Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-06-20
To National Men.

Besides those who are beginning to be dis
tinctly organized under this appellation, to
an extent sure 10 increase in numbers and
power, as the pressing necessity for their or
ganizatiOn becomes more and more apparent
there are multitudes of men in the Free
States, who hold back from various motives,
who mean well to the country and its inst-
tutions, and would perhaps feel insulted, if
subjected to the imputation of any want of
patriotic principles or feeling. And yet this
class, which has of late constituted the ap-
parent plurality, at least in the New Eng
land States are evidently responsible,
by reason of their party associations, for
growing evils and dangers to the country
which would be scarcely worthy of regard,
except for the indirect countenance afforded
by them to extravagances of opinion and ex-
preston, which it is impossible they should
deliberately approve.
For instance. we often hear it alleged, that
Massachusetts, is completely abofitlonised. Of
the persons to whom we have referred, pro-
badly not one out of twenty would admit
himself to be an abolitionist. He would say,
at once, that he has no disposition whatever
to disturb slavery in the States where it ex-
ists,-that he respects the Constitution and
values the Union transmitted by the revo-
lutionary fathers as much as any man can
In spite of all this, he is a Republican,
is looked upon by that party as one of its
adherents-and when the time of election
comes round. he deposits his vote for its can
didates, as a matter of party fealty, very
likely without much scrutiny as to their
characters or qualifications. The evil conse-
quences of this state of things in Massachu-
sets, it is quite unnecessary to depict; and
we will only say, that it calls loudly upon
all decent men, who profess to be guided by
considerations of public and private duty, TO
re-examine this subject, and to determine
how far they have been misled by mistake
notions of political principle.
But this general view of the matter does
not sufficiently point out the whole nature
and miserable consequences of q false DO
litical association. We deay that Massa-
chusetts is actually abolitionized, TO any
such extent as the respondent are inclined
to believe-though the poisonous virus has
undoubtedly struck deeply and spread far
too wide. Suppose the question were put to
the voters of Massachusetts, to-day: Will
You endorse the sentiments of Summers
speech? and we cannot but believe that a
large majority of our people would answer
emphatically in the negative. Those who
do uphold it are abolitionists. as thoroughly
SO, as Garrison, or Phillips-as much 80 as
the whole congregation of the radical, rant
ing infidel crew, whose lives are spent i'm
undermining the foundations of civil society
by assailing equally the laws of God and
man. No man OF sense can be imposed upon
by their professions OF religion or phi
lanthropy. The :" sacred luminosity,
which infiames them is kindled from the fires
of the hottomless pit. No right-mnded per-
son can read the sp ech of Charles Sumner,
without being astonished at the puerile
weakness, the childish futility of reasoning,
the unblushing exaggeration and the labori-
Gus malignity which it displays. OF its
whining, insuferabIe, and despicable ego
tism. what man, with the heart and mind of
a man, would not be ashamed
And yet this performance OF one so forget
full of every public obligation, and overflow
ing with the concocted venom of years-use-
less as TO any argument, and available only to
provoke embttered passion among the citi-
zens OF common country--is spoken for his
own purposes and to enforce the opinions
which be deems BETTING his party, by Re-
publican Senator of Mass chusetis, and is ap-
plauded by the partizau press of the State.
And that press is consistent enough.
considering the condition to which its own
efforts and those of the hireling orators who
are with them have reduced the Republican
party in Massachusetts,, by making its whole