The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1851-08-01
AN I'M PORTANT DUTY-PAUSE AMI


will again be called upon TO rcpnr to The
ballot box TO elcc, a Governor, Congress
men, and members Of the Legislature
Tint the dn,y of voting is most important
and cannot "iih nnv sense of proprir'y be
neglected, ii is unnecessary for us to urge.
The right IF suffrage was too dearly pnr
chased 10 be lightly regarded or cnreleSs'v
exercised by any American citizen. The
memory Of the men who secured to MS tn"
the liberties We now enjoy, is too dear to
their descendants to permit them 10 abuse
this, the most nes,imable Of all their blood
bought privileges.
Since the last election in this State our
country has been in danger, imminent dan
ger. Bad men in the North, and ambitious
men in the South have hpen oboring to de-
stroy ito destroy the Union of our faith.
ers. with all its rich blessings, achieved for
US through tolls, privatiens ard sutferngs
such as men ncvc, before endured. The
danger was great and the evil seemed in.
evitabI,--wr were threatened with ali the
horrcs Of dissolution, intestine fruds. and
civil aars. Pu, happily for us md our
children, the leading men of the nation. IN
lighter considerations, oil personal feelings,
all party pre- udlces. rallied together and IN
q spirit of compromise md Cancellation, de
termined 10 snve their country. They ma
| tured set of measures which promised 10
avert the ,hrcn ened evil and Danish dis
cord from the land. They were passed nf-
ter hard Sight, spread before the country.
and approved by n large majority of the
American people. 1t was then thought the
fanatics of the North would be silenced,
and we should no more hear the cry Of
"Secession" coming up from the South
Blu, ia his all have been mistaken. The
eboitnnis,s still continue to ngiiate while
from portion of the South we still hear
the cry Of "Disunion." The people must
speak through the ballot box to the fanatics
Of both extremes IN approval of the m"a-
sures adopted, before they will abandon
:heir unhoy warfare against the Union.
We are Of the number who believe TINT
the Compromise measures Of the last Con-
gress. passed after months of delbera'lon
and discussion, were the very best that
could have been adopted, and if faithfully
carried out will save the country. They
received the hearty support of the best men
of the nation. members Of both pni'ra par
ties, and it is the duty of all good citizens
not only to acquiosce IN their H'"p'i"n bn'
to manifest their approval upon oil proper
occasions. 1t is by this course clone TIM
they can be successfully maintained and
the Object for which they were designed nc
comp'shee. Those who simply ncquiescr.
the law. may be nclunted by honest motives.
but the result OF their course is fatal.
But it may be asked. what has this TO do
with the election IN this State? Much, as
we conceive, very much. 1t may be said
that the candidates for Governor are both
Compromise men, and to some extent 1t is
true. Gen. Campbell, on the one hnnd,
gives a hearty approval to the Compromise
men sures, and zen 'ously contends that ,hey
shall be ma iniainpd and their provisions
strictly adhered to and carried into effect
On The other hand. Gov. Trousdale is will
ing to ucquIescc in their adoption for the
sake of peace and the safety of the Union
at The same time he argues that they are fa>
vornble to the North and in urions and Grip.
plirg to the Souh--the tendency of which
arguments is TO make the people dissa'isf.
cd with them and keep up spirit Of ngi'n-
ton. Far he it from us to charge Gov,
Trousdale with being Disunionis, at heart
or wishing to injure his country. We would
rather our right nrm should wither md per-
ish than our pen should do him The injus-
tice. But we do c0nscieniOusly believe that
the manner in which he has discussed the
Compromise bills through the present Gun
vass has been injurious, ana calculated to
foster and encourage Il spirit Of hostility TO
the measures, and that his election will be
regarded by ,heDisunionisis as an evidence
that the sympu'hies of the people Of Ten
nessee are with them in their crusade a
gains, The Union. On the contrary, in view
of Gen. CumpbeI's hearty npproval of those
measures, his success will show 10 the
world hat Tennessee fully endorses and
will stand by them. and has no sympathy
with those who denounce md seek 10 make
them odlnus. II the Disunionists had the
slighes, evidence that they possessed the
sympalhies of the people Of Tennessee and
Kentucky, how long would they hesitate to
,uke The step they are meditating! Not a
single day. Aud they are now anxiously
watching the canvass in this State. know
ing that It's result will bring Them approval