Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-03-29
CONTRADICTION

70 De Eltors Of De Jeioa end american.
GENTLEMEN Four diurnal rotations Of the earth
about its ayis have occurred whilst YOU have been
celebrating whether Won would allow
the communication which appeared over my own
signature IN your columns on Wednesday last to
stand fairly upon rs own merits before your num-
erous readers, or whether that communication
should be subjected 70 a review as scathing and IS
merciless as your triple editorial resources might
be able to supply. At length. on a quiet Sabbath
morn, you have come forth against me, in the full
panoply Of controversial war, and no who has
glanced over your several editorials Of this day
ISSUE viii be at all inclined TO doubt that the long
postponement Of hostile action your part has had
the effect both Of awakening your intellectual ener-
gies to somewhat unusual and -aiher gusty devel-
Opment. and Of very decidedly invigoratng your
appetite for slaughter If you can succeed in prov
ing TO your own satisfaction that no man Is entitled
to recognition as a sound and true Democrat VINO
not able 20 yield his sanction to all the eNtraof
dirary actngs and doings of the late unfortunate
Administration Of Mr. pierce;-aGd that no individual
who now sympathises with Mr.. Douglas, and con
dennis the heartless and impOlitic war Of proscrp-
ton at this moment being waged against that 0lstn-
ruished gentleman and his numerous poticalfriends
ought to feel himself entitled to give expression 10
his opinions in regard to the course proper 10 De
pursued in the next Presidential election, so as 10
save the Constitutional rights OF the south from
threatened innovation and the Republic Itself from
inevitable RUM be at least allowed to doubt
who her YOU viii ever be able to make single convert
TO such unreasonable dOgmas' though you snail con-
time 10 enunciate them in the UNION AND AMERICAN
from now till DOOmsday At any rate, as have
formerly declared, an not at all sensitive OF this
point; feeling assured that no man either living or
dead has ever heard me call m question any Of the
vital principles understood TO be Incorporated in the
Democratic creed, and that ! have never yet been
fouud Opposing any Of the distinctive measures
of Democratic policy, INDUCING in denunci-
atory and disrespectful language in regard to
those enlightened and pure-minded Democratic
statesmen whose sage and patriotic teachings
have uniformly received deserved respect among
their cOuntrymen from the foundation of the
government up to the present hour. 1t is in
deed true, that / have thought It possible for
a President protesting the Democratic taIth-occa-
snnay to recommend measures Of policy not al
together in conformity with the well known plat
form of the Democratic party and nothing Is more
certain than the fact, that have never yet relin-
quished the right of Independent Judgment, bothas
as to men and measures. / freely admit that do
not expect ever to see the day when shall be will
ling to vote for any individual as Presidential candl-
date whom may suppose to be deficient in integrity
and patriotism. though thousand political conyen-
tons should put him in nomination for this august
station. AlLs GddicuS jtrdrc IN reTbd mGgStTl, has
ever been my political mOttO and let others act az
they may, have long since resolved, in the coming
Presidential contest 10 vote for the man whose
election shall Judge to be most likely to suppress
and put down forever both Black Repubhcanism
and Secession and who, at the same time may seem
likely 10 prove most ANaldUlc the VI
this great unnecessary end Ihave heretofore very
explicitly declared who | thought would, in all
1 probability. be nominated at Charleston as the
Democratic Presidential candidate. Should my eX-
pectaton on this subject not be disappointed. or
I should anv other suitable or qualified person be
nominated in Judge Douglas stead, upon unsec-
tionalized platform, one will take more delight
than myself in yielding to the Charleston PreSl-
dental ticket q Jealous and as far as possible, an
efficient support. But, gentlemen, l confess that
a. and
good deal respected also. in certain quarters ID
/ whose political elevation / could under no crcum-
stances contribute. / would support for this high
office, no man of feeble intellect-Of narrow con-
tracted heart. of eQuivocal reputation to honor
and true independence of soul, or Of vicious and
! immoral habits Humble as my suffrage may
] be. no veteran political trimmer will ever
/ be able to obtain it in furtherance of
! his Presidential aspirations no NEEDLE
some superserv-cabe party manager, grown
gray in the practice Of fraud and chicane; pledge
making pledge-breakings seeker of political power
