The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-28
Progress or OuinIOn.

The annual April meeting of the
County Commissioners to make applics-
ton for transfers Of taxable property
was held last week. There was a very
large attendance Of our tax payers each
day, and much business was transacted.
A most noticeable feature Of all that
occurred was the manifest indifference
of owners as TO their slave property
Some would, doubtless, have preferred
turning loose their slaves, to paying tax
upon even the low value at which they
were assessed One estimable old gen
tleman from the West end Of the coun-
ty entered the room with countenance
radiant with smiles, and remarking that
be had Just voted for the emancipation
of his slaves, jocularly asked if he must
continue paying taxes upon them
Thus the progress Of opinion concerning
this harrasing subject Of slavery keeps
its steady onward march.-Hagers,os0n
Nd Herald
Ths aboye is fair illustration Of the
progress of opinion in all the border
States, and indeed throughout the
Union, on the subject Of slavery. Three
years since, to have advocated emanci-
patton in Hagerstown, would have been
to call down upon the head Of any one,
the vengeance Of an excited populace;
yet to-day, shareholders are 30 enamor-
ed Of freedom, that they prefer turning
their negroes loose, 10 paying taxes on
them, even at the low figures at which
they are at present valued
But this change is not confined to
Maryland In Missouri the conserYa-
tiYes are endeaYoring to Guido the radi-
Gals, in supporting the Administration
and its snti-slAVery measures; SO that
to day there is not pro-slayery party
in the State. Both branches-conser-
vatiTes and radicals-claim to be I'M
conditional Unionists; the one support
ing Mr. Lincoln and the other opposing
him merely because not sufficiently
radical Both viii claim representa-
ton in the Baltimore Convention, while
it is doubtful if any delegates go to
Chicago; yet this Is in q State where,
few years since, q discussion of the sla-
very question was absolutely prohibited,
by Judge Lynch sscode; in State that
sent forth its thousands of border ruff
fans, to compel the people of Kansas
to accept slavery, and slave code
odious to them
Another instance of the progress of
opinion is TO be seen in the District OF
Columbia Heretofore it has been with
the greatest difficulty that enough men
could be found to act az delegates to
Republican Convention; but now there
are two Anti-slaVery parties, each claim
ing to be the genuine, and each vieing
with its rival in devotion to the cause;
and these embrace at least four-ffths
Of the voters Of the District
1t has never been healthy toadvocate
emancipation in Kentucky until recent
lyi an antislaVery paper maintained
semi-existence in Newport, almost ex-
clusively on outside support, for some
time, when it was finally destroyed by
a mob; to-day, there are nearly as many
anti-slsyeFy as pro-slavery papers in the
State; and there is not section in
which an anti-slavery speaker cannot adj
vocate his peculiar views unmolested.
Such are a few Of the examples of
the progress Of public opinion in the
border States; and difficult indeed
must he be to please, who is dissatisfied
with the strides 1t has made Let it go
on increasing, until the land is olsen
thralled, and until the flag Of our coun-
try floats only above freemen.