Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1856-10-22
THE LAST RESORT-THE CRY OF DIsUEIoE
AGAINST THE SOUTH.

AGAINST THE SOUTH.
What is there to which the political jacksnapes,
organized under Mr.. FIILMoRE, would not resort
to install themselves into power2 What desperate
extreme is there with which they are not willing
to hazard the rights of the South and the stability
of the Union. to accomplish their unhallOwed pur-
poses?
Starting out in this contest, they abrogated
their famous 18th section to give satisfaction
to the people of thu North, leaving the South
without any pledge of security from their poiti-
cal organization. This was TO pacify the anti
slavery fanaticsm of the North and secure its CO.
operation. In little time, however, it became
manifest that that ism was determined on seps-
rate and distinct organization, relieved of all en-
tsngling alliances with other issues. Then it was
that Mr.. Fillmore, making his triumphsl march
fIom New York to Buffalo, assaied the black re-
publicans as sectional organization that, if sue
cessful, would lead inevitably to the obstruction of
this government Of ours-thst it was folly to ex-
pect one half of the country TO submit to the deg
radiation of being controlled and governed by the
peculiar prejudices and exclusive will of the other.
Then twas that Mr.. Fillmore began TO look to
the South for succor and relief. Il g speeches at
Albany and Buffalo were heralded by his organs
in the slave States as the very outgushng OF pat
riotism, as the highest evidence of craftsmanship,
and as conclusive testimony of his fidelity to the
rights of the States and the maintenance of the
nsttution. These speeches became at once the
chief commodity of political trade in the South,
and were circulated by the million in the form OF
campaign documents. The most striking feature
to which attention was called were the following
paragraphs in his speeches at Albany, which were
repeated with studied precision at Rochester and
elsewhere:
Suppose that the South, having majority Of
the electoral votes, should declare that they would
only have shareholders for President and Vice
President, and should elect such by their exclusive
SURFACES to rule over us at the North. Do you
think we would submit to III No, not for mo-
ment. IApplausel And do you believe that your
Southern brethren are less sensitive on this subject
than you are, or less jealous of their rights Ire
mendous cheering you do let me tell you that
YOU are mistaken. And, therefore, you must see
that IF THIS SECTIONAL PARTY SUCCEEDS,
1T LEADS INEVITABLY TO THE DESTRUC-
TION OF THIS BEAUTIFUL FABRIC REAR
ED BY OUR FOREFATHERS, CEMENTED
BY THEIR BLOOD, AND BEQUEATHED TO
Us AS A PRICELESS INHERITANCE.
/ tell you, my friends that l feel deeply, and
therefore speak earnestly on this subject-(cr
of "You are rightl')-for l feel that you are in
danger. am determined to make clean breast
of it. l will wash my hands of the consequences,
whatever they may be; and tell goa that 10e are
treading upon the brink of volcano, that as liable
at any moment to burst forth and OveraOhelnl the
nation.
1t seems to me impossible that those engaged in
this can have contemplated the awful consequences
of success If 1t breaks ssunder the bonds of our
Union, and spreads anarchy and civil war through
the land tUhat is 1t less than moral treaSOn7 (Cries
of nothing-nothiug lessP) Law and common
sense hold man responsible for the natural conse-
quence of his acts, and must not those whose acts
tend to the destruction OF the government, be
equally held responsible (Cries of ''Yesl yesl)
Thus spoke Willard Fillmore few months ago.
1t 50 happened, that while he was new convert
to the doctrine that the south ought not and aoo'td
not submit to be dishonored and oppressed by a
sectional party, the democracy had champion IN
the field who had for more than quarter OF GEN.
fury consistently maintained that position. There
fore, the south could not abandon the veteran
Statesman of Whestland for the uncertain fortunes
of this eleventh hour convert. And in this attempt
to decoy the pro-slavery people, as in their first
msnceuver to conciate the anti-ssvery forces, Mr..
Fillmore failed. The people of the slave State
were not to be bought up by honied phrszes, where
there qoas no official record to support them, and
when they had candidate of their own who pam
dered to no interest but the national welfare, and
knew no party but the National democracy, that
cover the Union from one extent to the other.
The Albany speech is no longer mentioned.
Failing in its purpose it is ignored. His party pa
pers cease to mention it but to denounce it, and
are running now to another and last extremity.
While they are coalescing and fusing in partner
ship arrangement with the black republicans at the
north, they have started, and are echoing through
the south, the hypocritical and deceptive cry of
''dsunion disunionI' against the democraticparty.
We know not whether most to despise or de-
nounce the reasonable tongue that utters it, We
have not and cannot stoop to dignity the effort
with an argument. We are satisfied from the in
dicstions around US that the people understand
who are traitors and who are patriots. We are
content that the public fat shall determine who are
the true and national men of the country, James
Buchanan, Franklin Pierce, Lewis Cass Isaac
Toucey, Stephen A. Douglas and Jesse D. Bright
on the one side or Willard Fillmore, John G. Free
mont, Charles Sumner, Tom Corwin John P. Hale,
Thadeus Stephens, William II. Seward and Eras.
tus Brooks on the other. We are content that the
south aha determine in November who are the
traitors in her own midst, John Bell, John NJ.
Bolts, Henry Winter Davis, Sam Houston and
Andrew J. Donelson on the one side, or John G
Breckenridge, Howell Cobb, Alexander H. ie-
phens, Robert Toombs James G. Jones and Archi-
bald Dixon on the other.
The people will not fail to observe that those
who clsmor most about the Union, seldom speak
of the Constitution; whilst the democratic party
know no Union without the Constitution. The
one is but the incident to the other. The Union
results as the consequence Of the Constitution
And as there had to be Constitution before there
was Union, 80 there will be no Union whenever
there ceases to be Constitution; and there will be
no Constitution whenever its provisions are ruth
lessy violated or recklessly disregsrded. If this
is treason to the country we aspire to no higher
loyalty.
But there as disunion party in the country; not
svowedly such, but such per consequence. That
party that does not adhere to strict construction
OF the Constitution, and that is willing to eucour-
age or submit to its::violstion and the subupstion
of ne-balf Of the States of the Coufederscy. is