Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-03
The Difference.

would not from the lights now before me, feel
myself safe in prOnouncing that Congress does not
possess the power of interfering with abOlIshing
slavery in the Distric t Of COlumbia.-MARTIN VAN
buren,.
do not believe Congress has the power to abolish
slavery in the District of Columbia, and if that
body did possess the power, think the exercise of
it would be the very worst Of poicy.-HUdH l..
WHITE.
Freemen Of the slaveholding States, choose be-
tween the two men cast your votes for man
whose interests your interest-whO will prosper
when you prosper, AID fall when you fall or cast
them for one who seems disposed and willing to
bring upon you curse even more dreadful than
the plaques of Egypt Whenever you vote for Mr.
Van Buren,, you are forging the chains with which
your limbs are to be fettered-you preparing
weapon from which your own heads will receive
the severest blow /! Pause reflect think Of the
consequences to follow :!
We once hoped and believed that Mr.. Van Buren,
could so much wish to crush the interests of the
Southern States to Join in with the Ab0itOnIsts,
but his own avOwal has deceived us. He has come
out openly in favor Of the doctrine that Congress
has the power to abolish slavery in the District Of
Columbia. This is the very matter it will be recOl-
lected about which there has been much cunten-
ton. The abOGtionists wish to make commence
mencement there, and then they hope to spread
their influence throughout the whole OF the slave
holding States If Congress has the power to take
a mans property from him in the District OF Co
lumbia has 1t not the power TO wrest from the
citizens Of all the States their slaves other
property? Surely it has. Yes even from you, citi-
zens Of Maury county. We are all citizens Of the
United States. entitled to the privileges and If
one mans property can be taken from him by Con
gress. anOther,s can also If this power should be
exercised and the people Of the slave States be
compelled TO Eberatc their slaves. the next and
greatest evil Is they to remain free amongst us,
intermiXed and jumblcd together; and then we may
say farewell to peace and happiness. Our grey
headed fathers will even live to see the day when
nothing but contentious strfes and blOOdsheds will
be known in cur land. Are the people Of Ten
nessee, We ask, prepared for such an EVENT.
Columbia Observer.
Here we have given the opinions Of Mr.. VAN BIT
EEN, of Hon. HUGH L. WHITE and of Gen ZOILICoF-
PER- copied from the files of the Republican of 1886.
At that time slavery agitation had not assumed the
formidable aspect that it now exhibits. There was
no great and formidable party in the Northern
States seeking to overthrow Southern institu-
tons And yet General ZoIIICoFFER thought
eUea then that Mr.. Van BUREN's opinion was
portentous sign for the South and he characterized
a vote for him as Forging chains with which your
limbs arc to be fettered.' VAN BUREN, though sup
ported by the Democracy and elected 10 the Presi-
dency after his Presidential term, joined the Free
Sellers and warred against the South. Gen. ZoILI
GOLFER has never. that we are aware, changed his
opinion. He has preserved his consistency and if
we may apply his comments upon VAN BUEENS posi-
ton to that Of Mr. BELL, it would present terrible
denunciation Of the latter gentlemans coursc-the
more so that antislavery party has sprung up
now which threatens to wreck the Union itself No
Democrat within our knowledge, has so severely |
this opinion here find it denounced
BY the Columbia Observer of Sc. 1t is certain too
that Judge White differed widely from Mr. BELL in |
this connection, and, if mistake not, Col PEYToN
concurred with Judge WHITE, in 1886. The follow
ing is Mr. BELLS language as expressed in speech
in the Senate September l4th, 1850:
with regard to the constitutional power of Con-
grcSs / would saw the only doubt have Of the eX-
stence Of such a power. either to suppress the
slave trade abolish slavery in the District of Co
umbia, is inspired by the respect ] have for the
opinions Of many distinguished and eminent men,
both in and out of Congress who hold that Congress
hiss not the power
Reading the Constitution for myself. believe
that Congress has all the power over the subject
ti7- the States have within their jurisdiction