Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-22

Il will be remembered By the readers of the Tn
be that from the beginning of the present troubles
we have declared in reference to all compromises
or concessions to armed rebels and traitors that
that be adhered infiexibly to the Chicago Platform
and would consent to the extension of Slavery
In any form or under any pretext whatever.
From time to time during the past two months
attempts have been made by recreant or timid Re-
publicans gain support and consideration for their
schemes of concession or compromise by alleging
that Mr. Lincoln favored this or that plan-that he
approved of the Border State plan or the Critten-
den plan tle Kellogg plan, or in fact whatever
absurd or INDUSTRIOUS project happened to be upper
most in the disturbed fancies of the compromisers.
The falsty of all these reports and the correctness
of The Tible'S views upon the policy Of the coming
| Administration, are now made manifest by Mr..
Line oln himself, who yesterday at Pittsburz in the
face of assembled thousands, said, speaking of the
| Chicago Platform. We should do neither more
nor less than gave the people reason to believe
we would do when the people gave us their yotesu
There spoke Old Abel Honest Old Abe. of the
| West, who means to make good in March what he
promised in November Who, when chosen to be
the chief of party, pledged against all compromi-
SEES with the Slave Power, is not afraid to face the
| music and redeem his pledges. He stends by the
platform on which he elected, and resolves to
do as he promised the people he would do resolu-
ton based not only on simple honesty but on the
highest political wisdom. American history abounds
in examples Of the mischief that has resulted from
the faithlessness of public men in Office to the prin
ciples they had professed when out of Office and
nothing is to bring swift destruction on par
ty than to recede after the election from the plat
form on which it claimed and obtained the verdict of
the people, The departure Of the Democratic party
from its professed principles of non-interveuson in
| behalf of Slavery, was, undoubtedly, the main
| cause of its fall from power.
| And now let us see what the Chicago platform
says the subject of Slavery extension and espe-
cialy of extending Slavery by constitutional guar
antics as proposed by Messrs. Crittenden Guthrie,
kellogg, and the rest of the Compromisers
That the new dogma that the Constitution, of its
own force, carries slavery into any all Of the
United States, is dangerous political heresy, at
rance with the explicit provisions of that instru-
ment itself, with cotemporaneous exposition, and
with legislative and judicial precedent is revolu-
tonary in its tendency and subversve of the peace
| and harmony of the country.
"That the normal condition of all the territory of
the United States is that of Freedom; that our
Republican fathers when they had abolished slavery
in all National Territory ordained that mo per-
son shall be deprived of life, liberty, property,
without due process of Jaw, it becomes duty, by
legislation, whenever such legislation is necessary
to maintain this provision of the Constitution against
all attempts to violate it; and we deny the authority
Of Congress, of Territorial Legislature, of any
individuals to give legal existence to slavery in any
Territory of the United States"
| Nothing can be more explicit than this The Re-
publican party is pledged, Mr.. Lincoln is pledged,
against any Constitutional or legal protection of
slavery in the Territores-in all the Terri
tories of the United States without regard to the
line of 36 deg. 80 min. or any other line North
South or East West. That Mr.. Lincoln means
to abide by his pledge we have now his own distinct
and frank assurance, and he is man who means
what he says The Springfield Journal few days
ago, undoubtedly expressed his own views when it
| said: "Those who are looking to Mr.. Lincoln
lower the Republican standard are looking vain.
Lincoln is not traitor.
He is not composed of material out of which a
traitor can be made We will far play the or
gan to say to all compromises and temporisers,
go ahead, but don't count Abraham Lincoln i'm for
any plan of adjustment that surrenders the princi
pies upon which he was elected"
Mr.. Lincoln in thus announcing his intention to
carry out the Republican principles on which he
was elected, and from which many of our leaders
have lately strayed proves that he understands the
true position of the country and the temper of the
people. The people like pluck, and they will rally
round and uphold the statesman who in the hour of
storms and danger calmly stands by his flag and
firmly carries outthe principles Of freedom and
justice which he took his chart when winds were
fair and skies serene.-Nso York Tribune, Feb l6.