Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-11

DUDLEY Letter written IN lS0y. UonOtiet the lenSIn
of 1t deter you from reading it. Read it, BELL men,
because he is one of you Read 1t, DOUGLAS men, to
see what the BELL men of Georgia think Of your
candidate and principles. Read it. BRECKNRrDGE
men. to learn what the Union party think of
resistance in the event of the success of Black
Republican candidate for the Presidency:
From LAGRANGE CeA) Reporter Extra, July 30 1859.
LETTER FROM B. HILL.
LAGRANGE, Ga, July 18th, 1859.
Ny DEAR SIR Excuse me for delaying so long an
answer to your letter. Candor requires TO ad-
nit that much of this delay owing indisposi-
ton my part TO write politics. 1t is not neces
sary for 10 say you that this delay is not in
the least attributable to want of respect for your
self for truly say, if there exist class of men
for whom citizens entertain the highest respect
it is the class to which you belOng-men whose
lives evince that their only connection with politics
is aid in the establishment of principles
and in securing proper and honest abstraction of
the laws of the land. With such men Idto and prin-
epe rather than party and Office, constitute the great
object of desire.
What shall we of the South now do 2" is your
question.
After the discussions of nearly half century on
the various issues presented by the institution of
slavery in its relations the Federal and State Gov
ernmeRts, the country it seems to me, has arrived
at q point where these discussions. with all their
dangerous tendencies. may be terminated on a cor
rect and safe basis honorable TO all men and every
section of the Union-if, indeed. settlement and
peace on any basis whatever be possible
Whatever may have been open questions on this
subject heretofore, every honest thinker is COM
PEELED now to see, that there is ground for differ
ences Of opinion or action among those who seek the
truth and really desire to obey the laws and let the
country have peace. If this be true, and agtatOrs
still continue TO distract may olv that truth
not their object law is not their rule and with such
agreement is impossible, and all further labor 20
it would be idle. With all so bent argument
is simply folly.
The Supreme Judicial Tribunal of the United
States has solemuy decided that Southern citi-
co-equa! owners of the territories and that
70 these territories the Southern man has right to
carry his slaves and there hold them with precisely
the rights belonging any other citizens from
any other section with any other property and that
the General Government has power to destroy
or abridge, IN Gny manner render Intellectual the
enjoyment of this righ1 and thu property In de
Gliding the Court but declared simple and plain ee-
mentsry principles of Constitutional law, which.
with many of US, were never considered doubtful
Whatever of honesty charity may have accorded TO
those who professed TO think otherwise heretofore
certainly no man has even a right to think other
wise now since obedience to law is a duty.
The Court not only decided that the General Gov
eminent could not exclude us from the Territories
but with equal emphasis, has also declared that his
power to exclude, not being possessed, could not
be delegated TO any Territorial Government or
power.
- Since writing the foregoing l have re-examined
the decision and cannot refrain from extracting the
following sentence:
And no words can be found in the Constitution
which gives Congress d greater power over slave
property which entities property of that kind TO
less protection than property Of any other description.
The only pooer conferred is The pol0er coupled oih
The Of guarding and protecting the O'c7'er in his
righiSS
We then perceive that the whole question of right,
power and duty in relation to slavery in the Terri
tories has been settled and settled too, not by party
platform to be changed and violated policy. or
caprice, bad faith might dictate; not by the Kan
sas BILL by any Congressional act, subject TO
double constructions TO suit ATTITUDES and coucbed
to suit prejudces but settled by the Supreme Court
and settled tie Ldo of the Constitution plainly and
distinctly declared, and thus lifted high above the
camor Of the politician and the designing trickery
of party conventions.
The people then my dear sir, have nothing to do
but to demand that this Ian shs be respected Iac
and that the rights thus secured shall longer be
the wind whistles o. demagogues At the hustings
nor the subject for Delphic sentences of platform
commentators. Bere lies the rock of safety to the
South-peace to the Union prosperity to the coun-
try-and of death to small men.
What ought the people Rolo to do TO make sure this
settlement rather respected this law. To dete~
mine this question let US look for a momeut at the
obstacles in the way.
No man who fairly observes the current Of politi-
cal evests fail that two dangerous assaults
are now being made upon these wise and correct
decisions, and the rights they involve. The one as
sault openly attacks and seeks to overturn the dec
sions the other, while pretending to admit adj
roty evades and seeks to render them nugatory in
effect.
The first of these assaults is made by the Northern
Republican party This party openly declares that |
the decisions in the bred Scott and Amy cascs-are
wrong and shall be reversed. To accomplish this |
result they propose throug., their greater pOpula.
non al the ballot box to take into their own hands
the entire administration of the Government, and |
tS procure and enforce construction of the Constht-
ton Favorable to their uietrSr
AFTER NATURE DELIBERATION ICAN SEE
But ONE REPLY FOR THIS PEOPLE. AND THAT
Is MAR-WAR IN EVERY SENSE BY WHICH THE
TERN Is DEFINED. OR DEFlNABLE CAN AR
GUMENT REACH THEN: 1t is exhausted Can
law bind them! 1t is ihs lar they are organized to
defy-tO violate Can appeals to justice move them,
Il il Justice 20 half the Union which they seek |
70 destroy. Can we hope for peace through some |
fsncied compromise or compact IN the future? Can |
we MAKE better, a more solemn compact than the !
preseut CONSTITUTION Have better. or wiser or
purer men than its authors, 70 make another? Made
In the freshness and purity of the morning of our
hstory-made by patriots who had struggled |
through coulmon dangers cOnsecrsted by the presi
ding spirit of the great leader OF the Revolution and
hallowed BY every recollection that can endear and
strong in every promise that can inspire hOpe-f our
present Constitution cannot command the respect OF
fsnaticism confde no other agreement with the
fanstic short of an absolute surrender
Formerly, th- powers of the General Govern |
ment on this subject might be regarded in charity,
as an open question and resistance to The mere election
OF person entertaining different views from our
serves might not have been easily defended but
~ RESIST TIRE SUCCESS OF SUCH A PARTY, |
WITH SUCH PURPOSES, NOW. CANN0 LONGER /
BE RETARDED AS OTHER THAN A RIGHT AND |
A DUTY because, since these decisions by the
Court such a party ia seeking nothing but a nlain
open and defiant violation of the law-tba Law
which makes us equalsand to submit 10 them Is 10
submit TO traitors AND BY SUBMISSION oIpsr1 1-,
WOULD BECOME ACCESSORIES TO Tux CRIME or TRE,So(,
and that, too against Government which the ~ |
bells seek 20 destroy only because it protects our fire.
sides, our property, and our all. This states the
conclusion strongly, but logic lead to truer
conclusion, nor patriotism warmed to a nobler one
The second assault comes from the Democratic
party. or at least the wing of that party lead by
Senator Douglas.
These enemies set out by admitting that the bred
Scott decision is law-that the Southern man has
the right to take his slave to the common territory
and that Congress shall not prohibit him from doing
so. THIS is d long way the road to right but If
it lead by crook to the goal as the first, It is
all the more dangerous, since honest men may be
seduced TO travel it.
What else does Mr. Douglas and his followers say?
They say we have die right to carry our slaves TO
the territories but the right pooer hold them there