Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-12-13
InsOlvent Notice.

she acrepts the decree of restriction and utimste
extinction, which is made the condition of her
homage.
As it appears to me, the course to be pursued in
this emergency is that which has already been in
augurated. Let the people in all the Southern
States in solemn council assembled, reclaim the
powers they have delegated. Let those conventions
be composed of men whose wisdom, experience and
frmness of age, TO support and announce principles
W hich have long been matured. Let these eonven-
lions decide firmly and solemnly what they VIII do
with this great trust committed to their hands Let
them pledge each other in sacred covenants to uphold
and perpetuate what they cannot resign without
dishOnor and palpable ruin. Let them further take
all the necessary steps locking to separate and
independent existence, and initiate measures Tor
framing new and homogeneous eonfederacy. Thus
prepared for every contingency let the crisis COME
Paradoxieal as it may seem, if there be amy way TO
save. or rather to reconstruct the Union OF our
forefathers, it is this.
Perhaps. at the last moment, the conservative por-
tons of the North may awake to see the abyss INTO
which they are about to plunge. Perchance they
NAV arise and and crush out forever the Abolition
hydra and cast it into grave from which there
shall never be a resurrection
Thus, VITA restored confidence, we may be re-
joined. united and happy people. But before Ood:
believe that nothing will effect this but the line OF
policy which the South has been compelled In self
preservation to adopt | confess frankly am
not sanguine that such suspicious result VIII
be reached. Partly because do not see how new
guarantees are TO be grated upon the CONSTITUTION
nor how if grated, they can be more binding tnan
those which have already been tramped under foot:
but chiefly, because | do not see how such Suaran-
tees can be elected from the people at the North 1t
cannot be disguised that almost to man. they are
anti-slaverg where they are not Abolition. A whole
generation has been educated to look upon the sys-
| tenn with abhorance a national blot. They hope
and look and pray for its extinction within reason
able time. and can not be satisfied unless things are
seen drawing to that conclusion. We, on the con-
I 4asYva
thing less than that it should be left open to expan
sion subject to no limitations those imposed by
God and nature fear the antagonism is too great
and the conscience of both parties too deeply lmp-
Gated to allow such composition of strife Never
theless since 1t is within the range of possibility IN
the Providence of God, would not shut out the
alternative.
Should it fail what remains but that say to
each other. calmly and kindly, what Abraham SAID
to Lot LET there be no strife pray thee between
me and thee and between my herdmen and
thy herdmen. for we be brethren. Is not
| the whole land before thee? Separate myself
l pray thee from me-if thou will take the left
hand then will go to the right, if thou depart to
the right hand, then will go to the lift Thus. If
we cannot the Union, we may save the lnestim-
able blessings it enshrines ; if we can not preserve
the vase, we will preserve the precious liquor 1t
contains
In all this, speak for the North no less than for
the South for on our united and determined resist
aBce at this moment depends the salvation of the
whole country-in saving ourselves we shall save
the North from the ruin she is madly drawing upon
her own head.
TIE position of the South is at this moment sub
lime. If she has grace given her to know her hour
she will save herself, the country, and the world
1t will involve indeed. temporary prostration and
distress; the dykes of Holland must be cut to save
her from the troops of Philip. But / warn my
countrymen the historic moment orce passed, never
returns If she will arise in her majesty and speak
now as with the voice of one man, she will roll
back for all time, the curse that is upon her. II
she succumbs now she transmits that curse as an
heirloom to posterity.
We may. fOT a generation, enjoy comparative
ease, gather up our feet in our beds, and die IN
peace; but children will go forth beggared from
the homes OF their fathers Fishermen will cast
their nets where your proud commercial navy no"
rides az anchor and dry them upon the shore now
| covered with your bales of merchandise. Slapped
circumvented, undermined, the institutions of youI
soil will lie overthrown; and within five and twenty
years the history of St. Domingo will be the record
| of Louisiana. If dead mems bones can tremble
t ours will move under the muttered curses of OuI
sons and daughters denouncng the blindness and
love Of ease which have left them an inheritance
of woe.
have done my duty under as deep a sense OF
responsibility TO God and man as have ever felt
! Under a full conviction that the salvation Of the
whole country Is depending upon the action OF the
South am impelled to deepen the sentiment of re
sstsnce in the Southern mind and to strengthen the
current now flowing towards union ofthe South II
defense of her chartered rights. 1t is duty which
| shall not be recalled to repeat. for such awful
f junctuTes do not occur twice a century.
Bright and happy days are yet before US, and be
fore another political earthquake shall shake the
continent l hope to be where the weary are Al
rest"
1t only remains to say, that whatever be the for
tunes of the South accept them for my own. Borr
upon her soil of father thus born before me-trou
an ancestry that yet occupied it while yet it was
part of Eng!ands pOssessions-she is in every sense
my mother. l shall die upon her bosom-she shall
know peril butt is my peri-no conflict but 1t i
my cOniict-and no abyss of ruin into which shall
, not share her fall. May the Lord God cover hel
head in this her day of battle!