who smiles but TO betray-whO promises but to de-
ceve; ObstrepeTOus bawler Of fierce sectional bill
lingsgate no shallow and indecent dcrIder of the
wisdom Of by-gOne ages; no low-minded seek
er of q wretched local popularity, at the ex-
pense of his COuntrys repOse; no lnsidiOuS
mid night plOtter of dark and treasOnOus schemes
for the overthrow Of our priceless institutions
of freedom man who has ever given his
sanction to legislation intended to despOil a portion
OF our fellOw-cItizens of their constitutional rights
and liberties no man who, has ever aided in the
remOtest degree in undermining the legislative
dependence Of either house of Congress-; no man
who has ever attempted by promises Of Office or by
sly suggestions TO future civic promotion, to
ducc the legislative agents of the people into
betrayal of their interests or into a violation
of their known will: no man who has ever dared to
bring the power of Federal patronage into contact
with the freedom of elections in the sovereign States
Of this cOnfederaCy;-thus aiming 10 subvert state
rights and state sovereignty popular rights and po-
pular freedom and attempting COrruptand uncOn-
stutona means to build UP an Irresistible despOtlsm;
no man who has ever abctted the making Of fraudu-
lent contracts with the government or, who has re-
fused to aid in bringing such contracts to light and in
dragging all concerned therein to COndign punish
ment: no man who has ever participated IN SNUG
ling fraudulent bills through the two houses Of Con
grCsS man who has ever been concerned, directly
OF indirectly in establishing, by the corrupt employ
ment of official patronage, a stIpendIary and libel
lous press at the seat of government or has given
his sanction TO similar use Of official patronage
elsewhere.
You seem to have been informed gentlemen, that
] have presented an unvarying opposition, for the
last six years the two Democratic administrations
which have benin progress during that period. This
Is indeed. grave mistake of facts. / supported.
and with singular zeal. the administration of Mr..
Pierce long after he formed his ilstarred cabinet;
did not abandon him even after he had permitted
one of his cabinet ministers utterly to crush out the
Union organizations of the South; and uttered no
all until they commenced that memorable war upon
such national men as Dickinson. Bronson and O'COn-
nor for refusing to sanction the attempt openly made
by Mr. Pierce and his cabinet to discriminate IN the
JeSi09a Of office i fHUOr Of Democratic FreesOiiers,
and dgIiiS! National Democrats So in regard to Mr..
BuChdnans administration; / yielded 1t a hearty
and public support from the delivery of his lnaugu-
rel address up to the commencement Of the unspar-
ing war now in progress against Mr.. Douglas and
his political friends. because they Will not yield up
tho vrinpiDlpS al Democratic Mat
form. in obedience to the behests Of an Executive
Chief VIGOROUSLY OUsrGJed by the Examinations Of SeceS-
sion fdciiOpists Of the South. The idea Of my sub
hitting to do psEqRce for thus presuming to main
tain principle whilst others have chosen to sacrifice
it. is not little ridiculous. On the last occasion of
my voting in political election, east my ballot for
that fearless champion Of the Democratic cause,
John B. Weller, Of California, then candidate for
Governor in that iOurshing and prosperous com
monwealth, from which Office he has but just re
tired with increased honor and popularity.
/ have thus, gentlemen, frankly end explicitly
stated my views upon this mOmentOus question
They may be, for aught know, deficient both IN
wisdom and in Democratic sOundnCss but they
such as ] have ever entertained, and such will
regulate my conduct the present nd N all fu-
ure political contests
have cautiously avoided as you will perceive,
for reasons too obvious to need specification refer
sension and discord. Il has been my wish to avoid,
as tar as possible the WOunding Of personal feeling
both in this vIcnage and elsewhere; and beg you
to be assured, that though / had regarded portion
of your editorial slriciurcs upon myself as little
unknd and Liberal have not written one word in
a spirit of retaliation. with the design Of bring
Ing yourselves or your paper into dlscrrdIt with
any part of the public. 1t Is my earnest wish that
in November next all honest and patriotic men may
be found voting in unison throughout the Republic,
and that their united action may be Of sufficient po
tencv to ward of present dangers and secure res
turation OF general concord and true National happl-
ness.
have the honor to be. gentlemen. respectfully
,-our fpllow-citizen H. s. FoCTE.
Tuesday Evening, March 2Sth.
The Position of Ur. BHteSs-OPIniOns of
the Press.
MI e ,,:. Dz-.,oy.rrE g4far fulIv iuIOrsing the