Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-25
COMMUNICATION
GEN. Pillows Plan.


EDEToRs UNION AND AMERICAN: In your issue of
the 10th appears letter from Gen. PILLOW, copied
from the Nashville Patriot and headed Dangers Of
Disruption Remedy Proposed" From the singular
good sense and conservative tone of the paper it.
well deserves the calm consideration of the citizens
of The Southern States at the present time, and es
peeially of the people of Tennessee irrespective of
party.
Ibeg leave to second respectfully the proposition
of Gen. Pillow, that the Governors of the South
ern States Immediately convene their Legislatures,
to consider the emergency Of the present crisis,
and that their Legislatures appoint commissioners
to confer together" that harmony of action and
feeling may be secured amongst the people of the
South.
1 occupy but the humble position of quiet citizen
devoted to the Union, the Constitution and the En-
forcement of the Laws, having given to BELL and
EVERETT my vote, and all the influence could CON-
mand, believing honestly that they were the candi-
dates whom the conservative, Union loving men of
the whole nation ought to have supported but hav-
ing failed in that contest l now willing, IN
common with thousands of others, 10 lay
aside partisan prejudices for the time, and act in
harmony with the calm thinking, conservative men
fold evils chat now threaten u.s. This is time fog
the people of the planting States to stand STILL hesi
tatiug what course to take, while our Southern
brethren of the cotton States are preeipitating a
revolution and Fastening to dissolve their connection
with the Union Our synpathies and interests are
zoo nearly identified with theirs to allow to range
ourselves amongst the supporters of LNcoLN's ad-
ministration, in advance Of any declaration on his
part as to the policy of his government. His may
be very conservative policy conciatory to the
| South as could be wished. He may execute the
laws and maintain the Constitution firmly as any
federal Executive we have ever had but on the
other hand he may follow out the course indicated
by his partisans and make his administration sec
tional partisan government subversive OF the rights
of the Southern portion of the Confederaey. Would
not be wise then for the Southern States and peo-
| pie, at least the conservative and Union loving
portion of them, to meet and confer
calmly, and determine what line of
policy, and what acts of LINooIN's, or any future
sectional Administration, shall be deemed by them
sufficient causes for separation, and thus secure
harmony of action on the part of those States
whose rights and interests are Identical
No better plan can be adopted. in my Judgment,
than the one suggested by Gen. Pillow, that is for
the Governors of the Southern States to call togeth
er their respective Legislatures.
There is nothing to be gained by bitter denuncia-
ton of disunIon. The cotton States are not to be
deferred from their course by that means. The re-
suit would be nothing but embttefed feelings, and
in case they should go out and form separate Con-
federacy and we of the northern tier of slave States
should remain in the present Union by such course,
and by alternating the minds of our Southern neigh
bors, and embittering their feelings, would only
secure unfriendly ard jealous legislation both North
and South of For instance, let US suppose what
appears very likely at the present time that the
cotton States go out of the Union and form South
ern COniederacy, end reopen the African slave
trade or encourage the Importation of slaves. asat
present carried on in Cuba, would not our slave
property be immensely deprecated in value? Self
preservation is the first law of nature and that in
stinct alone, is sufficient to impel US to desire a
calm conference and cooperation the part of all
the Southern States, in view of the exigences of
our position
On the other hand, it certainly is to the interest
of the cotton States to have our aid and assistance
whether the Union stands as it is, or whether por
ton of the South should secede and form another
Confederacy. Suppose The latter event, the grain
growing States would form barrier in time for
the protection of their slaves from escaping. But
would it not happen in time, that slavery would
cease to exist in the grain States by gradual sale
of the slaves of these States the cotton planters
of the supposed COnfederacy? Is it not thus very
possible that the of slavery may be rapidly di-
minished? am basing my arguments and suppo-
sitiOns on the hypothesis that Missouri Kentucky,
Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, at
least have intention of seeding at the present,
but that they are deeply interested by sympathy
with the cotton States, which appear determined to
go out of the Union, without consulting the inter-
ests or wishes of the remaining slave States.
think with Gen. Pillow, that war may come of
these aggressions of the Republican party. Let US
not provoke it buff it must, LET be united
and ready. and whether in or out of the Union, we
have nothing to fear.
There can be better time for the South to demand
of the Northern States guarantees for the observance
of their rights under the Constitution and there
will never be time when the North can grant such
guarantees with better grace.
Let the Southern States chen, confer together and
determine what those guarantees shall be- and let it
be done speedily, and all may yet be well. S.