Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-08-02
mr.. BrecEinridge and squatter sover-

The BELL and DOUGLAS wings of the Opposition
have been very busy in circulating the charge that
Mr.. BRECKNRIDGE in 1856 favored Squatter Sover-
eighty and that he declared in favor of that heresy
in his celebrated TippecanOe speech. The same
charge was made against Nr. BRECKNRIDGE in 1856,
when he was candidate for the Vice Presidency.
1t was also made against Mr.. BUCHANAN, based upon
his letter accepting the nomination for the Presi-
dency. 1t was denied throughout the entire South
by the Democratic press and speakers. Mr.. BUCHAN
AN in his inaugural says, it is my individuaJ
opinion that under the NebraskaKansas act the ap-
propriate period (when the people of Territory
shall decide the question of slavery for themseves)
will be lchen the number of actual residents IN the Ter
ritory shall justify the formation Of Constitution nth
"a Uiel0 to It's admission as State into the UOH' The
Cincinnati Platform said:
Resolved, That we recognize the right of the peo-
pie of all the territories including Kansas and Ne
braska acting through the legally and fairly expressed
luil Of majority Of actual residents, and WHENEVER
THE NUMBER THEIR MAINTAINS JUsTIFIEs TO FORM
CONSTITUTION WITH OR WITHOUT DOMESTIC SLAVERY,
and be admitted into the Union apOR terms of perfect
equIlity NTH The other States.
That was then charged by the Know Nothing par
ty of the South to contain Squattsr Sovereignty,
but tie charge was denied by Maj. Polk and Gov.
HARRIS. and all of our electors and papers in this
State. The New Orleans Courier, referring to the
Squatter Sovereignty charge that made in 1856
against BREcKNRIDGE says: To bolster up the silly
accusation with some evidence calculated to mis-
lead public sentiment the Opposition presses in this
State, and. in fact, throughout the whole South,
copied garbled extracts from what purported to be
a report of Major BRECKNRIDGEs Tippecanoe speech.
and harping upon this subject with considerable
strategical tact succeeded after some time in crea-
ting an impression as unfoundeG as it was unjust.
For the purpose of ascertainlng what of truth
there might be in this widely circulated charge and
of pinning far possible the response ility Of
the fasehood 20 the sleeves of its originators, Gen
MILES was invited. by committee of Democrats
of the Fourth District New Qreans) to attend the
Eagle Hotel meeting, and to give clear and concise
report of the opinions, he had heard them, de-
livered by Major BRECkNRTDGE on that occasion
The following are substantially the remarks of Gen
MILES, which appeared on the day following in the
Louisiana Courier:
Gen Miles took up the charge alleged by the
Know NOthings here TO the unsoundness OF j. C.
Breckenridge on the question of the extension OF
slavery and proceeded TO say that he had heard the
TippecanCe speech of that gentleman. upon a part
of which the charge was OdSeu ne udu tlsO iSdTu
him speak briefly, the night previous, at Indian
apolis.
At Tippecanoe he went into detail on the subject
of the position of the Democratic party with regard
TO slavery. il was impossible for him to give the
exact words used by MAJOR Breckenridge, but he had
no difficulty in rendering his opinions and position
with strict fidelity. Major Breckenridge spoke of
Know Nottingism as a dream which for time had
fevered the body polite, but he thought that deli
rium had passed away, and that the patient was
hoo Inv Re-
pubcau party said he had been organized IN direct
hostility 70 the principles that lie at the foundation
of the Government and its success would inevitably
Dissolve the Union.
He insisted that no party whose patriotism was
bounded by geographical lines, or that fixed its at
tenjon exclusively on a sectional interest, could
honestly administer the Government This, Mr.. Ere
mont's party proposed TO do ltproposed TO array
the neope of sixteen States against those OF Jtte
States not as man against man. bat rs communities
against Communities the one side led by illogical
pTeiudices and unreasoniag fanaticism-the other
standing firm in defense of property, HE ana loerty
Ii against such parties that the Fatner Oh MS
Country had raised his warning voice, IN ihs rare,
well Address In such contest no man eoulu
doubt the result. and for such contest 10 true
patriot had any heart.
But continued MAJOR Breckinricge) 1t was SAID
tat the Democratic party was also sectional party
that il wishes TO make the strong arm OF the Fede-
raj Government extend slavery. That was not true
support upon national principes-It stands upon the
princples of the Kansas Nebraska bill and the On
cinnati platform. u asserts that the Federdi G0reTn-
ent has pOIcer to establish or d6otlSh S1dcy II
asserts the principle of NnN INTERVENTION as the
only true principle leaURg to the PEOPLE q the States
and Territories under the FORMS OF THE CONSTITUTION,
the right To regulate the subject at their own dscre-
ton The Democratic party could, therefore no
more make use of the strong arm OF the Feuera'
Government to extend slavery than It can propose
,f ~ p
Genera! Miles, Major Breckenridge did not utter a
1vord which John c. Calhoun might not have uttered
with applause in South Carolina
Immediately after the publication of the above,
Gen. MILES forwarded slip to Major BREcKINRIDGE
with the request that he should inform him whether
his views had been correctly represented or not'
The following hitherto unpublished letter was re-
received by return mail:
LEXINGTON. KY, October 81, 1856.
DEAR SIR: have received your frIendy Nt'er : u
the 18th inst with slip from the courier COn'Aln
ing your remarks at a meeting IN new Oriea gus
You hare reported me CORRECTLY and thank you ior
II. The attacks upon me in some Of the Southerh
Opposition papers are only intended for this can
yass; they do not themselves believe the charges
they make.
As you know, my remarks were reported in a
meager and imperfect manner-still even as report
ed there is nothing to warrant the attack
Hands off the whole subject by the Federal Gov
eminent (eIce TOR one or tlrO protective purposes
mentioned IN ae COESttdon)He equal RIGHTS of al
sections IN the common territory and tie absolute no,ner
M each NEW STATE to settle the question IN IT'S CoysTTTR
ov-thsse are my doctrines and those Of our Platform
and fphdt is more, Of the Constitution To claim that
sbe nemocratic party its Federal relations is an
organXation TO extend slavery, is to advance doc
- +bst IS Constitutionay untrue, and in its log
;caI co1seouences, ruinous to the South.
/ consider the assault on me SO ABSURD as to be
unvortbv of further notice ill, have written to
-. -. ~ tbe Courier AMI SSthOriZed him to give
the CHARGES an authoritative DENIAL or not In his
5;so-ation Yours very truly,
JOIN c. BRECKENRIDGE.
Gen. W. R. NILES, New Orleans.
Tho cberge now made by the DOUGLAS men mat