Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-10-05
S p e e @ FL
Hon. John j. Crittenden,
k1E DELIVERED AT
NAsIIvHLLE, TENN,
September 25ih, 1860.
September 25th, 1860.

! NASftVALEE, TENN,
September 25th, 1860.
i LADIES AND GENTLEMEy, FRIRNDs AND FELLow-
CITIZENS; feel this TO be one of the proud acca-
sions Of my long life and thank you for the honor
and distinction with which you have received me.
But trust am not so vain to attribute this hon
or to any personal worth claim Of my own, but
to your partality for, and adhesion to, the great
cause with which am identifed---that great cause
the welfare of ourcommon country--the election of
your ustrious fellow-citizen. 1t is out of regard
for this great cause that | am thus Welcomed
Think not that shall not take enough of your well
Icome--for shall take to oyerfowing and give the
rest OF thereh profsion to the friends of the cause
l[Applause.l come to address you briefly, yet feel
unequal TO the task. / fear am not able to make
my voice heard, and that my speech will not be
equal to the expectations formed but want to
speak, and 1 want you to hear the language of
truth-plain truth and sobriety. The times require
sober earnestness and the plain TRUTH for the pres
ent view of the state of our country is fearful
consideration. The present day comes to us fraught
with extraordinary import. There is serious cause
for apprehension of danger to our beloved country.
The important question is again to be put--who
shall be our President? That question was never
before put in so serious timel Its consideration
was never SO fraught with important consequences
as now. Are we all prepared to answer it2 1t
nifty and with mature reflection to answer that
question. Have you determined how you will an
swer2 | come not tospeak as a partizan-I am no
partizan. The day is past when the mere ambi-
ton of party and partizan fred and inhamed me.
Twenty years ago party spirit inspired me, but that
spirit and that fire of ambition are gone, and
trust that what have lost in that respect have
gained in experience, reflection and patriotism
What have lost in pride of party | trust have
gained in devotion to my beloved country, the love
of which hold far above all party pride | come
before you in this spirit of entire and unrestricted
eeyotion to my country--to denounce none-to
wage war ON no party, no man. but to awaken you
TO the great question of the welfare of country,
I'D to appease the strife and quell the animosites
of parties. And here before this mighty throng |
o Immon you, young men and old summon you
all in behalf of our common country to discharge
your high and responsible duties not as mere subor
dinate tools of selfish partizans, but true, free
and enlightened American citizens. Applause +
| have been taught by long years Of experience to
believe have been taught to trust and rely in the
intelligence and integrity OF the people. They may
be misled-mauy of them are even now being mis-
led by ambitious partzans, but let them have access
TO the truth-leave them free to Judge and-my
heart and soul on the issue--they will be and will
do what is right My confidence in the safety Of
the Union lies in that trust-it is the best hope
have for the safety and perpetuty Of the county.
/ [Applause.
| have already said that this election approaches
more raught with public interest than has any pre-
vous election. There are circumstances existing
which make it So There is danger in parties-be-
fore there were but disputes Before this the strife
was between parties with mere questions of political
economy-and nnder the Constitntion--simply abu-
SOS of government-subordnate superficial queS-
tions of right wrong policy, but for the first
time comes election embracing the consideration
not only of all these minor questions, but one rith-
out the Constituton-one greater than all the rest
the preservation of the Union and the Consttu-
ton. That is the important question now. 1t is
one for the consideration of every man-one that
should receive the consideration of every patriotic
heart Every man in the community is affected by
1.-THE humble resident of the cabin and the occu-
pant Of the palace, all are alike interested in its SD
luton What are all the subordinate and superb
cal questions of policy to the man of the log cabin
Nothing claim myself to be log cabin man.
Twenty years age become one politically am
one By birth--I am one by Affection am one by
princple-the log cabin principles of twenty years
ago are part Of my creed, and they should be that
of every man. All should be awake TO the preser-
vaton of that cabin of the Constitution 1t is in
that he is interested. That should be mis- cabinthe
trcemans humble, proud Constitution and should
be sacred to himGs the White House to the Pres
ident A great English Statesman has said that
though the snow may enter the roof and the wind
pierce through the walls of the cabin, the President
of the United States dare not enter the door of 9
freeman without permission" The Constitution tC
you as a people, is like the sacred cabin of the free
man, and summon you and all men of high ant
free aspirations to perform promptly the duty that
preserves and protects it. The preservation of the
Union is that question, and your vote assures it
safety sanctions its destruetionl In the settle
ment of this question the cartridge box is nothing
the baot-box is the powerful engine that conveys
your will and your commands To those commands
legions bow down and surrender. Assume, then
your dignity of freemen Elevate yourselves to til,
. performance of this dutyi 1t is no ordinary one
II is grand privilege you possess in performing
such a dutyl You are the sovereign peoplel Yol
may be divided into factions and parties, but yor
are of one country, and though different aims may
move you, there is but one end to be gained for all
and that is the prosperity of the Union. Thesear
no ordinary times, nor are ordinary questions in
volyed in this issue. The important Question nov
. is shall we have united or n divided countryP-
All Others sink into insigni6cance Will you taxi
stand by country's standard, or the flag of par
lty? There Is no other course for patriots but Il
l abjure common party principles and politics-the!
are questions at all-and rally to the support Q
q the Union. Can any one who calls himself a free
man sleep sound after having far partzan purpose
e voted with any sectional party whose purpose is tn
# destruction Of the UnionY l could not!
9 The Union is in danger and the remedy is in tn
K hands of the people And wh,re does the DANCE
o arise? Where does il come from? From II sec
tional feeling the sectonalism Of the wors
and most sensitive character--of geographical line
as well as opinion. On the 9th er side disunio
threatens at the South. We have been warne
again and again of this danger All our great an
good men, who have sunk with all their honors an
the blessings of a nation to the grave, have warne
us to be guarded against this very danger, and W
have been told that unless some remedy was foun
il would sooner or later destroy as. The first an
the last great men of our land have warned us
\ this terrible danger. Who will deny that this di
cord exists among us2 No one viii in the face
the undoubted facts. II is great, Threatening an
alarming. Men of selfish anlbtion--men who pr
V fer their countrys destruction to the non-attainmeI
y of their own sefh end-men for whom this might
d, Republic is not large enough, have pushed the ey
h cause and the spirit of disunon which has awaitt
so long is content TO wait no m>re. And not on
men but States have resolved tbat in case of d
pon.uerrormance of certain acts or the CommiSsiC