Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-10-13


SATURDAY MORNING. OCT. IL, 1850.
TO the Friends of The Constitution
and the Union.
The Presidential contest Is rapidly ap-
preaching Il termination. But tweBty-four
days more, and The field viii b won or lost
By the friends of the Constitution and the
Union. Are they thoroughly alive to the
importance Of the struggie2 Do they fully
appreciate the momentous results which are
suspended in the balances, and which but
slight weight may determine irrevocably
against their peace and happiness, and the
permaney of their government?
Since the adoption of the Federal constitu-
ton issues so grave as those now pending
have never occupied the attention of the
people. The crises through which the gov
eminent has hitherto passed, sutjecting it to
severe tests, and calling forth into active ex-
ercise the wisdom, sagaciiy aud patriotism Of
leading statesmen of the times in which the
they occurred, fall far below the present in the
immirence of the disasters which are threat
ened. The memorable controversies of 1920,
1882, and 1850, portentous as they were of
eyil,yet afforded grounds Of compromise upon
which the cections could meet, and harmon
ize. But now the unnecessary aud wanton
agitation OF questions growing out of the
Institution OF slayery-agitation commenced
aud kept up fer the suicidal purpose OF
building up parties, - has precipiiated
upon the country the danger OF consi gniug
the administration Of the government TO a
great sectional party organized in hostility
TO. and kept together by the pledge OF war
upon constitutional rights OF an entire see
tion Of the Union. The 4 ggressiTe spirit OF
anti-slaEery fanaticism has been made tooap
parent for even the most cOnfding TO doubt
what will be its course when invested with
the power and patronage Of the government.
Wherever it has had power, no constitutional
barrier cOHld impose restraints upon its ac-
ton 1t has claimed to be- governed BY
higher law than cons solutions or human obi
cations: and Knocked at their restrictions.
Unwilling to await the development OF Its
intentions in the administration Of the gov
eminent, We find States in the South prepared
nectiOn with government administered un-
der its influences, and leading men, aad other
organs of public senIims ut, ia a maiority Of
the Southern States, declaring they will never
submit. The issue may be avoided or post
poned. perhaps indefinitely: but there is no
ground for compromise. the friends of the
Constitution and Union may, by cooperation,
L
postpone the issue and give time for the So
Der second thought OF the North to act; bat.
we repeat, there can be no compromise. The
republicans must abandon their secLiOualisn
and escheyg their warfare upon constitutional
rights Of the South, or the South must either
succumb or resist. The South cannot sue
cumb-if she does SO, she is lost. 1t is not
probable that republicanism, flushed with
success, would abandon its Intentions "Nar
to the knife; must, therefore, ensue should a |
republican president be clected-a war of |
sections and kindred, fred by the fercest and |
deadlIest hate, ending in the destruction of |
the government, for the union could not sur |
vive the shock of such a conflict. The issue
in this canvass, theE,-the chief issuc-is not |
whether slavery shall be kept out of the Ter |
ritories or protected there by the general |
government; but whether this union shall be !
preserved or destroyed. We fear the great |
masses OF the people, governed too much by |
party feelings, have not given the matter that |
serious consideration which it has deserved, |
and are scarcely conscious of the dangers,
real dangers, which hover around them. We |
conjure them to dismiss party feelings and |
turn their thoughts to the question of pre-
serving their government, and perpeluating |
the blessings which il has conferred upon |
them, when honestly administered. "We are in |
the midst OF a revolution, bloodIess as yet" |
but six months may not elapse before the |
sound O? deadly conflict upon the field OF bat |
tie startle you from The seeming security in |
which ycu repOse. Awake, arise, act, before |
it be too late. There is now no time to give |
TO doubt and hesitation. Prompt and eff |
cient action is demanded. win you friends |
of the Constitution and the Union. in the |
few bat supremacy important days which |
precede the 9th of November, counsel togeth- |
er, and laying aside every sentiment and pur-
your efforts Tor its salvation. An army in |
vincible in serried array, if divided, divis- |
ion here, and regiment there, battalion in |
one place and company in another, acting |
of each other, loses its invinci- |
bility and may be cut up in detail, and over
come by an inferior force This is the danger
which threatens the defeat Of the Iegions of |
the Constitution and Unien army. They are |
all powerful in numbers, and uncomfortable. |
when they stand together: but divided as
they are amongst the supporters of BELL,
and DOUGLAS ard BREckNRIDoE, they bid |
taiF to be overwhelmed by the concentrated
but inferior forces Of Northern sectiOnalism. |
Shall this be their fate? Shall they. who
have the power to save our institutions. fail.
because they cannot sink issues of small i'm
portanee before an overshadowing necessity.
Oh, let not posterity rcproach you for such
weakness and imbeciIity; for recklessness so
fatal. Sink all party disputalions to the
bottOmless deep; let them be supplanted Jy
nobler considerations, for the present; and
when the enemy who is numbering at onr
doors, and undermining the citadel of our
liberties, has been vanquished there will be
time enough to adjust questions of public
policy of nature less grave. Unite, and
cooperating, shoulder to shoulder,
for The remainder of the contest save the
Union, and then divide into parties If you
choose. If We can but pass this crisis safely,
the Republican party will be scattered. 1t
=. x,,,<.tf ,,rolo,o Its exist+uce after another
defeat. 1t will dissolve like the mists of the