution. They greatly err who hope by
such mrans 80 bring upon the fair fame oil
JOHN BELL the reproach of treason TO the
South.
Aud now, for the remaining proof OF the
charge Opposition TO the admission OF
Kansas under the Lcc0mptOn Constitution"
there was not more active, ardent
Jealous supporter of the proposition to al |
nit Kansas under that Constitution than the |
PATRIOT We were satisfied at the time that |
we were right, and we have since seen moth
ing TO change our opinion. Bat we did not
it simply for the reason that it made |
Kansas slave State. There might have been |
those who did SO; as there were others who |
opposed it for the same reason. Mr.. BELL |
vas not one OF the latter. Entertaining the
opinion he does on the subject of slavery, ii
would have given him satisfaction to have
opened the door to her, If she had come with |
slave Stale constitution bearing the i'm |
,ress Of the will and wishes of the majority |
# the people This he did not believe to he |
he case, with the LecOmpton Constitution,
nd he took his stand against it. The propo-
ition for admission was rejected. But would |
een admitted? We answer no! As an in !
ucement TO admit her, Mr.. BUCHANAN gave |
is support 10 the doctrine that her people !
ould at any time, after her admission, change
be constitution. They might change it the
rst year. or even the first month, after
be became State. Had she been admitted, ii
would have been with this understanding,
nd at the first momeDta change in her
organic law would have ensued, and slavery
,een prohibited The vote of Kansas upon
he proposition submitted by The English bill
ustifies this assertion. Tue South then could
lave gained nothing by mission of
Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution,
except the removal OF the subject from Con-
,ress. AID from party disputations. The
question was one of policy altogether
whether it vas most wise and expedient to
admit Kansas, and thus get rid OF the agita-
lions growing out of The party struggles
within her borders; or to remand her back |
and give her people another chance to toim J
10 suit themselves. Mr.. BELL !
favored the latter. There is nothing in that /
to Justify the accusation Of iniGelity to the
South.
We have shown above, we think. that the |
proofs relied on to convict Mr.. BELL of un- |
soundness a. a Southern man do not sustain |
the charge; and they are the strongest his |
enemits can bring against him, the country |
will not be long in asecrtaining and proper
ly approaching the motives for making the
charge. The truth is. the South has no |
sbler. wiser, or more sagacious supporter Of
her just right; and none that would main |
tain them with more constancy, yigor, and |
courage 10 the last extremity.
IL HsESAx HARD HITTER?-Some Of the |
papers profess to doubt whether ii G.
nan "a a hard hitter. Thrre is a story cur