The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1850-12-06
GENUINE PATRIOTISM.


Carolina-the true Americanism OF
whose Letter to the Governor of his
State we have Lately had occasion to
commcnd--has published Reply to
Letter addressed TO him under the
signature of "Onc of the People"
animadverting upon the Letter which
we commended as above, and expires.
sing a wish that his (Mr. G.'s) opin-
ions might undergo a change, and
induce him to coincide in the nccessi.
ty or expediency of a dissolution of the
Union.
From this reply Of Mr.. Grayson
we cannot refuse ourselves the salts.
faction of holding up to the respect
and admiration of all parties the fol-
lowing paragraphs:
"You appear to think that my past
and present position or sentiments are
at variance. If they were so, it would
be enough to say that it is better to be
right than to be consistent; that as we
grow older we should at least en-
dcavor to grow wiser But DO not
need this extenuation or defence.
have never known the time. before
the present, when the dissolution OF
the Union was a party purpose IN
South Carolina. Tie NulIifiers were
not Disunionists. They never ceased
to affirm that their remedy was a
peaceful and rightful remcdy-peace'
full, not revolutionary--rightful con-
sistent with the constitution. Their
avowed object was to preserve, not
destroy the Union. When charged
by their opponents with being Dis
unionists, they repealed the imputation
as Islander on their principles. These
principles must be judged by their
own Interpretation of them, not by
that of their adversaries. If there
were men in the Notification party
who intended Dsunion, they never
said so. ], at any rate, was not one
OF them. Whether right or wrong in
my views of the remedy and its ma
ture, meant what we said, that it
was a remedy within the scope OF our
form of Government. and not invo'v.
ing its destruction. Now only, for the
frs, time. is the question Of Union or
Disunion distinctly made. Ido not
admit, them that NulIliier of 1882
must be Disunist in 1850 to preserve
his consistcncy--Iiltlc as that is worth
with any man when weighed in the
balances with the peace and haPPl>
ness of the country.
You have sale, very justly. that
no man has enjoyed more uniformly
than | have the respect and confidence
of his feIow.citizens. 1t is true. !
acknowledge it. Hope that am not
and can never be insensiblc or un-
grateful. There is no mode by which
I can more strongly express my graft.
tude than, laying aside all personal
. considerations, to call the attention OF
the people of South Carolina to the
evils which imprudent counsels may
inflct upon them; to ask. to imp!ore
them not to plunge rashly into the
horrors of civil war-not to dash
from their bands the cnjoyments OF
peace, order, prosperity, security
which they now possess-not to lml
tate that Italian noble whose epitaph
records that, being well ana taking
nostrums to be better, he had persisted
in the experiment; i was well, would
be better. am here
1.-THE Duke of Wellington has said
that a great victory is the greatest OF
calamities. except a great deteat.--
What shall he thought of the victory
which is achieved in civil strife! ]
am not afraid to be afraid OF fraternal
and intestine dissension. of bloodshcd,
whether North or South, by men OF
the sar.e lineage and language.
II have continually in my mind the
image of the bravest among the brave,
and the best among the good. OF the
followers of Charles the First the
neglected dress. the detected air, the
murmured words. peace, peace that
fell continually from his lips. whilst
his heart bled at the hideous sights
of civil discord around him. No more
gallant, generous, or lofty spirit ever
lived than Lord Falkland, and | do
not envy the head or heart that can
think or talk lightly of what he so
deeply deplored. These are the les.
sons which history teaches, and !
earnestly hope that the people OF
South Carolina will not desPise or
neglect them. ,
II have done with the subject. l
have discharged duty to the best of
nv humble ability II evil befals US,
no friend or neighbor shall be able to
saw hereafter, why, if you differed
from US in opinion, did you not say so7
Every mans judgment is of some
weight in the community; you might
have induced US to pause, to reflect,
to adopt safer or more judicious coun'
ra1S