The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1860-10-19
Awake, Democrats I

Can you be awake already Are you
really aware how your leaders are treat
ing you? Do you not see that they spit
upon consistency and trample upon your
intclligenceH We are not of your party,
but we are your fellow-citizons, and by
this right we address you. Shall one tell.
you that the split at Baltimore was neccs-
sary to the salvation Of the country, and
another that split was upon a mere whim-
sy and abstraction? Shall one stand up
upon your public streets and say that
Know. Nothingism is the doctrine of the
serpent and the offspring of hell and an
other that he a Know-Nothing, and the
only consistent one now in existence?--
Shall one tell you that the Union is u
worn-out garment and not worth prcserv-
ing, and another that it is the palladium of
our rights and the guarantee of our liber-
ties? Shall they, with the same breath
and in single year, applaued Yancey, and
hiss him back from "infamy to insignifi-
cancer" Shall they condemn Douglas
for stumring the United States for the
Presidency, and approve Breckenridge for
the same offence? Shall they excommu-
nicate Everett, and pardon Cushing, for
supposed afiiliation with Republicans p
Shall they abuse Douglas for running in
the North, and encourage Breckinridge
to run in the South? These things they
have done and are doing every day before
your faces, and to your teeth, and yet
shouting to you to follow them. Where
is your dignity? Where is your self-re-
spect? Where is your regard for the
great, the real interests of the country?-
Are these leaders blind, or are they fraud
ulent? In either case, are they to be fol-
lowed These are beautiful men to talk
of John Bells inconsistencies, Of his be-
ing a trickster and a changeling. These
are men to talk about principle, and the
principles of their party.
What is their great leading principle?
Protection OF slavery in the territories by
Congress ",ehtn necessary" Is it? Who
says so? Has any authorized convention
of the party promulgated such a doctrine?
Mr.. Buchanan says that the convention
which nominated Breckenridge was not
an authoritative Convention. Mr.. Pierce
says the same. Andrew johnson says the
same. How then has it come to be a lead
ing principle? a parcel of little leaders,
outcasts ofthe National Convention, head
ed by fancey and others, adopted this
proposition, and have sent it out to he
spread upon the banner of the democrat
ic party. The Great Leader, Andrew,
who whips in the Little Leaders, says it is
pitilul abstraction-at the best selfev-
dent trusm as set out in the platform
one that Lincoln might agree to putting
upon it, however his own construction.
So they 90; and you stand by and see
all this and ignore" it. Why do you
not bring your leaders face to face with
each other, and let them fight it out and
let the weakest go to the wall, so that you
may have but one king in your Israeli
As the thing now stands, "its laughing at
you they are" expecting from you real
tears for their make-believe acting.
Are these, your leaders, really in earn
est? Do they differ as they pretend? or
is it all game of sham? Are they divid-
ing the work among them? Detailing
one to-day to hold the Fire eater, and an
other tomorrow to conciiate the Union
ist; one to raise the rod of menace. ano-
ther to present the soothing bribe. fit
be game, it is u bold game--a daring
game-an impudent and fraudulent game.
And will you stand for the counters in
such game? We say again, Awake DEM
ocrats assert yourselves and be no lon
ger made the playthings of these unscru-
pulous gamblers.-NaShHNe Banner.