Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-29
letter from General Lane

In reply to a communication addressed to Gen.
LANE by GUsTAyUs W. SMITH, chairman, PULP W.
ExGs, PuLIP TRoTrER, and STEPHEN P. RUSSELL, mem
bers of a committee appointed by the BRECKNRIDGE
and LANE Club of the city and county of New York,
asking the Generals views in regard to the present
crisis the Senator from Oregon has written the
subjoned letter
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 10. 1860
GENTLEMEN: Yours of the 18th inst. is received.
The address embodying the views of the commit
tee, which you say was enclosed, has not reached
me.
gestons as in my Judgment, would tend to preserve
our institutions and our Government" proceed
briefly TO comply.
Nothing is palmer than that ours is a government
of limited pOwers-fOrmed by States equal in SOW
eregnty, equal IN dignity, and equal in rights. This
equality, in all respects and IN all things, must be
maintained. Any act by the people, or by any
branch or department of the Government, tending
to impair this equality is usurpatiOn, and the des
truction of that equality is virtually destruction OF
the Unon have we not reached point in the history
of our Government when it may be said with truth
this equality has been seriously menaced, if not i'm
paired or destroyed. Never was proposition more
plainly put, nor an issue directly made, than
that upon which the people have lately rendered
their verdict Shall the people Of all the States pos
sess and enjoy equal rights and privileges in the
common territory of our common country? By
majority almost fabulous a Northern sectional party
have determined that the people of the Southern
States shall not go into the common territory and
carry their property with them-that no more
States recognizing property in slaves las did twelve
of the thirteen original States) shall ever be ad-
mitted into the Union. Can any man whose mind is
capable OF discriminating between right and wrong
say that this is just and right, and in accordance
with the spirit or letter Of the Constitution?
To me it appears plain that the equal rights under
the Constitution of those States recognizing slavery
have been violated by their Northern neighbOrs in
the verdict which they have rendered TO the effect
that the States not equal that the people of f
teen sovereign States shall not 90 to the territory
with their property that they are interiors and must
submit not only TO inequality, but degradation
Now can the Union be held together upon such
terms? If we would preserve the UuiOn we must
maintain the Constitution and the equality of the
States and be just and deal fairly by every portion
of our country. In my Judgment, the Northern
people are unjust and unwise in denying the cti
zens of the Southern States the right TO emgrate
to and settle in the territories with their slave
property.
They are wrong in holding that ne more slave
States shall be admitted into the Union, for it is
clearly the right of the people of territory when
their population entities them to admission into the
Union. to form such government as may suit them.
and whether slave free, il is the duty of Con
gress to admit them. And they wrong in per
hitting to remain upon the statute books laws OBJ
sructiye to the faithful execution Of the fugitive
slave law. Let them speedily take steps to correct
these wrongs, and maintain good faith toward all
the States. rs was manifested in the carly days Of
the Republic.
This is in their power, and in no other way
they avert dissolution; for one in my opinion,
who is at all informed as 10 the framework of cur
Government can conclude that the Federal Govern
ment hes the constitutional power to force
against State for resuming the powers which it
delegated to the General Government, when its
rights have been infringed equality refused; or
if the Government had the power, that it would be
wise OF prudent to use it. The Union was not form
ed by force, nor it be maintained by force. 1t
was a voluntary Union Of sovereign States and
whenever the rights of any Of them shall be in
fringed, equality refused and they find it neces
sary and shall desire part there is power that
can keep them together, that should attempt it.
am, gentlemen, with much respect,
Your Obedient servant.
JOSEW LANE.