Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-04
the other throughout the State for Stat. officer. aad

1t is charged, SIR that at the first Of these cleo
tiOns, fearful ontrages we're committed; thai old
men, who we're born in that city, and who had for
more than thirty years exercised the highest as
well IS the dearest right Of freemen-tAe right Of
the elective franchise-EeTe driven from the polls;
that hundreds of others, legal voters scourged
and beaten, and prevented from voting; hundreds
more who were entitled 10 vote through fear of the
armed bands who surrounded the polls, kept away,
prefrrpg rather to lose their votes than lose their
lives Il is charged, further, that while our party
was thus outraged, the other, the dominant party,
not only had free access to the polls but the ballot
boxes we're permitted to be packed with fraudulent
and Illegal votes, aud this in the most open and
daring manner In the late elections for State Off
GERS and members Of Congress, it is matter of his.
tory that these things were so notorious that the
Governor Of the State felt called on to interpose his
authority to project the people in their rights His
late message to the Legislature Of Maryland dis
closes circumstances Off true, and have reason
to doubt them) compared with which the alleged
frauds in Kansas sink into insgnifcanee Baltimore
is but forty miles from this Capitol. She is great
C commercial emporium. Her people civilized and
educated. Kansas is far out upon our borders and
her citizens, though intelligent, in wild and new
Unsettled region could not be supposed in the very
nature Of things, to be so obedient to the laws
and regulations Of society as the people Of great
commercial city Yes, sir, whilst the Black Repub
can members and others grow indignant over the
few instances of violated law in Kansas, yet
have seen no outbursts Of patriotic indignation
about the rights of the people Of Maryland Sir is
it not significant fact that whole country is to be
aroused, and the very existence Of the Government
itself put in jeopardy by agitalors, on account Of
alleged frauds in Kansas, when alleged frauds of
mightor magnitude occurring within forty miles Of
the Capitol, scarcely elicit passing notcef
Sir, il occurs TO me that no mau can doubt for 3
moment the lessons Whichare TO be derived from the
scene which is now being enacted in this Capitol.
Having eye to the past history Of this question,
and accurately observing the position which men
and,parties now assuming, am deeply impressed
with the conviction that the lessons which we are to
draw are anything else but iattering to the future
welfare of the country. Whatever reasons may be
assigned by gentlemen, and however speeious and
accurate their reasons for refusing to admit Kansas
into the Union now, suppose sir noman doubts that
the secret cause which is operating the minds of
members to hold her out of the UuniOn, is the fact
that her constitution establishes the Institution Of
African slavery there There may be, and doubt
less are, some exceptions to this proposition. If
this be So sir, and think it clearly shown by
my friend from Mississippi, Mr.. Bsrksdale, and
am sure that a large majority of those who differ
from me on this question will not deny it, l ask,
what is the proper and legitimate inference TO be
drawn by those of us who represent southern
States and southern constituencies here? 1t is this
sir-and it is an inference which must sink deeply
States are to be admitted into this Union. In other
words, that the time has come when we are to take
an inferior position in the Confederacy; when the
is to mark us and brand us with all the
epithets which our Abolition enemies have been
heaping for years; when we are to be the vas
sails Of the Government, paying our due proportion
of the taIes bearing part of all the burdens,
in peace and in war, without the right equally to
participate in the blessings which the constitution
confers. Sir, if Kansas is unworthy to come into
the Union as g State because she has institutions
like ours then we unworthy Of our places here;
if Kansas is unfit for the association Of the States,
so are we unfit.
