Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-05
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1850.



las and in Favor of Buchanan.
The DOUGLAS leaders are not 50 blind that they DO
not see that their efforts in this State result only
to the benefit of Mr.. BELL. Their Press and speak
ers are eloquent in their praises of Mr.. DOUGLAS
severe in their denunciatons of Mr. BUCHANAN, and
silent as to Mr.. BELL. Has it ever been thus: We
have already published the recorded opinion enter
tanned by Maj. Polk of Mr. BELL in 1857 when
Mai Polk declared. Now, sir since Mr. BILL
put up his head upon the buck, we played for it,
we won it, and intend to have it." When Maj
Polk declared, ale (Nr. BELL) is an Aboltionist,"
and asked in reference to the vote of Mr.. BELL and
Gen HoUsToN with the Black Republicans against
the Kansas-Nebraska bill, WAS not BELL harloting
with the North - 1t was during that same session
of the Legislature that a resolution passed in
strucing Mr. BELL to vote for the admission Of Kan
sas under the Lecompton Constitution. But Mr.
BELL and Mr.. DOUGLAS both made war upon Mr..
BUCHANAN, and both voted against LecOmptOn. Who
did Mai Polk concur with then. Messrs. BELL DoUG
LAS and RoB'T J. WALKER, or with Mr.. BUCHANAN and
the Southern Democracy? Let the record speak
On the 2lst December, 1857, Maj. Polk submitted
the following resolution:
ResolUef bu The General Assembly Of the State Of
Tennessee That cordially endorse and approve Of
the views of the President of the United States in
relation to the Kansas question presented in his
late annual message to the Senate and House OF
Representatives and condemn the course pursued by
Hon. Robert J. Walker, the present Governor OF
Kansas. blouse Journal p. 325)
On the goth January, 1858 Maj Polk moved n
take up his resolution for consideration. There was
some objection on the part Of several members.
Mr.. Richardson (Oppositon) said, he would be
most happy to accord to the gentleman from Maury
any reasonable request upon matter personal But
this resolution was not such matter, and he was
opposed to it. Besides it did not involve the Kan
question.
Mr. Polk Will the gentleman discuss the resolu-
tons? l shall be most happy TO hear him, and will
defer nv trip for that purpose. l desire TO avoid
no issue. But supposed al 1rOlld he IN tGUOr Of SlS
tanning the Administration upon This question because
Is so closely connected lrih the interests Of the tS
tuition of SIUag, Iriica IS dear to al Of us. # hOr-
eUer qe1,tle7ner desire to SIDE lcb Black RepcnaSm
If Hsey desire to Join the eneg # they desire trater7
lie loh men lUbO rOld incite sGueS to murder
men and children upon The heqytstoDe. III debate that
question ;rih them. III test tier patriotism If can
not command their judgment.
On the 22d January. 1858, MAJ Polk from the
Committee on Federal Relations to whom was re-
ferred his Joint resolutions Of December 10TH with
reference to the Kansas question, reported the same
back with the following amendment by way of sub
stitute:
ReSolUed dc, That we approve Of the message of
President Buchanan recently communicated to Con
gress on the affairs Of Kansas.
ResolUed, That our Senators in Congress be IN
structed and Representatives requested to vote
for the admission Of Kansas State under the Le-
compton Constitution, should she so apply.
ReSOlUed, That the Secretary Of State forward
copy of these resolutions to each Of our Senators
and Representatives in Congress.
In a debate of a few moments upon the prOpriety
Of immediate action, Mr. Polk used this Ian
guage:
l said that the Lecompton Constitution was about
to be presented to Congress for IFS action that the
Legislature OF Alabama, now in session. had passed
similar resolutions to these by unanimous vote
that the Legislatures Of South Carolina. Virginia and
Mississippi had done the thing and that there
was a necessity, as l conceived. for the state Of
Tennessee TO act in harmony, this vital question
with her sister States of the South. For this reason
asked then, and ask for the action of thus Leg
islature.
The record thus shows that in 1878, Haj. Polk
was agaist DOUGLAS and BELL on the Lecompton
Constitution and was for sustaining the adminstra-
ton. Why the change?