Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-01-26

Judge Nicholson says:
1t is not easy for Southern men to comprehend
the code Of ethics, moral or political by which
Northern people justify the formation in the Free
States of an organization based entirely upon sem
tment of hatred for domestic institution existing
exc lusvely in the Southern States. We UNDER
stand that kind of opposition to slavery which ex-
cludes il from the Northern States, hut are
wholly at loss to reconcile the continual agitation
of the subject the Free States with those frater
nal relations and obligations, which created
when several sovereign States pledged their faith
each other in a common confederacy"
After remarking that it is not possible for the
present unnatural state of alienation to proceed
much further without splitting asunder the con-
federacy," Judge Nicholson has the following re-
rksma
1T rests mainly with the people Of the North to
decide whether the Union is to be broken up OF not
The southern people will look with deep anxiety
at the conflicts which are to settle this momentous
question. They appreciate the sacrifices which
their northern friends have already made in their
efforts to resist the progress of that sectional Or
ganization which threatens the subugation Of the
Southern States All their sympathes will be en-
listed Oh the side of the Union in the future strug
Giles which they are to have with sectOnalism. The
southern people have never expected their northern
friends to become the advocates and champions of
the institution of slavery, or Of its extension INTO
the territories. They have never assumed that an
abstract opposition to slavery was irrecOncilable
with a faithful compliance with all the duties and
obligations, both confederate and constitutional,
which legitimately attach to the members Of the
Federal Union. They have insisted on the cOnsttu-
tona right to have the title to slaves recognized as
valid in the common territories not from spirit of
slavery gandism. but upon the great principle
of a perfect equality OF right guaranteed by the
Constitution to all the States. They have not main
tanned that none are to be regarded rs reliable
friends of the constitutional rights of tie southern
States, who believe that tSe people OF territory
have the right whilst under q territorial organiza-
tion to regulate their domestic iDstihons in their
own way. Whilst the southern people have honest
ly entertained their known opinions on these sub
iects they have not sought to prescribe tests Of
thodoxv to which their northern brethren could not
conscientiously subscribe.
They have expected land in this they have not
been dsappointed) that their northern friends would
stand forth as the advocates and champions OF the
Constitution and the Union as our fathers made
them. This is all that we expect and desire at
their hands We know that in the northern states
we have over a million and half Of friends who
have not bowed their necks to the yoke Of section
alism Upon these we rely for the preservation OF
the Union in the day of trial that IS approaching.
Until they are conquered the people OF the south
will have no occasion TO consult safety out OF the
Union.
This is a calm, temperate, vel advised letter 10
ing justice 10 the northern Democracy Let such
sentiments prevail at Charleston, ard the Democra-
cy South an5 North that first came together IN the
days Of Jefferson. viii this year achieve another
triumph and save the Constitution Democratic
Herald