Sir, this is matter which strikes at the personal
honor of every true southern heart. By declaring,
as did the senior member from Ohio, TMr. Gid
dings in his speech this morning. land the senti-
ment pervsdes his whole party that he is unwilling
to associate with any State whose constitution tOler
ates slavery, he filings direct insult into the faces
of the southern people Born under southern sky,
nuruTed in the lap of southern State, which intel
ligenee and virtue in noble bearing in council and
upon the field of battle, has shown herself to be
equal in everything to the prOudest State in the Con-
federacy, as one of her humblest children l stand
ready to resent the insult and hurl it back into the
teeth Of those who offer it. They are unwilling to
admit Kansas into the Union because her constitu-
ton tolerates the institution Of slavery. Sir, had
this sentiment prevailed when the Constitution was
made, we had had no Government. It did not pre-
vail then 1t did not prevail after the Constitution
was made in the earlier and better days of the Re-
public. 1t was reserved for the Black Republican
party to announce doctrine which directly strikes
at the honor and independence of fifteen States Of
this Confederscy. These are conclusions which
must force themselves upon every mind and if they
be fair and proper conclusions, strange as it may
seem and revolving as it may appear to patriots
everywhere, if my own native State of Tennessee
we're out of the Union she could not get in. No,
sir; bright and glorious as has been her history,
with the blood Of her sons reddening almost every
battle field since she has been State loyal to the
country true and devoted to the Constitution with
the bones Of her CAROLS and her COfees, her Jack
sons and her Folks, quietly Teposing beneath her
SOIL under the operation Of this principle Of eXclud-
because their institutions do not suit the
tastes Of Abolition traitors, she Today out of
the Union, and come and hUmbly ask for admission,
she would be hurled back with scorn and contempt.
If this is to be the ruling in the future it is but
right that the people who to suffer from should
know it. l am not here to threaten or intimidate
anybody. I expect every member to be guided by
his own convictions Of duty. l speak for people
who are not given to tn reatening but who always
deal candidly with friends and with enemies But
when the sarting fact is made known to the people
of Tennessee that herafer they to be considered
as interiors and not as equals in the COnfederaCy
whilst do not assume nov to say what they will
do am warranted, from their past history, in as
serting that they will take position. 1t will be
position too not inconsistent with their honor their
or their past history! And when
they plant themselves upon a principle, they will
stand by it. l say, sir, l do not know what they
may do; but whatever steps my native State may
see proper to take expect to 60 with her, and stand
by her through storm and through sunshine, though
her footsteps may lead through fire and blood and
desOlaton. 1 have thought proper TO say thus
much, sir, but not in the spirit Of unkindness or
I frug hot md mn 10
govern US; and above all, call upon members to
remember to do justice to every part of the Confed
eracy. 1t is only through just measures that the
spirit of our Constitution can be administered. l
call upon you Of the North who have the courage
stand up boldly in the midst Of the storm, to heed
not the appeals Of demagOgues, who urge you to
falter in your devotion to the constitutional rights
Of the people.
In some Of the remarks which have been made on
this subject gentlemen have attempted to depict to
those Democrats Of the North who are standing by
the President in this ISSUE the political graves to
which their course is leading them. Sir, might we
not infer from this that questions Of political sue
cess, and not of principle govern those gentlemen
in their course on this question? And may we not
come to the conclusion that it is "fear," and not
duty" that sctuates them in opposing this meas
sure Of justice The true hero is he who,
when he knows the right, pursues it with firm step
and a steady eve and let's consequences take care
he is a coward who cOnsults anything else but his
own convictions of duty. Had Washington listened
to the song ofthose who cOunseled selfshuess
the Revolution would not have been fought, nor
American independence achieved; and had the i'm
mortal hero Of the Hermitage needed the warnings
Of false friends or the threats of coward foes, the
browning act Ofhis life would have proved failure
and his great name would have been shOrn Of half
its glory.
Then l ask you again to be guided alone by your
convictions Of duty. Remember hstperhaps upon
the fate of this question dependsIn great measure
the confidence which portion of the Confederacy
the weaker one, is to repOse for the future in the
justice Of the dominant section. For if you succeed
as trust you may not, in fully convincing the
minds Of the people the southern States that they
have hope in the COnfederacy but in degradation
and oppression, you know too well the spirit which
anmates the children of the revolutionary fathers
to doubt the result. The crOWnng feature Of our
COnfederacy, and that one which wins for it ad-
mrstiOn throughout the civilized world is eguaIitv
ask you not to destroy this, but let your energies
be aroused, and your arms nerved, to maintain it
and perpetuate 1t forever. If this be DONE then will
we not bring shame upon the memories Of those who
staked so much in the achievement of our liberties
But, sir If tyranny and oppression to take the
place Of independence and equality; if one section
Of this Union stO govern the other because
that other is the weaker if in short, the unbridled
will Of mere numbers istorule without constitutional