The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1860-12-06
N unber 4S.

preparation foryour downfall is com.
pleto. Should Lincoln pursue anv
ether than n seeming conservative and
sound course ofpolcy, am most eyre.
grlously mistaken in his and his friends
capacity, and they are not tho mental
men they have heretofore made tho
world believe they were. The leaders
are now making and will continue to
make fair professions This is part
oftheir crecd--it is one of the strata.
gems ofthcir war; but you must re.
member that when Mr. Lincoln is an.
preached by his own friends as to his
course OF policy, he only answers by
cierence to his speeches and letters
heretofore made and written.
lttroublcs my very soul to think that
a Southern people (Tennesscans) will
consent to be deceived by those false.
hoods that are being thrown out solely
and alonet to mislead and deceive them.
Gentlomn1,it is my opinion that If
these Black Republican leaders had
lived in the days of Christ, Judas would
have misse the thirty pieces Of silver.
for they would have underbid him in tho
betrayal.
| might 60 on and multiply instances
OF inimical declarations made by the
minds and energy of the Black RepubH.
can party, but the testimony would be
| purely cumulative, and therefore
quit this branch Of the subject by tho
general remark that, wherever Black
Republican, from the highest to tho
lowest, has spoken, he has been consis
tent with the things | have read to YOU.
Then, gentlemen, these facts brought
me to the conclusion that we should
quit the Union; not the union of the
Constitution, for that is something
that was but is not. 1t has been dis
solved long since, as | have before at
tempted to show you. The question
we are to answer is, whether we are
willing to remain in union that has
no bill Of rights, no defnition of prin-
ciplcs by which it is to be governed
whether we will consent to remain in a
Government whose rule of action is
solely, wholly, and entirely the will of
majority; Government in which mi.
noriues have no rights. In solving
these questions that involve so much OF
interest to you, and Of greater interest,
to your postcrity, beg you not to be
alarmed at the old cry of Disunion,--
The day for that has past The Union
Is IN no danger Of dissolution now; that
is over with. |, and those who alvo-
cate with me, are not the disunionists.
| We are trying to free ourselves from
disunionists. We are unwilling to affil.
late with thcm-there is no sympathy
between us. They have broken up the
Government Of our fathers without our
consent and against our will and efforts
to preserve it, therefore change the
charge Of dsumion from us, and charge
1t where it boIongs--to the party of
"One Idea who are laboring to mako
the negro your and my equal in all
things social, political, and judicial.
There are those amongst us, men
good and true, who are suggesting plans
to prevent the separation. They say:
let us see if those multiplying States can
not be induced to repeal their offensive
laws; let us see if they will not give US
some guarantee ofprotection by amend =.
mcnts to the Constitution and pledges
VI National Convention This is tIln-
gerous doctrine, first, because it brings,
delay when earl y action is necessary.
They might agree to 90 into Conven.
ton to eau delay in our action If
you get them there, time will be ean-
sumcd in wrangling, resolutions and
speeches, and we come out no better of,
tina we went in. They will never do
anything. They have labored too long
aud too hard, have spent too much time
and money to surrender the prize so
etsily now. But then suppose you get
all the pledges you propose, the amend.
mcnts to the Constitution you ask, how
much better off will you be? None.
but your condition is infinitely worse,
because the Constitution AS it is, has i'm
all conscience, rs many guarantees rs
we want. 1t is rs plain and strong for
us rs it can be made, and if it is not re-
spec ed how can we hope now one or
an amendment respected? What could
you make of pledges from a party
whose motto is, spoils and power; u
party which holds these as law higher
than the Constitution? The only re-
suit will be that we come home from
such Convention pledged to test tho
good faith Of the enemy. The enemy
goes home and rcncws its secret work
OF our destruction. 1t is growing in
strength daily; will have a reinforce
ment Of about eight new States in the
next four years has dropt the hint
that they will acquire British America,
Russian America, and Spanish Ameri-
ca, and they will do it sooner or later,
let the cost be what it may, and you
must help pay fori it. When these things
have been done, what then is your con-
iiton: The eDomy has the constitu-
innal power to alter the Constitution.
Il will be done; by it slavery will bea.
the negro secured in the same
political rights with you; the four. mil.
ions and more now in your section VIII
DO loosed upon you to feed npon you
md supplant your children; ana they
are without remedy, for II they then
resist. the numbers and powers against
Ihem are 50 overwhelming that they
,re instantly crushed out. Delay, trust
10 pledges and promises, aud these con-
will as certainly ovcrtake US
$ time continues. But act early and
here can be no danger. Two things
uarantee US safety in present action
ne is, that the two sections are so near.
equal in numbers that there can be no
anger of war--so much dreaded by
,me. We have nothing when we So.
,de to wage war for. We remedy our
;ils by the accession. The North has
0 interest ut II character tn briug