The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-12-22


these motives upon us. tina, IL you do not
give up your property, yield your power,
surrender your independence, permit your
selves TO be dwar(ed in tho Conlederacy
by the destruction OF all that makes you
u people. W. will do It by violence =
Most nj sgnanimous. gracious and mercl'
iul master, we thank you for tho prlvl'
lego OF choice. There isthe conflict fore
shadowod In March, l65s-more than
eighteen months %ago--close proximity OF
time with the exhibition OF certain re.
cent manifestos--language and purpose
mistaken by the crude mind Of those who
employ physical force instead OF intel.
%leciuol power. You sec, gentlemen, the
tendency. You asked for an indication
Of principles in your creed, in what you
have said and done. | have presumed
TO show it. There it stands. If you val.
10 the Union, as'you say you do, it is
for you to preserveit. The South cannot
preserve the Union. ldoes not bchoove
her, in her down.troddon and feeble con-
ditions; but she cannot If she would. 1t
is for you-it becomes your interest, your
concern, your poweri in the future. II
tbs Union be so dear to you, it's for you
TO preserve it, and not for the South
You have tho power; she has not. Sh
stands still, and endeayors TO defend her
self.
The honorable Senator who last spoke,
asked what meant these recent ebulilions.
Sir, they moan this: They mean that.the
heart Of the Southern people has been
stirred 10 tho bottom they mean that
they have seen impending danger and
destruction they mean that they have
borne it as long as it is virtue TO bear,
and they mean that they will forfeit tho
character OF lrecmen. | tell the honora.
bic Senator that ho may mistake that
feeling. Do you suppose il. is possible
that nearly half the States OF the Union,
your co States, States associated with
you. shall be compelled to bear all tho
burdens of a foreign condition: that while
we are linked together as if fratelnally we
must keep standing armies on oW Dor.
ders, be continually hauassod, irrlIatod,
disturbed, stirred 10 madness, and that
we shall continue to bear oil these bur.
dens Of foreign attitude, and take none
Of the compromising good ? The thing
must stop. The Constitution wac wise.
ly conceived, skilfully, admirably con.
structed, adequate to all the purposes for
which it was intended but our present
condition Of affairs throw wide open all
the portals for our invasion and destruc.
ton. 1t is for you to shut them, or,
with the help Of heaven, We must shut
them ourselves. Call it treason, gentle.
men, and make the best OF it but | tell
you that unless these things cease, much
a. we have adored the Union, much as
we have sacrificed for its maintenance
much as we are willing yet to contribute
to uphold it that it may scatter It's bles
sings TO unborn millions, It becomes on
honor and our existence 10 maintain our
selves, W. cannot permit the Union tt
DO q mere badge Of scrvilude. We can
not permit it ]clcrnally to be upon US a
an incubus, crushing out our very liz
. and breath. Regard it, gentlemen, as
is; your minds cannot come TO q differ
ent conclusion. ! have 100 much res
pect for the courage Of the North TO sup
pose that they would tolerate such
condition of things if it were roversed.--
They would not ; and yet you presume
to dcaouncc it as treason, because We
say that in a condition Of things which
we cannot tolerate, VIC will Sunder the
Union, pull it to pieces, column. base
and tower, before we will submit to be
crushed by n government which is our
own as well nB yours !; TO which We con.
tribute as we'll as you +; and which we will
defend with our Iilc's blood az well as
you, as long as it shall be a government
securing to US, as to you, equality, life
and liberty.