The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-10-24
DlSUNION.

iearn from the knoxville papers, maze q
speech in that place last week, by invitation
of the democratic leaders, in which he OPEN
y advocated dissolution of the Union and
avowed his readiness to march to Mason 81
Dixon's line ard fire his rifle into the bosom
of his northern brethren. The idea of dis
solution is no new thing with Mr. Toombs,
and we are not surprised at his course; but
that be should come here upon the soil of
East Tennessee, where attachment for the
Union is as undying as the poor Swiss love
for his native mountains, which is only sur
rendered with lfe-that he should come here
and openly proclaim the monstrous doctrine,
and that men should be found in our midst
heartily appauding him while uttering his
reasonable sentiments, is almost beyond be-
lief. But so it is; and we record the fact
with sorrow and regret-regret that the soil
of East Tennessee should be desecrated by
the foot of an avowed disunionst and sor-
row that there should be in our midst men so
infatuated with party prejudice that they
could hail the traitor, in the midst of his
treason, with acclamatons.-Fo whoever add
vocates a violent dissolution of the Union,
no matter where he lives, whether North or
South, East or West, is trator--a traitor to
his God, traitor to bis country,g traitor to
civil liberty, traitor to the memory Of his
fathers and to the hopes of his children, and
deserves to be branded with n mark as inef-
faceable rs that which the finger of Deity
traced upon the brow of the first murderer.
This man Toombs was at one time promi-
nent member of the Wing party, and left
that party several years since for the reason
that he could not use it for the end and
aim at which he and few other ambitious
and reckless spirits were aiming-a sever
ance Of the Union, and the building up of Il
Southern Confederacy. He found in the
Wing party South too much nationality, too
much conservatism, too much love for the
Union, to hope that it would ever lend itself
to the objects he had in view, and he left it,
And Mr.. Toombs' sentiments, now openly
avowed, are sufficient explanation of his
abandonment Of his former political friends
and Of his present party associations Not
that we would charge the mass, the rank and
file, os the democratic party South with want
of love and featy to the Union. No such
thng-we know that they are honest, patriot
ic, and Union-oving. But we do charge,
knowing what We assert, that prominent
members of that party have for years been
laboring insidously to split the Union, and
that Mr.. Tocmbs is acting with these men,
and that he and they are al /, each and every
one Of them, warmly supporting the Cincin-
natl nominee, and at the same time declaring
in favor of dissolution of the Union. This
fact is too notorious to be seriously disputed.
Why, it is but few weeks since that we no.
ticed n communication in the Constitutional
list, the leading democratic paper Of Georgia,
gravely setting forth the advantages the
South would gain by separation. The writer
however told nothing of the disadvantages.
He was dreaming of the glory which Toombs,
jeff. Davis, Slidel, Wise, Soule, Brooks, and
II few other madmen might achieve, and he
saw nothing, or said nothing, of the civil
wars, of The breaking up of society, of the
destruction of property, of large standing
army to eat up the substance of the land,
and the country the prey of every ambitious
leader who could rally few hundred follow
ers, as in Mexico and unhappy South Ameri-
ca. The same writer significantly added,
that the Union might survive four years
longer in the event Of Buchanuns election.
They, however, intend to effect, if possible,
4 dissolution sooner or later, and set up their
Southern Conlederacy. Walkers conquest
of Nicarauga is part and parcel Of the scheme,
and the Ostend manifesto, looking to the
seizure of Cuba, and in which Mr.. Buchanan
figured so onspcuousy, was another move
believe that respectable old gentleman is
wanting in love to the Union or fidelity to
its institutions. But what would Mr.. Buch-
anan De in the hands of these men, who
now have control Of the democratic partly
What has Mr.. Pierce been! What was the
condition of the country when he came into
power, and what is it now?
Hitherto the disunion leaders have been
cautious and guarded in their movements
they are now showing their hand, and openly
avowing their designs, and one of them,
more talented, bold and reckless than the
rest, has ventured INTO East Tennessee to
proclaim their treasonous purposes. The
people can no longer shut their eyes to the
designs and schemes of these men; and we
want to ask the democracy of our section,
Of our county, If they will not come up and
hop up us to defeat them--to deprive them
Of the power to keep up their war against
the Union and the best interests of society. |
We are addressing ourself to the people, to
our neghbors and friends who have usually |
acted with the democratic party-not to the
politicians. We know the last, we know the
spirit which actuates them, the motives that |
mpe them, and tho attractive power which
holds them to their course, and we have no
appeals to make to them. For if there is
creature in the world whom we loathe and |
1etcst with all our heart and soul, it is your
marc nolitinion ,vbo in times like the nrps- |