Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-09-14
A Southern Disunionist in Cor.
respondence with a North
ern Abolitionist!
THE CoNsPIRA or A AcKNO WLEDGE.
READ! CONSERVATIVES.

In the New York Times of the 2lst ult., we find
a letter written by John Driver, ESQ., of Alabama
to Hon. Gerrit Smith, the notorious aboltionst Of
New ork, who was charged with being implicated
in the John Brown raid at IIarper's Ferry.
Let all men who have been deceived by the
Breckinrdge speakers and papers into the belle
that theirs is not disunon party and formed in
its present shape for that very purpose read the fol
lowing letter from an Alabama disunion Democrat
RUSSELL Co. Ala, Monday, July 2s, 1860.
Hon. GERRIT SMTH-Sr You and | are anti
podes the subject of slavery, believe it to bC
divine institution, created by Heaven, and such Is
the doctrine of the Bible. African slavery has
christianzed and civilized during the same length
of time, more human beings than all the missiona
ries of the world combined. If it was not for the
njudicious and unwise laws against the slave trade
by importation and moral instruction, we would
make them Christians by the million, and prepare
their souls for Heaven. You are mistaken In sup
posing that we do not give slaves christian in.
Istruetion. Large numbers of them are members O
the churches and we rely principally on the Bible
when instructing them in obedience to their mas
tiers. However, do not desire TO argue the Ques-
ton Of slavery with you, as between there is an
impossible gulf.
But we concur on one point a separation Of thC
Free and Slave States into distinct Governments.-
Last winter Alabama passed law without dis
senting voice. that in the event of Black Repub
lcan being elected she would dissolve her connec
ton with the Union. This is the sentiment Of eve
ry Cotton State and they all unite with her Wher
this is DONE all the other slave States will follow
Immediately, IL obedience Is attempted to be en-.
forced, and ultimately, anyhow. To effect this OBJ
ject, we, the Disunion Party. disrupted the Demo
cratic Convention at Charleston, and at Baltimore
induced others to join us by our agreeing TO sup
port men not entirely Of our sentiments We dc
not desire their election but believe them the mos
available men TO divide the Democratic party and
elect Mr.. Lincoln. We wish his elevation to the
Presidential chair because we know it will produc,
a dissolution of the Union.
perceive you are advocating the formation of
ticket more in conformity with your sentiments
This will only iujure the Republican candidate
As your party and mine concur in desiring sepa
ration of the Free and the Slave States let US unit,
our efforts to accomplish this grand object. Not
lwithstanding onr sentiments on this subject W,
have waived running candidate ON that direct iss
ue; simply because we can better destroy the po
litica parties which now bind the Union together
without doing il. Cannot the Ani-slavery part,
exercise policy also, and vote the Republican ticket
which viii assist in accomplishing an object We botl
desire. We, the dsuni0nists of the South hay,
adopted polite course, aud why not the disunion
ionsts Of the North? 'fyou cannot conscienciOtsl,
do so viii you bs kind enough To make this sub
ject publc, so that the Anti-slavery party, or 5,
many of them can vote the Republican ticke
will comprehend the reasons for 50 tong.
JOHN DRIVER
Tome le out from among ,hcu'. all yc, my pecll,