Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-03-17
The oppos,tlon i'm s.a.s1..sppi.

The Opposition i'm mississippi.
| Hon. THonAs CooPwoop. of Aberdeen, Mis-
sissippi, who was once supported By the Wigs
of that State for the Office of Governor. has
written letter advocating the claims Of Mr..
DOUGLAS for the Presidency. However po-
tent the voice of Mr. Coopwoop may once
have been with the Wings of Mississippi, we
feel perfectly assured there are numbers OF
the @Old Guard'' who will not follow bis
| footsteps in wandering from the old path OF
opposition to Democracy. The Wings OF Mis-
sissippi have adhered to principle through
evil and through good report. They have
braved the fercest and most overwhelming
odds Never seeking power for purposes of
gain, nor with very hattering hopes of sue
cess, they have fought with true Spartan
courage for the good of their country. Their
course, as party, has always been marked
by uprightness, consistency, purity, and al
unbending irmness. Their trials have been
prolonged and severe. yet they have borne
themselves with such wisdom aud such firm
| ness, as to cover themselves with successive
gIories in successive defeats. Time and re-
suits have, in all their positions. INDICATED
their wisdom and their integrity; and the po-
IitIcal history of the State, when truly writ
ten, will exhibit. in the career of the Wing
party in Mississippi. picture OF public vir
tue and disinterssted patriotism, unsurpassed
ia he annals of parties.
| In the memorable days when the doctrines
of the Specie Circular and the National
Bank were in fierce conflict, a most remarka-
BILE state of affairs was precipitated on the
then youthful State. Whilst the Democracy
of the Nation had newly created an image of
gold and of silver, and bowed down and wor-
shipped it with devotion undistinguishable
| from idolatry. the Democracy of Mississippi
were creating banks, which were issuing
'shin- plasters'' with a munificence unstinted.
For number and smaIlness the notes of these
banks could be compared to nothing so APP
| propriately, as the sand-grains on the sea-
STORE. The very air was full of them as the
autumn winds of frosted leaves, and the
Whole State was theatre for the most reck-
less system of financial speculation. The
Wings OF that day arrayed themselves against
the entire scheme, advocated true mixed
national currency, and foretold the disastrous
results that were to follow, with the certain
ty OF inspired prophecy. But they were over
| horne, and ruin and desolatiOn stalked, in
spectral majesty and gloom, from one end OF
the State to the other.
A democratic Legislature had invested the
credit of the state to the extent OF five mil
lions in banking. which failed. The Demo
crazy, without twitch of remorse, repudi-
ated the debt. The Wings resolutely de-
nouuced this fragrant violation OF the obi
cations of honesty, and proclaimed the iEef-
| facable disgrace of the act. They were
! again Overborne, and from then till now the
| Legislature could not obtain sirychnne
whisky cocktails around, on The faith of the
State, in any third rate grog-shop in Chris
tendon.
| In, 1850, when the fever of disunon ragged
in the democratic ranks OF the State, the
Wings again threw themselves in solid
| phalanx into the breach, against the enemies
of the Union, and, by the aid OF the better
men of their former foes, proStrated the trail
torOus ire-eaters down into the dust of de-
feat. At that day there was not one single
conspicuous Wing in all Mississippi who
avOwed sympathy with the assailants of the
Union.
They have never committed mistake of
judgment, nor made a false-step in action;
but have always proved steadfast and true
in theory and practice, to The great pri nc- |
pies of right, and 10 the dictates of an un-
selfish and devoted patriotism. The Wings |
of no State in the COnfederacy have shown |
more honesty or courage or fiTmness. To |
have been true and unfinehing Wing any
where Is a source OF just pleasure and pride; |
but TO have been Mississippi Wing, through
out the eventful period from 1885 to 1855, is |
. source of honor, and an evidence of most
disinterest d love of country. Ifsuch Wings
as these falter now, il will be thcir first great
error. However much their ranks may have
been thinned and weakened by the unfortu-
nate events of the last few years. we cannot
believe that the heroic and oft-tricd oppo-
sition to Democracy in Mississippi will fail
to respond to the demands OF The present
emergency. The clustering memories and
garnered glories of their past forbid it with
an emphasis too distinct and too imperative
to be disregarded. The :erVid and danger
Gus heat by which they are surrounded calls
on them more loudly than ever to rally to
their old and honored standard. and to roll
back the tide of error which threatens more
imminently than ever before to eugult the
country. And so may it be.