Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-06-27

the neALIOur onLnss ana congress mas almost slInu
taneOusly adjourned and thus the curtain on one
turbulent act Of the political drama to rise again
almost Immediately on another.
Never since our Federal Constitution first
organized have the strength and permanency Of our
political system been so severely tried during the
last session Of Congress and the preliminares Of the
ensuing election, both of which the present week
has brought to a termination. Congressional pro
ceedings during that period we're conducted with
degree of party luminosity unprecedented even in
our fierce Democracie and the complexities of the
nomination season, have been such as to battle the
calculations Of the shrewdest statesmen Of all shades
of opinion.
At the very opening of the late session it became
manifest that two great parties faced each other bent
on internecine war; parties between whom there
could be compromise, quarter; each pledged to
purposes resistance to which the inspiring prin
ciple of the other. The machinery Of the Federal
Government was to be directed in its whole ener-
gies to measures which contemplated the final
strangulation and suppression of slavery, or else
this institution was to claim full measure Of its
fostering protection.
From the very first it became evident that this
strife admitted Of no adjustment by half measures
In the very preliminary measures for organizing
the House the combatauts found themselves locked,
as it were, in a death grapple-in electing Speak
err so Predetermined it that neither could afford
title of advantage to the other that weary months
were consumed before this trial question could be
settled It is true indeed that an Insignificant band,
the Southern fragments Of the American party,
managed to give themselves temporary Importance
by dexterous trimming between the two, but first
and last every body saw that the real struggle
between the Democratic and Republican parties, and
the final election was claimed and justly claimed
victory by the latter
Ever since that time so far that party, still
aided though repudiated by the Southern Opposition
members, has had the power to determine matters,
the whole energies Of Congress, instead of being &C.
cupied with the legitimate functions OF government,
have been devoted to the one steady purpose Of
hunting up or manufacturing Republican capital In |
the form of SANDER and oboquy against the present
Administration, whose real ofiense consists in no
corrupt administration Of the public patronage or
extrayagant expenditure Of the public money, but
in its stern unbC ding resistance to the antSOuthern
policy Of the Republican party. Hence it is that
every disappointed partizan Of Democracy, whose /
insufhcently rewarded merits have turned him a
renegade, has been encouraged to come to the bar
of the Covode Committee and belch forth the er
pae scandals so barefaced as to be fruitess except
in many to himself and his emplOyers-hence the
unparalleled dishonesty Of refusing TO receive wit
nesses IN refutation Of charges which the public
money was lavished to support-all was done that
the Republican party might make hay while the sun
shone, might accumulate materials for campaign
documents against the great day Of trial, and at
each yutterance of purchased perjury the Repub-
ican yell Of triumph was accompanied by !
faint shrek from the Southern Opposition who hated
the Democracy more than they loved the sanctity
and safety Of their homes.
All things must end, even the inveterate, habitual
vituperatiOn which has streamed for the last five
months from the venomous fangs Of Republican
Virulence; and Monday brought to a close whatmay
be called the Republican session of the American
Congress.
So much for the congressional proceedings now
ended. That the extra-congressiOnal prelimnaries |
have been still more conflicting, is sufficiently evil
dent when we contemplate their results. Four diff /
ferent candidates for each of the two great offices
now commended for is a termination which indicates
some confusion in the counses that had such is
sue As regards the Opposition party separate NOM
nations by its Northern and Southern sections were
evidently foregone conclusion before any cOnven-
tons were held. The Southern Opposition and the
Republican party North, had acted together and to
a certain extent continued to act together in Con-
ress as far as efforts to embarrass and discred the
Administration were concerned, but the open sym
pathy manifested by the Republicans with JoHN
Brown and their endorsement of the reasonable
doctrines of the HELPER book made impossible for
their Southern allies to join them in a nominating
convention though till the last moment hopes were
entertained that both sections would nominate the
same man. These were not realised and ABRAHAM
LINCOLN and JOIN BELL are respectively the Oppo-
sigiOn candidates North and South.
The difficulties which bcset the movements Of the
Democratic party were Of an entirely different ma
ture. These consisted in the systematic, deeply
planned and we fear corrupt efforts Of the friends
Of one individual to anticipate the action of any
convention that might be held, and predetermine it
in favor of that individual By a number of astute
tactcians in Washington AMI various Northern
cities it was attempted so to tie the hands Of the
Charleston Convention preclude any thing like
elaboration and make it merely the engine Of their
PREDETERMINED plans This Is not the first time that
the attempt has been made in favor of al individual
70 destroy the independent character Of the Demo
cratic deliberations, but the attempt was this time
much more adr0iJy managed and venemently
urged that at one time complete disruption of the
Democratic party or submission to the Cabal seemed
to be the only alternative.
The stern and unfeXble persistency of the indie
pendent delegates and the unanimity with which
they acted as soon the determination of the DoUG
Las faction 70 rule or ruin the Democratic PARTY be
came manifest was the only thing that saved the
nation from an alternative 50 deplorable.
Il is inconsistent with our limits 70 go through
with the proceedings of the late Convention at
Charleston and Baltimore in all their details Letit
suffice that far the feeling OF the Democratic
party at large can be Inferred from It's action laEd
Tor any other purpose such bodies are worse than
useless) Messrs. BRECHNRrDGE and LANE are the
choice Of the whole Democratic party North and
South. Il Is true that Mr.. DOUGLAS obtained large
number Of votes in that body, but they were many
Of them nominal votes votes which but for the unit
rule would have told another way, and they were
votes given by delegates from States great MAORI
~ of which give no Democratic vote-above all
they were the votes Of men who went to that Con
not for the purpose Oi aScertalnng the Will
OF the national Democracy and carrying il out but
Of forcing the nomination Of particular individual
per fqS o BgGS. and terrifying those who were
avCrse TO such a nomination into voting Tor It with
threats Of breaking up the party.
Honor, then, TO the firmness Of the independent
members who when the alternative was presented !
OF acting according the letter spirit of their in
structiOnS, acted in their spirit and spurned the
shackles which craft and fraud would have placed
upon their hands. Honor to those who refused to {
be made the tools Of deeply laid conspiracy, and
decided TO speak IN the name, not of cunningly or
gained clique. but of the National Democracy.
And now what may be anticipated the result :
next November, In all CandOr, we acknowledge
our lncompetency TO predict Repubhcanism is very
s'fong and eager for the fray. Democracy is re- 7
sOI'So anu fearless. But let not tins self-evdent
fact be disguised for moment. The contest is es-
senualiy between BIlECENRIDGE and LANE on the one
side, and LINcoIN and HlsuIx on the other. Messrs
BELL ana o.SlAs are both in the same category in
this respect, that they are noninateJ tL1Ib +b. ,
influence Of States in which they can Get no eIerto
raj votes. Each may damage his own mart, Inv oct .
ting votes which would otherwise be concentrated
upon the real candidate Mr. BELL NAV 49, = 80 -
votes in the middle States, which will Diminish ~
chances Of Mr. LINCOLN, and DOUGL,s ticket in T
uessee and Kentucky should any one be factions
enough to start one may cripple the energies of the
true Democracy but the true contestants are the
nominees Of the Republicans and the independent
Democrats.
Let the word be, then, BREcKNRmGE and LANE