Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-03
In. bis speech at Jackson, after his return
home. Hon. JEFFERSON DAVIS said

home, Hon. JEFFERSON DAVIS SAID
It seems now to be probable that the aboli
e tionists and their allies will have the control
: of the next House of Representatives, and it
may well be inferred from their past course
that they will attempt legislation both injur-
nus and offensive to the South. / have an
abiding faith that any law which violates our
constitutional rights will be met with a veto
by the present Executive. But should the
next House of Representatives he such as
would elect an abolition President, We may
expect that the election will be so conducted
w. as probably to defeat choice by the people
s and devolve the election upon the House.
Whether by the House or by the people. if an
abolitionist be chosen President of the United
- States, YOU will have presented to you, the
question of whether you will permit the gov
eminent to pass into the hands OF your avow-
eel and implacable enemies. Without panslng
for your answer will state my own position
to be that such result would be species of
revolution by which the purposes of the gov
ernment would be destroyed and the observ-
ance of its mere forms entitled to no respect.
In thai eueat, IN such manner as should be most
erped,ent. should deem Il your duty 10 proride for
your safet4 OUTSIDE OF A Union with those who
have already shown the will, and would have
acquired the power. to deprive you of your
birthright and to reduce you to worse than
the colonial dependence OF your fathers
It would be well enough for the people Of
the South to look the contingency spoken of
4. by Mr.. DAVIS full in the face, and make up
their minds in relation TO it. A black repub-
= lcan, or, if the term be preferred, an aboli-
ZIONIST, may, in 1860, be elected President.
If SO, he will be elected in one of the two
modes provided by the Constitution; and
what il constitutional ought to be submitted
TO by every patriotic citizen, of all sections
The election of an aboli:ionist President
would be an event for the serious considera-
ton of the South, but until he and his min
ions commemorate war upon our institutions,
using the government to give potency to
= their warfare there would be nothing 10 justi
-fy resistance on the part Of the Southern
People. Those who would pledge them to
. a. the resistance contemplated by Mr.. DAVIS are
either rash or prompted by motives inimical
to the Union. The people OF the South
should distrust their counsels, il not depose
them from positions which give them the
means of doing mischief. 1t will be time en-
ough TO act upon the advice Of Mr.. DAVIS aud
, Geek ssafety, outside Of the Union,' when our
constitutional rights are destroyed within
the Union. Then resistance viii be high
and patriotic duty, and no true-hearted son
OF the South will shrink from it. We are at
present inclined to agree with Senator HAM
uosp, that the non-slaveholding States could
not be brought TO concur permanently In
any line of policy that will snhvert the con-
q stItution and seriously damage the South In
the confederacy." Therefore, should the bit
o. ter cup of an abolition President be- forced
apon us, we shoald no. be willing 10 throw
'asss away ali the blessings and advantages Of =
constitutional Union, until we saw that they
were 10 be made the means OF the degrade
tioa Of our section.