Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-04-18
T..sl.very aues,ion-Gov.J johnson.

Tn the Senate on the 1Ith inst, Gov. JoHS-
sos made q speech on the homestead in reply
70 Mr.. MAsox, of Virginia. The Governor
does not ike the mixing up his hobby with
the general hobby of bis party, the slavery
question; and protested against it warmly.
OF the slavery question he said:
We have been driven round and round
upon the slavery question; round and round
the giddy circle OF slavery agitation we have
gone, until our heads are reeliDg. and our
siomHchs are sick. and almost heaving. The
agitation of the slavery question seems 70 be
a subject that is always to be introduced here,
care not what IL before the Senate.
Rnt Yesterday the Senator from Wisconsin
must involve in this discussion the negro
question; aud then, in reply, the Senator from
Virginia must give dissertation on the
same subject, administering q rebuke to the
State of Tennessee, and assume to know
where she stood, aud what her opinions and
her doctrines were. Sir, she has never dis
gu sed her opinions her doctrines, aud she
does not disguise them now. Ii really seems
20 me that il some member Of this body Was
to introduce the ten commandments for con-
federation. and they were to receive conside-
ration and discussion. somebody would find a
negro in them somewhere; the slavery aglta-
ton would come up. The chances are. that
If they were introduced by northern man.
he would argue that they had a tendency to
diminish the area of slavery, TO prevent the
increase of the slave population, aud IN the
end perhaps to abolish slavery; while on the
other hand, If some Senator from the South
was to introduce the Lords prayer, somebody
would see q negro in il somewhere. 1t would
be urged lust as the question might be pre-
sented-eiIher upon the Ten commandments
or the Lords prayer-that the result would
be q tendency TO promote and advance slave
~, on the one hand, or ON the other, to d.
minish or abolish it. Is il not time that the
legislation of the country was directed to
Something else, and that some other things
were considered! do believe that the cOun-
try, North and South. is becoming sick aud
tired of the constant agitation of the slavery
question, TO the exclusion of all others; and
do trust aud hope, in God 3 holy name, that
there is a public judgment and public spirit
in the country that will rise above this agita-
ton, and The purposes tor which it has been
kept up.
Amen! we heartily respond. 1t is time,
high time, that the judgment and public
spirit" of this country had risen above the
agitation Of the slavery question, "and the
purposes for which it has been kept up" But,
what has wrung from Gov. JOHNSON these ad-
missions7 What has 80 suddenly enlightened
his mind to the true character of the purpo-
ses Of slavery agitation! 10 the agitation
wrong only when il affects q measure in
whose success he is deeply interested! The
purposes which underlie the agitation OF the
slavery question now are in no wise different
from those of the past. They are the same.
On the one hand, they seek the aggrandize-
ment of the democratic party by combining
the Southern States; on the other, primarily TO
build up party which shall dethroue the de-
mocracy, and take from it the power and pat
r,nage so long enjoyed byit. Gov. JOHNSON
has never rebuked his party for its constant use
of this species of parlizan warfare. Its dan
gers we're anything but terrible to him, so
long as no could, in any way, lac profited by
of light" has at last been let in upon his I'M
drrslHnding, and that he now deprecates agi-
tation. We fear he has too little influence
with bis party to effect anything towards re-
forming its bad habits. Nevertheless, we
wish him success. The attempt must be made
"ashsh VIC poA ~ ahu VIC udfS no oiJtChiOus
to bis winning the honors of the achievement.
We distrust him, however. We expect next
summer to hear him on the hastings declain-
ing as usual on the slavery question, and en-
deavoring by that fundamentally to carry
Tennessee again for his party. The insincer-
lily of the thing is apparent, but what will be
care SO long as it promises to pay!